L'Arco (Valpolicella)—Thursday, January 16th

At only 47 years old, Luca Fedrigo has been one of the most masterful producers in Valpolicella for almost three decades under the L'Arco label. How is it possible for a winemaker to have that wealth of experience before hitting the half-century mark?

First, you fall madly in love with the granddaughter of the most iconic producer in Valpolicella, Giuseppe Quintarelli, so much so that you abandon your burgeoning career as a Ducati driver, follow her to her family's farm, and begin to adopt their more agrarian lifestyle. Second, when Quintarelli offers you an apprenticeship, you accept, eventually spending a decade in his cellar and vineyards learning the traditional winemaking techniques and indigenous varieties of the region. And third, you purchase a small plot of land a short walk from the Quintarelli property, in the Negrar zone of Valpolicella, a few years into your stint as assistant winemaker, and a few years later, release your inaugural vintage.

Fedrigo's time under Quintarelli's tutelage no doubt served him well: L'Arco has long-since established itself as a leading producer of Amarone and Valpolicella Classico, deftly balancing his unwavering commitment to traditional methods and cultivation of native varieties (Corvina, Molinara, Rondinella) with an embrace of non-native grapes like Sangiovese Grosso and Cabernet Franc. His philosophy is firmly based in land stewardship and preservation, practicing organic and being entirely pesticide and herbicide-free since 2004. In the cellar, he uses only a minimal amount of S02 when necessary. 

L'Arco's Amarone is dark, brooding, and lushly textured, with an almost ethereal elegance quite rarely, if ever, seen in its peers; the Ripasso is likewise elegant, all concentrated fruit with savory etchings; their Rosso di Veronese offers a youthful expression of the region's chief varieties, lithe and lively; and their Rubeo is a captivating blend of those native varieties and techniques with Cabernet Franc. 

On Thursday, we'll taste them all (+ the perfectly balanced sweetness of their Passito Bianco) with our friend Nick Dazzi of Alluvial Wine. A perfect lineup to warm up on a chilly evening!