Winemaker Notes
Ideal with rich cream pasta with truffles, Italian sausage with broccoli rabe, or roasted veal.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This 100% Corvina (the primary grape of the region) is an amazing study into the heart of the grape that calls Valpolicella home. The wine's aromas are rich, with notes of dried fig, black plums and sweet cherries. All of those ripe fruit aromas are complemented by classic herbal notes and sweet baking spices. The palate is creamy and well-balanced with a luscious finish.
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James Suckling
A fragrant nose of crushed dark raspberries, ripe blackcurrants, dark chocolate crust, cherry liquor and hints of dates and sweet spices. Full-bodied with velvety tannins, creating a smooth, flavorful palate that’s full of cocoa powder. Nice twist of bittersweet character to the finish. Drink or hold.
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Wine Spectator
Features fig cake, black cherry coulis and date fruit flavors that are sweet and juicy, enlivened by lively orange peel acidity and accents of pomegranate puree, violet and wild herbs. Light, taut tannins give this good definition, and rich hints of mocha, licorice and earth show on the finish.
The Zenato winery possesses a strong link to the richness of its local history and culture, and continues to develop this connection today. The estate is based in a territory that surrounds Lake Garda, with an extraordinary microclimate that allows for an optimal growing season. Cherishing a ‘frank and simple’ approach to life, Zenato is committed to producing affordable wine of exceptional quality. With a passion for the land and a dedication to vigorous research, innovation and quality improvement, Sergio Zenato strived to eclipse past results. He crafted wines that are known for their quality and consistency. Today, the winery operates under a philosophy and mission of Quality (from the vineyard to the bottle and consumer), Passion and Tradition (respecting the roots of the territory and local culture).
The chief variety in Valpolicella and Amarone della Valpolicella of the Veneto region of Italy, Corvina contributes intense red cherry and blackberry along with a touch of tartness and tannins to the blend. It is especially well suited to the drying process required to make Amarone. Corvina is also the main grape variety in Bardolino, a light red from the southeastern side of Lake Garda, also in Veneto. Somm Secret—Because of the dark and almost black coloring of its grape berries, Corvina takes its name from the Italian word, corvo, a local, jet-black raven.
Part of the greater Veneto wine region, Verona, the city, is the capital of Italy’s wine trade, hosting the country’s most important wine fair, Vinitaly, each year.
Everyday-drinking red and white blends can also be bottled under the heading Veronese IGT or IGP if they are comprised of approved Veneto grape varieties. Typically for reds, these include Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Corvina, Corvinone and Merlot among others. For whites, the approved grapes include Chardonnay, Friulano, Garganega, Pinot Bianco, Trebbiano and others. Rosato can also be labeled in this way with the same varieties approved for red blends. These wines represent an affordable introduction to the wines of the area.