My favorite expression Italians use to describe some types of wines is "Vino da Meditazione", wine to meditate...

Now, of course, when one thinks of meditation, one thinks of taking a yoga position, sitting with eyes closed in a quiet place, and possibly humming a mantra...

But Italians do it better...with a glass of wine...around a table, with dear friends and family members.

Usually the wines are serious. Full bodied, complex, layered, and real mouthfulls. Wines that makes one stops to consider. To ponder about the joys of life, the wonders that men/women are able to create and make possible on this earth where we live in.

Quintarelli Recioto Della Valpolicella Classico 1995 is such a wonder. In fact a beauty in its full glory. A masterpiece of a wine...

Reciotto is a sweet red wine. From the "appassimento" method of drying grapes on straw matts before fermentation. This process not only increases sugar levels which leads to a fuller bodied wine and a good amount of residual sweetness, but it also give it diabolical aromas of raisins, maraschino, tar, spices, and dried plums, all at once. With age, then you have coffee, caramel, and savory forest undergrowth added to the mix...This wine was no exception... Perfect to type on the nose.

What was spectacular about it was the extremely delicate and perfect balance achieved between its sweetness, alcohol, acidity and its now aged and very well integrated tannins. Astonishing. Light, yet full bodied. A wine that seduces the palate with its super silky and voluptuous texture. Yet, all the while doing it delicately, gently, charmingly. A wine that keeps revealing itself layers after layers through a fantastic finish...

A beauty...