{"id":2021,"date":"2026-05-19T10:30:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T08:30:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cesari.it\/recioto-della-valpolicella-storia-caratteristiche\/"},"modified":"2026-05-19T10:39:41","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T08:39:41","slug":"recioto-della-valpolicella-storia-caratteristiche","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cesari.it\/en\/recioto-della-valpolicella-storia-caratteristiche\/","title":{"rendered":"Recioto della Valpolicella: The History and Secrets of the \u201cFather\u201d of Amarone"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Recioto<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Recioto della Valpolicella: discover this one-of-a-kind wine.<\/em><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

If Valpolicella<\/a><\/strong> stands today as one of the world\u2019s most celebrated wine regions, it owes its prestige to an ancient, precious, and sweet wine that embodies the very essence of the territory: Recioto<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Often overshadowed by the global success of its renowned \u2018son,\u2019 Amarone<\/a><\/strong>, Recioto is not merely the historical predecessor: it is the origin of a production technique<\/strong> that remains unparalleled. At Cesari, we consider this wine as far more than a simple post-meal indulgence, but a testament to a farming tradition that mastered the art of patience to create excellence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Recioto: the sweet wine of Valpolicella<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG<\/strong> isn\u2019t simply a passito<\/em> wine. Its roots reach deep into Roman times, when it was known as Acinaticum<\/em>, a dense, intensely sweet wine praised by historians such as Cassiodorus. The name itself, “Recioto<\/strong>,” derives from the local Veronese dialect term recia<\/em><\/a>, meaning “ear.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In ancient times, grape growers selectively harvested the topmost bunches of the vine \u2013 the parts most exposed to the sun and therefore richest in sugars<\/strong> \u2013 which resembled the shape of small ears. This wine represents the ancestral soul of our valley: a velvety red born from the deliberate, forced rest of the grapes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Amarone<\/strong> is a wine where all the sugars have been transformed into alcohol, Recioto represents a perfect harmony where fermentation<\/strong> is naturally arrested. This preserves a natural sweetness<\/strong> \u2013 never cloying \u2013 supported by a tannic and acidic structure<\/strong> that grants the wine timeless longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recioto winemaking: grape drying or “Appassimento”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The secret to Recioto\u2019s<\/strong> extraordinary aromatic density<\/strong> lies in a millenary ritual: grape drying <\/strong>(appassimento<\/em>).<\/strong>In our vineyards, it all begins between September and October with the manual selection of the finest Corvina Veronese, Rondinella, and Corvinone<\/strong> grapes \u2013 harvested early. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These selected bunches are carefully laid out in single layers in crates and placed in the fruttaio<\/strong>, a spacious, well-ventilated loft where the grapes rest for 100 to 120 days. During this winter sleep, the water gradually evaporates, concentrating the sugars, polyphenols, and aromas within the berry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Appassimento<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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After the drying process, the grapes are pressed. Fermentation follows \u2013 slow and at a controlled temperature \u2013 and is interrupted before completion to preserve a portion of the natural sugars. Historically, it is believed that a “failed” or interrupted fermentation of Recioto is what gave birth to Amarone<\/strong><\/a>; this is why Recioto is widely regarded as the “father<\/strong>” of Valpolicella\u2019s<\/strong> most famous wine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, in our cellar, the wine undergoes a short maturation of about 6 months in the bottle, which harmonizes its structure and elegance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tasting notes: what to expect from a Cesari Recioto<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The result of a journey that begins in the vineyard, continues in the fruttaio<\/strong>, and culminates in the cellar is our Recioto della Valpolicella Classico DOCG<\/a><\/strong>: an intense, silky, and well-structured wine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is characterized by a deep purple-red color, with aromas of cherries in spirits<\/strong>, mixed berry jam, and blackberries, with finishing notes of cocoa, coffee, and myrtle. On the palate, it is soft and fresh, displaying solid structure with silky, well-balanced tannins<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ideal pairings: not just for dessert<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As a sweet wine<\/strong>, Recioto is considered the ideal companion for Veronese pastries \u2013 think of Pandoro<\/strong> (with or without filling) or the traditional Sbrisolona<\/strong> \u2013 yet its culinary versatility surprises even the most experienced palates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Recioto<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to its structure and aromatic complexity<\/strong>, Cesari Recioto<\/strong> excels in contrast-based pairings<\/strong>. For instance, it makes an ideal match for intense blue cheeses<\/strong> like spicy Gorgonzola or Stilton: the sweetness of Recioto balances the saltiness of the cheese, creating a striking flavor profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back to sweet pairings, Recioto finds another ideal partner in high-percentage dark chocolate<\/strong>, as it is one of the few wines capable of balancing the persistence of the cocoa bean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a daring pairing, Recioto can also accompany meat dishes featuring red fruit reductions or foie gras<\/strong>. However, it is highly recommended to enjoy it on its own as a meditation wine<\/strong>: a glass to be sipped slowly at the end of a meal to fully appreciate every nuance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Come and discover Cesari Recioto at our <\/em>Wine Shop di Fumane<\/em><\/a><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em>!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Discover Recioto della Valpolicella: the ancestral sweet wine born from grape drying. HIstory, tasting notes and pairings by Cesari.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2007,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[279,280,281,282,283,284],"class_list":["post-2021","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-en","tag-appassimento","tag-fruttaio-cesari","tag-recioto-abbinamenti","tag-recioto-cesari","tag-recioto-della-valpolicella","tag-storia-del-recioto"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cesari.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2021","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cesari.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cesari.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cesari.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cesari.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2021"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.cesari.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2021\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2026,"href":"https:\/\/www.cesari.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2021\/revisions\/2026"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cesari.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2007"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cesari.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2021"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cesari.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2021"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cesari.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2021"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

This is a critical phase that demands constant monitoring: humidity and temperature must be managed with expert precision to prevent harmful molds and instead encourage the development of complex aromatics. In this regard, the Cesari Grape Drying Loft<\/strong> (Fruttaio<\/em>) is a crown jewel of our Fumane<\/strong> winery<\/strong><\/a>, where the ancient ritual of drying meets state-of-the-art monitoring technology to ensure optimal resting conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n