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Product Name
Vintage
Price
Varietal
Country
Region
Appellation
Size
Additional Discount
Original Item
2008
$47.64
Corvina Blend
Italy
Veneto
Valpolicella
750ml
24B / $44.31
Better Price, Same Score
2013
$39.94
Corvina Blend
Italy
Veneto
Valpolicella
750ml
12B / $39.14
Better Score, Similar Price
2017
$47.94
Corvina Blend
Italy
Veneto
Valpolicella
750ml
6B / $47.20
Closest Match
2018
$47.94
Corvina Blend
Italy
Veneto
Valpolicella
750ml
Best QPR in Price range
2018
$51.66
Corvina Blend
Italy
Veneto
Valpolicella
750ml
More Details
Winery
Michele Castellani
Vintage: 2008
2008 saw very high yields across wineries in much of the southern hemisphere, as a result of highly favorable climatic conditions. Although in many areas, these high yields brought with them something of a drop in overall quality, this could not be said for South Australia's wines, which were reportedly excellent. Indeed, the 2008 Shiraz harvest in South Australia is said to be one of the most successful in recent decades, and western Australia's Chardonnays are set to be ones to watch out for. New Zealand's Pinot Noir harvest was also very good, with wineries in Martinborough reportedly very excited about this particular grape and the characteristics it revealed this year.
Pinot Noir also grew very well in the United States, and was probably the most successful grape varietal to come out of California in 2008, with Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley delivering fantastic results from this grape. Elsewhere in United States, Washington State and Oregon had highly successful harvests in 2008 despite some early worries about frost.
However, it was France who had the best of the weather and growing conditions in 2008, and this year was one of the great vintages for Champagne, the Médoc in Bordeaux, Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence, with Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes leading the way. Italy, too, shared many of these ideal conditions, with the wineries in Tuscany claiming that their Chianti Classicos of 2008 will be ones to collect, and Piedmont's Barberesco and Barolo wines will be recognized as amongst the finest of the past decade.
Varietal: Corvina Blend
Corvina varietal grapes have been grown in Italy for well over a thousand years, and are most closely associated with the coastal region of Veneto, where they are used to fantastic effect in the finest wines of the region. Most notably, Corvina grapes are used as a primary varietal in the blended Amarone and Valpolicella wines – two aged wines which make the most of the potential Corvina has for maturation. The rather high acidity levels in Corvina grapes make them an excellent candidate for aging, as the acids mellow over time and reveal their wonderfully complex and deep flavors of sour cherries and almonds. The thick skins of the Corvina grapes result in a bright crimson wine, and the skins themselves have relatively low tannin levels, making these wines very drinkable and delightfully light in body.
Region: Veneto
The wine region of Veneto in north-eastern Italy has long been associated with fine wines, but also with the spirit of innovation which is typical of the region and which made it an important area of Europe throughout history. Indeed, today Veneto's wine-makers are recognized as the most modernized in all of Italy, using contemporary techniques to make the best of the high quality grape varietals which flourish in the region. These include the wonderful Garganega varietal, which is the grape used for the production of Veneto's widely loved Soave white wine, and Glera and Verduzzo, which are both used in more traditional wines of the region. The region benefits from a cooler climate, but one which is sheltered by the Alps, producing balanced and consistent climatic conditions ideal for viticulture.
Country: Italy
It isn't difficult to understand why Italy is famed not just for the quality of its wines, but also for the vast variety and range of characteristics found in the wines there. The terrain of the country varies wildly, from the lush rolling green hills and valley of Tuscany, to the sun drenched rocky coasts of Sicily, the mountainous and alpine regions of the north, and the marshy lowlands of the east. Italy really does have a little bit of everything. Combine this huge range of landscapes with an almost perfect climate for grape cultivation, and you have a country seemingly designed for viticultural excellence. The results speak for themselves, and it is clear to see that wine has become an inseparable part of Italian culture as a result of its abundance and brilliance. Each village, city and region has a local wine perfectly matched with the cuisine of the area, and not an evening passes without the vast majority of Italian families raising a glass of locally sourced wine with pride and pleasure.