xNorthern Italian Icons: Quintarelli and Miani
Within the broader confines of Northeast Italy, sit the legendary estates of Giuseppe Quintarelli and Miani, two titans, each producing exacting and powerful wines. While the style of each estate is distinct, there is a shared kinship in their boundless drive to perfection, and the resolve to make the ruthless decisions in the vineyard and cellar necessary to produce a never-ending stream of sublime bottles. Superlatives like this are appropriate when dealing with wineries that are, indeed, peerless – wineries that exist outside normal commercial concerns. Wineries whose sole purpose is to discover the apotheosis of their region, their grapes. Their impact can be felt beyond the Veneto, beyond Friuli. "Cult Wines" seems like a diminutive for the result here – these are truly one-of-a-kind wines that are unparalleled anywhere in the world. Most of the wines here are In Stock, with a few sold Pre-Arrival. Make sure to act quickly to secure your favorites, as there's always too little wine to go around!
For decades, the name Quintarelli has been the first and last name to know for Amarone and its associated wines. The estate was founded in 1906, but perfectionist Giuseppe (known affectionately as Bepi) turned it into a Veneto benchmark. In a region previously known for light, insignificant reds, Giuseppe turned to the traditional appassimento process to make singular, concentrated wines of place. Nearly every wine in the lineup has grapes that undergo the labor-intensive drying process, lasting between two to four months, before the final pressing and fermentation. The resulting wines are intense, complex, and powerful but always have an amazing freshness and finesse others lack. It's a high-wire act, but the estate's uncompromising attitude and rigorous care consistently delivers. Yearly production is about 4,000 cases from their 11 hectares, with a large percentage undergoing extended aging in the cellars before release at its peak. Today, Giuseppe's daughter, Fiorenza, is at the helm and, with her family, has continued the same painstaking methods that made the winery iconic. Primofiore represents the entry-level red of the house, with native grapes paired with cabernets (sauvignon and franc) that have been partially dried. It ages about a year in Slavonian oak, for a red-fruited nose and a darker-hued palate, full of spice, fresh acids, and fine structure. Valpolicella Classico Superiore is the next tier up, and entirely from the traditional varities corvina, corvinone and rondinella. Half the harvest is direct to press, with the other half seeing about two months of drying. In late winter, the wine is racked onto the lees of the Amarone, technically becoming a ripasso. After the secondary fermentation concludes, the wine is put into Slavonian botti to age for seven years. It hints at the estate's scope and skill, with a broad nose of dark fruits and spice, giving way to a silky, structured palate with a textured panoply of fruits, bitter chocolate, and dark earth. The flagship bottling is the Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, produced only in extraordinary vintages. Multiple passes through the vineyard and an extended maceration provide the unending depth of fruit and the monumental structure needed to balance a wine that ages seven years before bottling. The greatest vintages may lead to a Riserva designation, which is a barrel selection. They both have a kaleidoscopic range of fruits, earth, and flowers, managing to be both dense and tensile at the same time. These are not just meditation wines, but bottles that can also traverse cuisines and be an able partner at the dinner table, more graceful and flexible than you might think. Rosso del Bepi is essentially a declassification of the Amarone, crafted with the same methods, produced only in years where internal decision-making determines intensity doesn't quite reach the same heights. It is an exceptional buy. Alzero is perhaps the most remarkable wine of the estate, an incredible variation on a Bordeaux blend, using dried bunches of cabernet franc, sauvignon, and merlot. These are typically the year's first harvest and are slowly dried over four months before pressing and fermentation. Extended aging happens first in French barrique, before moving to Slavonian oak. This is uber-cabernet, dark, brooding, complex, herbal, and brambly, rippling with power. It's a magnificent bottle of wine, one that, like anything from Quintarelli, will make any dinner an occasion.
Further to the northeast, in the rolling hills of Friuli, we find Miani, which for nearly 40 years has been the pacesetting winery of the region. There, self-taught winemaker Enzo Pontoni has built his reputation on his considerable talents and his dedication to only releasing bottles that meet his incredibly stringent, self-imposed standards. In a typical year, his ten hectares of densely planted, low-yielding vines will eke out a meager 600-700 cases of intense, crystalline wines. It starts in the vineyard, with organic viticulture and severely pruned vines, which will each only produce one, perhaps two bunches; at harvesttime, there is further culling, and subpar grapes won't make it to the winery. In the cellar, after a gentle extraction, whites are barreled down to approximately 40% new oak and will not go through malo. The few reds will see a higher percentage of new oak, up to 100% for the refosco. Before bottling, Enzo will taste through the barrels and sell off any which don't make the grade. You can be assured that each bottle from the former engineer's hand will meet his exacting parameters and provide an exquisite experience. These wines may be made with familiar varieties, but grown in Friuli's gravelly limestone, marl, and sandstone; they show new dimensions and unfamiliar nuances in a fleshy, opulent style. A true man of the land, the cuvees often carry the names of the families that once tended these grapes. Zitelle, for example, provides Enzo with both chardonnay and sauvignon blanc, the former rich, distinctive, floral, and intensely mineral; the latter aromatic, minty, and lush with ripe melon fruit. Baracca chardonnay shows a more exotic character, with stonefruits and citrus curd, intriguing and intricate. Sauvignon Saurint also skews towards the exotic, vivid tropical fruits mingling with the fresh citrus, green apples and herbs. Friulano Filip demonstrates Enzo's mastery of native varietals – all minerals and texture, yellow fruited, with fine acids. Depending on the vintage, the Rosso is largely a blend of merlot and cabernets, bolstered by different native varieties. Full-bodied and sophisticated, dark fruits and violets are framed with earthy leather, licorice, and silky tannins. As a standalone, the Merlot is the house icon, chockablock with plummy fruit, cedar, and earthy tannins in his typical elegant style—a tour de force. Enzo is obsessive, a perfectionist, and a true visionary – each bottle of Miani confirms it!
