Variety: Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Molinara

There are many regions in Italy that show the detrimental hand of western trends. Amarone is, and should be, one of the great wines of Italy. However, finding one that still tastes genuinely Italian can be tricky. Ca’La Bionda is located in the historic “classic” zone of the Valpolicella region. Founded in 1902, the family’s focus has always been on the grapes and the vineyard work. They presently cultivate 25 hectares. Alessandro Castellani is the current, fourth-generation winemaker. His wines are held in six-foot-tall oak casks until ready to drink. Certain wines are aged longer than others. But at every step of the way, attention is given to tradition, as opposed to modern, quick winemaking. Alessandro’s wines rarely receive much mainstream press, which is fine by him.

This is a more elegant version of Valpolicella, the classic blending of the usual grapes. The fruit comes from the “classic” zone of Valpolicella. Fermentation is done first in stainless, then in bottle for another three months before the wine is released.