Quintarelli Rosso Ca' del Merlo 2017

The Giuseppe Quintarelli winery, located in the Veneto region of north-eastern Italy, is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious wine estates in the world. Established in 1924 by Silvio Quintarelli, Giuseppe "Bepi" Quintarelli propelled the estate to international acclaim. Known as the "Maestro del Veneto," Giuseppe's meticulous attention to detail and commitment to traditional methods set a high standard in winemaking.

The winery spans approximately 12 hectares of vineyards in the hills north of Verona in the heart of the Valpolicella appellation. The vineyards benefit from iron-rich limestone soils on a base of basaltic rock, contributing to the unique terroir of the wines. Giuseppe Quintarelli was known for his labor-intensive methods, including low-yield cultivation, rigorous pruning, and careful selection of grapes. The harvested grapes are dried for several months in extraordinary drying chambers to concentrate their flavors, known as "appassimento."

Quintarelli's winemaking process is marked by its patience and precision. The wines undergo slow fermentations and extended aging in large Slavonian oak barrels, often for seven years or more—this unhurried approach results in deeply complex and balanced wines that can age gracefully for decades.

Veneto is one of the most important wine regions in Italy. It is located in the northeastern corner of the peninsula. It borders Trentino-Alto Adige (north), Friuli-Venezia Giulia (northeast), Emilia-Romagna (south), and Lombardy (west).

Veneto's most populous capital is Venice, followed by Verona, Padua, Vicenza, Treviso, and Rovigo. The east coast of Lake Garda, the biggest Italian lake, is part of Veneto, as is the tract of Alpine foothills called Venetian Prealps.

Veneto is the leading Italian region in terms of wine production, even though wine-producing areas such as Piedmont, Tuscany, Lombardy, Puglia, and Sicily all have bigger territories.

Some of its most famous wines are Amarone della Valpolicella, Valpolicella, Soave, and Prosecco. Other less-known but equally delicious wines are Recioto della Valpolicella, Recioto di Gambellara, Raboso del Piave, and Bardolino.

Veneto's main characteristic is perhaps the great variety of wine types produced, obtained mostly from indigenous grape varietals – Corvina, Glera, and Garganega being the most common.

This is due as much to its specific geography and climate as to rather peculiar winemaking techniques, such as the grape drying technique employed to make Amarone della Valpolicella, Veneto's most famous red wine.