NEVINI

<p>Amarone della Valpolicella is one of Italy&#39;s great red wines. Grapes that dry for months on wooden racks, a slow fermentation deep in winter, years of ageing in large oak casks: the appassimento process turns modest grapes like Corvina and Rondinella into a wine with a concentration you will not find anywhere else. You can read exactly how that works in our article <a href="/en/blog/wijn-kennis/amarone-wijn-die-geduld-beloont/">about Amarone and the appassimento process</a>.</p>
<p>But which bottle should you buy? For this list, you do not have to take our word on faith: every Amarone in our collection has been tasted and deliberately selected by us. No endless ranking of a hundred labels, but five bottles that each deliver in their price range. Here they are, from entry point to legend.</p>
<hr>
<h2>1. Zenato Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2020 — best buy under 50 euros</h2>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/amarone-della-valpolicella-classico-2020/">Zenato Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2020</a> (€44.95) is, for us, the ideal introduction to the world of Amarone. Zenato&#39;s Amarone grapes come from the hills around Sant&#39;Ambrogio di Valpolicella, in the heart of Valpolicella Classica, and the house works strictly by the classic playbook: carefully selected grapes that dry for three to four months after the harvest.</p>
<p>The blend of Corvina Veronese, Rondinella, Oseleta and Croatina gives a nose full of marasca cherries, dried plum, fig, sweet tobacco, fine spices, balsamic notes, leather and cocoa. On the palate it is warm, full and velvety, with present tannins and enough freshness to keep all that power in balance. After the slow fermentation, the wine ages for years in large oak casks, followed by further bottle ageing.</p>
<p>At 16.5% alcohol this is no modest wine, yet it is a remarkably balanced one. Serve it at 18 degrees with braised meat, roasts, game or aged cheeses. If you are buying your first Amarone, start here.</p>
<h2>2. Speri Vigneto Monte Sant&#39;Urbano 2019 — the elegant single vineyard</h2>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/speri-vigneto-monte-santurbano-amarone-della-valpolicella-classico/">Speri Vigneto Monte Sant&#39;Urbano Amarone della Valpolicella Classico</a> (€49.50) proves that Amarone can also be refined. All the grapes come from a single vineyard, Monte Sant&#39;Urbano, and are selected by hand. They then dry for around a hundred days following the traditional appassimento method, losing about 40% of their weight.</p>
<p>The classic blend of Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara yields a deep garnet wine with an ethereal, complex bouquet of dried fruit. On the palate it is full, warm and enveloping, yet completely dry, with a rich structure and a long, elegant finish. The ageing is serious: 24 months in 500-litre French oak tonneaux, then 18 months in medium to large Slavonian oak casks, and finally another 12 months in bottle.</p>
<p>At 15% alcohol this is the most restrained Amarone on this list. If you value elegance over sheer power, choose the Speri.</p>
<h2>3. Zenato Riserva Sergio Zenato 2017 — the signature wine for the cellar</h2>
<p>A step up is the <a href="/en/wine/amarone-della-valpolicella-classico-riserva-sergio-zenato-2017/">Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva Sergio Zenato 2017</a> (€89.95), the signature wine of the Zenato house. This Riserva comes exclusively from the oldest vineyards of Sant&#39;Ambrogio di Valpolicella, carries the name of founder Sergio Zenato and is built for long ageing.</p>
<p>The hand-selected grapes dry for around four months and are then fermented slowly. The wine subsequently ages for about five years in large Slavonian oak casks and at least one year in bottle. The result is broad and ripe on the nose — marasca cherries, dried plum, fig, tobacco, leather, sweet spices, liquorice and subtle balsamic nuances — and full, deep and balanced on the palate, with soft tannins and a long, harmonious finish.</p>
<p>In Italy they call this a meditation wine: even without food, in a good glass on a quiet evening, it is magnificent. If you have a wine cellar, put a few bottles away.</p>
<h2>4. Zýmē Amarone Classico 2018 — the critics&#39; favourite</h2>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/amarone-della-valpolicella-classico-2018/">Zýmē Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2018</a> (€109.95) comes from winemaker Celestino Gaspari, son-in-law and pupil of the legendary Giuseppe Quintarelli. The blend is unusually complete: 40% Corvina, 30% Corvinone, 15% Rondinella, 10% Oseleta and 5% Croatina. The grapes dry for three to four months on wooden racks, after which the wine ages for at least five years in large Slavonian oak casks.</p>
<p>The bouquet is intense and complex: ripe red fruit, candied cherries, plums, sweet spices, dark chocolate, tobacco and balsamic notes. On the palate it is full and velvety, with elegant tannins, cocoa and vanilla, kept in balance by freshness and a mineral finish with peppery undertones.</p>
<p>The scores for this 2018 speak volumes: 96 points from Falstaff, 96 from James Suckling, 97 from Luca Maroni and 93 from Wine Spectator. But as always: scores never tell the whole story. This is an Amarone you have to taste to understand.</p>
<h2>5. Zýmē La Mattonara Riserva 2009 — the legend</h2>
<p>At the very top stands the <a href="/en/wine/la-mattonara-amarone-della-valpolicella-classico-riserva-docg-2009/">La Mattonara Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva DOCG 2009</a> (€365), the absolute masterpiece of Celestino Gaspari. The name refers to the bricks (<em>mattoni</em>) on which the grapes are traditionally dried for the appassimento process.</p>
<p>Only the best grapes from the oldest vineyards — Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Oseleta and Croatina — make it into this bottle. After drying, the wine ages for years in large Slavonian oak casks, followed by extensive bottle ageing. The 2009 is one of the most acclaimed vintages of the house, and only a few thousand bottles were produced.</p>
<p>On the nose, an overwhelmingly complex bouquet of dried fruit, raisins, candied cherries, pure cocoa, tobacco, leather, balsamic notes, minerals and exotic spices. On the palate it is monumental: full, powerful and incredibly layered, with a velvety texture and an endless finish. Not a wine for every day, but for the moments you will still remember years later.</p>
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<h2>Which Amarone should you buy in 2026?</h2>
<p>The honest answer: it depends on the occasion and your budget.</p>
<p><strong>For your first encounter</strong>, the <a href="/en/wine/amarone-della-valpolicella-classico-2020/">Zenato Classico 2020</a> is the logical choice: classic, full and velvety, and the most affordable on this list. Looking for more elegance? Then the <a href="/en/wine/speri-vigneto-monte-santurbano-amarone-della-valpolicella-classico/">Speri Monte Sant&#39;Urbano</a>, for a few euros more, is a beautiful single-vineyard alternative.</p>
<p><strong>For a special occasion or the cellar</strong>, go for the <a href="/en/wine/amarone-della-valpolicella-classico-riserva-sergio-zenato-2017/">Sergio Zenato Riserva 2017</a> or the <a href="/en/wine/amarone-della-valpolicella-classico-2018/">Zýmē Classico 2018</a>. And <strong>for a milestone</strong> — an anniversary, a birth year, a bottle never to forget — there is the <a href="/en/wine/la-mattonara-amarone-della-valpolicella-classico-riserva-docg-2009/">La Mattonara 2009</a>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Serve Amarone at 16 to 18 degrees and give a young bottle one to two hours in a decanter. A beautifully matured Amarone usually needs less air.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>We import all five bottles ourselves and keep them in stock in Maastricht. Browse the full <a href="/en/categorie/amarone/">Amarone collection</a> or discover our other <a href="/en/categorie/italiaanse-wijn/">Italian wines</a>.</p>


