A totem of the region, this is a stunning recioto born of six-months appassimento and a decade in barrel. Riffs on Chinotto, alpine spruce, bitter cherry, clove, mahogany and walnut husk, with a waft of something more exotic akin to incense and Chinese medicine cabinet. The finish is uncannily dry of feel, sooty and almost gritty, such is the tannic exactitude. Compelling gear, like discovering a new needle in a haystack of overwhelming complexity with each fresh sip. Drink or hold. - Ned Goodwin MW, Senior Editor

Dark and rich in the glass, the 2011 Recioto della Valpolicella Classico smolders up with brown spice, cocoa and balsam herb notes as hints of dried citrus rinds and cherries evolve over time. A pleasant inner sweetness greets the palate, with pure silk textures and racy acidity that maintain a fantastic balance, as liquid mineral stone offsets rum-soaked currants and dark chocolate. The 2011 resonates with traces of medicinal wild berries and licorice, finishing incredibly long and with an exoticism that screams Quintarelli. - Eric Guido