Veni Vidi Veneto

Nadia Zenato’s upcoming visit to Shubie’s reminded me of a couple things:

• I love Zenato’s wines. 



The best radicchio I have ever tasted!

• I love the Veneto region of Italy, where the wines come from. 

I was lucky enough to spend a 6 or 7 days in the region once, and they were some of the best days I ever spent in Italy. The weather was perfect—despite the fact that it was the middle of January. The landscape was picturesque everywhere I went. The food was, of course, fantastic—I still think longingly of the loose-leaf Radicchio di Treviso that they grow there (yes, after five years, I still think about the radicchio—it was that good!) And I got to visit Zenato’s estate.

Conditions were perfect for tasting their amazing wines, but even now, on a dreary New England day in October, without a Roman ruin or piece of radicchio in sight, I still love to drink them. Here are some of the highlights: 

Grapes drying to make Amarone

1. Zenato Lugana: Zenato’s winery is located on the southern end of Lake Garda. Aside from being one of the most picturesque places in all of Italy, this is a perfect place for growing the local Trebbiano di Lugana grape, which is what they use to make the local Lugana wine. It's a wonderfully fresh, soft, floral white, and Zenato has done a lot to bring it out of the depths of obscurity. Pinot grigio fans beware—this could be a new favorite.
   
2. Zenato Valpolicella (pronounced “val-po-lee-chel-a”): Made from indigenous grapes grown in the Valoplicella region, a little bit east of Lake Garda, this light red is a classic from the Veneto. With notes of cherries, violets, and even almonds, it’s great with chicken and polenta. Actually, it's good for just about any occasion--a perfect "house red" for anyone tired of pouring cabernet or pinot noir.
3. Zenato Amarone: The granddaddy of wines from the Valopolicella, made by drying the grapes out for four months or so before crushing them. This yields an incredibly rich, powerful wine, with dense dark fruit flavors, and notes of dried fruit, smoke and spices. These are amazing wines that can be cellared for many years (if you have the patience). 

Because so much of the the grape is lost to evaporation in the process, though, Amarones are pretty expensive wines. If you want to get a feel for what Amarone is all about without spending the big bucks, you can try Zenato’s Ripassa. To make this, they take the regular Valpolicella and add the left over pommace from the Amarone, giving the wine an Amarone-like character, without an Amarone-like price!

Lake Garda