For decades, the name Quintarelli has been the first and last name to know for Amarone and its associated wines. The estate was founded in 1906, but perfectionist Giuseppe (known affectionately as Bepi) turned it into a Veneto benchmark. In a region previously known for light, insignificant reds, Giuseppe turned to the traditional appassimento process to make singular, concentrated wines of place. Nearly every wine in the lineup has grapes that undergo the labor-intensive drying process, lasting between two to four months, before the final pressing and fermentation. The resulting wines are intense, complex, and powerful but always have an amazing freshness and finesse others lack. It's a high-wire act, but the estate's uncompromising attitude and rigorous care consistently delivers. Yearly production is about 4,000 cases from their 11 hectares, with a large percentage undergoing extended aging in the cellars before release at its peak. Today, Giuseppe's daughter, Fiorenza, is at the helm and, with her family, has continued the same painstaking methods that made the winery iconic. Primofiore represents the entry-level red of the house, with native grapes paired with cabernets (sauvignon and franc) that have been partially dried. It ages about a year in Slavonian oak, for a red-fruited nose and a darker-hued palate, full of spice, fresh acids, and fine structure. Valpolicella Classico Superiore is the next tier up, and entirely from the traditional varities corvina, corvinone and rondinella. Half the harvest is direct to press, with the other half seeing about two months of drying. In late winter, the wine is racked onto the lees of the Amarone, technically becoming a ripasso. After the secondary fermentation concludes, the wine is put into Slavonian botti to age for seven years. It hints at the estate's scope and skill, with a broad nose of dark fruits and spice, giving way to a silky, structured palate with a textured panoply of fruits, bitter chocolate, and dark earth. The flagship bottling is the Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, produced only in extraordinary vintages. Multiple passes through the vineyard and an extended maceration provide the unending depth of fruit and the monumental structure needed to balance a wine that ages seven years before bottling. The greatest vintages may lead to a Riserva designation, which is a barrel selection. They both have a kaleidoscopic range of fruits, earth, and flowers, managing to be both dense and tensile at the same time. These are not just meditation wines, but bottles that can also traverse cuisines and be an able partner at the dinner table, more graceful and flexible than you might think. Rosso del Bepi is essentially a declassification of the Amarone, crafted with the same methods, produced only in years where internal decision-making determines intensity doesn't quite reach the same heights. It is an exceptional buy. Alzero is perhaps the most remarkable wine of the estate, an incredible variation on a Bordeaux blend, using dried bunches of cabernet franc, sauvignon, and merlot. These are typically the year's first harvest and are slowly dried over four months before pressing and fermentation. Extended aging happens first in French barrique, before moving to Slavonian oak. This is uber-cabernet, dark, brooding, complex, herbal, and brambly, rippling with power. It's a magnificent bottle of wine, one that, like anything from Quintarelli, will make any dinner an occasion.
Further to the northeast, in the rolling hills of Friuli, we find Miani, which for nearly 40 years has been the pacesetting winery of the region. There, self-taught winemaker Enzo Pontoni has built his reputation on his considerable talents and his dedication to only releasing bottles that meet his incredibly stringent, self-imposed standards. In a typical year, his ten hectares of densely planted, low-yielding vines will eke out a meager 600-700 cases of intense, crystalline wines. It starts in the vineyard, with organic viticulture and severely pruned vines, which will each only produce one, perhaps two bunches; at harvesttime, there is further culling, and subpar grapes won't make it to the winery. In the cellar, after a gentle extraction, whites are barreled down to approximately 40% new oak and will not go through malo. The few reds will see a higher percentage of new oak, up to 100% for the refosco. Before bottling, Enzo will taste through the barrels and sell off any which don't make the grade. You can be assured that each bottle from the former engineer's hand will meet his exacting parameters and provide an exquisite experience. These wines may be made with familiar varieties, but grown in Friuli's gravelly limestone, marl, and sandstone; they show new dimensions and unfamiliar nuances in a fleshy, opulent style. A true man of the land, the cuvees often carry the names of the families that once tended these grapes. Zitelle, for example, provides Enzo with both chardonnay and sauvignon blanc, the former rich, distinctive, floral, and intensely mineral; the latter aromatic, minty, and lush with ripe melon fruit. Baracca chardonnay shows a more exotic character, with stonefruits and citrus curd, intriguing and intricate. Sauvignon Saurint also skews towards the exotic, vivid tropical fruits mingling with the fresh citrus, green apples and herbs. Friulano Filip demonstrates Enzo's mastery of native varietals – all minerals and texture, yellow fruited, with fine acids. Depending on the vintage, the Rosso is largely a blend of merlot and cabernets, bolstered by different native varieties. Full-bodied and sophisticated, dark fruits and violets are framed with earthy leather, licorice, and silky tannins. As a standalone, the Merlot is the house icon, chockablock with plummy fruit, cedar, and earthy tannins in his typical elegant style—a tour de force. Enzo is obsessive, a perfectionist, and a true visionary – each bottle of Miani confirms it!
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