Valpolicella: A Love Letter

The name Valpolicella means the valley of many cellars. For the ancients, it was not a particular grape variety, winemaking style, or maturation vessel that made a difference. A great wine was one able to travel intact from where it was made to where there was feasting. A great wine had to traverse the alchemical arc of freshness and decay to cheat the natural progression from fruit to vinegar. Deep, cool cellars were the trick of the trade.