There is nothing about Quintarelli that is not exceptional. Every wine that eventually emerges from the cantina under the house has been long nurtured both in vineyard and (especially) in the cellar. In fact these wines are not really terroir wines, despite coming from high on the basalt hill above Negrar in the heart of the region. What Giuseppe did in his cellar, both in his winemaking and above all in the maturing of the wines that he half joked were his sons, almost amounted to alchemy.

The 2008 Valpolicella Classico Superiore is the usual ripasso style, but is slightly lighter and earlier drinking for once, so you can actually get on with it and see what all the fuss is about. The 2007 Amarone on the other hand is a brooding beast. It will need considerable ageing to get the best from it, but when you are dealing with a unique wine it is a small sacrifice.

And here's the thing, although they aren't the cheapest these are far from elitist wines. Yes Giuseppe was always at the top of his game, but he was an artisan, working to simple principles. You need these wines in your cellar; will you make the effort? /CW

Offered subject to confirmation for shipment autumn 2016