Wine Ferragu, Valpolicella Superiore DOC, 2019

Introduction

Ferragu, Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG – a strong red wine made from grapes of the varieties Corvin, Corvinone, Creatine, Oseta, Rondinella, which are grown in the Veneto region, in the Illasi Valley. This valley is characterized by a diverse landscape, where plains, mountains and smooth hills alternate along the dry bed of the Progno River and includes seven municipalities. Due to the special climate, as well as the ecological and landscape value of the land, some of the best Amarone wines are produced here. Amarone della Valpolicella is considered the most prestigious wine of the region, according to legend, made by chance due to the carelessness of the winemaker. It says that in the production of Recioto the grapes were re-oiled and the wine was forgotten in a fermentation chamber. As a result, sugar was fermented and instead of sweet wine it turned out to be bitter (“amaro” in Italian – bitter). Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG – the flagship wine of the winery, which was first made in 1997, when the family began to experiment with the production of wines of the highest quality, using local traditional methods of winemaking.

Harvested by hand from a small plot with low productivity, which occupies only 1 ha. The vineyard is located at an altitude of 220 meters above sea level. Vineyards, due to their location, are exposed to the sun from dawn to dusk. This peculiar position gives grapes the opportunity to reach their maximum potential. The average age of the vines reaches 20 years. The vines are processed according to the Guyot system. Harvesting begins in October, when the berries reach maximum ripeness. The production technology of Amarone della Valpolicella is very similar to Recioto technology. Harvest ripens in special warehouses where grapes are dried on well-ventilated planes, thus increasing sugar and juice concentration. The drying time lasts 70 days, after which the berries are crushed and a 35-hour “cold” maceration. Fermentation with a stack of temperature control with the addition of cultured yeast lasts about 10 days. The wine is aged in barrels of French and American oak for 48 months. After bottling, the wine “rests” in the cellars of the winery for 12 months before it goes on sale. No more than 4,000 bottles are produced annually.