The Best Amarone della Valpolicella of 2026

<p>Moldova is one of the oldest wine countries in the world, yet hardly anyone knows the grapes behind its wines. Rara Neagra, Feteasca Neagra, Viorica: names you rarely see on a wine list, which is exactly what makes them worth knowing. In this article we walk you through the most important Moldovan grape varieties, from the indigenous classics to the Georgian guest that found a second home.</p>
<h2>More than Cabernet and Chardonnay</h2>
<p>Look at Moldova&#39;s vineyards and you will spot plenty of familiar names. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc all grow here, often with excellent results. The temperate climate and fertile black soil suit them well.</p>
<p>But the real story of Moldova lies in its own grape varieties. A new generation of winemakers is dusting off these indigenous grapes and proving they can compete internationally. Five names to remember.</p>
<h2>Rara Neagra: homegrown elegance</h2>
<p>Rara Neagra is one of the oldest grapes of the region and perhaps its most characteristic. In Romania it goes by the name Babeasca Neagra. The wines are light in colour, with soft tannins, juicy red fruit and fresh acidity. Think of the elegance of a Pinot Noir rather than a heavyweight from the south.</p>
<p>The grape has long played a leading role in Negru de Purcari, the country&#39;s most famous blend, where it joins Cabernet Sauvignon and Saperavi. That combination says it all: Rara Neagra brings finesse where the other two bring power.</p>
<h2>Feteasca Neagra: the &quot;black maiden&quot;</h2>
<p>Feteasca Neagra literally means &quot;black maiden&quot;. It is an ancient variety from the border region of Romania and Moldova. The wines show dark fruit such as plum and blackberry, with a spicy, sometimes lightly smoky undertone.</p>
<p>Styles range from supple and fruit-driven to serious and barrel-aged. Good examples age for years and gain complexity along the way. For lovers of sturdy reds, this is the indigenous grape to watch.</p>
<h2>Feteasca Alba and Feteasca Regala: the white sisters</h2>
<p>The Feteasca family has two white faces as well. Feteasca Alba (&quot;white maiden&quot;) is the older of the two: delicate, floral and light, at its best as a fresh, uncomplicated white.</p>
<p>Feteasca Regala (&quot;royal maiden&quot;) is considerably younger, a crossing of Feteasca Alba and Furmint. You can taste that parentage: more acidity, more tension, and therefore more versatility. You will find it as a crisp dry white, but also as a base for sparkling wines.</p>
<h2>Viorica: the aromatic calling card</h2>
<p>Viorica is a true Moldovan creation, developed in the twentieth century by local grape breeders. It produces outspokenly aromatic whites with notes of flowers, muscat and spice, somewhat related to Muscat or Gewürztraminer.</p>
<p>Among young Moldovan winemakers, Viorica has become something of a calling card: a grape that grows nowhere else and immediately tells you where it comes from.</p>
<h2>Saperavi: the Georgian guest that stayed</h2>
<p>And then there is Saperavi. Strictly speaking not a Moldovan grape, it originates in Georgia, but in southern Moldova it feels completely at home. Saperavi is one of the few grapes with red-coloured flesh, which gives the wine its deep, almost opaque colour, firm structure and fresh acidity.</p>
<p>Want to dive deeper into this remarkable grape? Read the full story in our article on <a href="/en/blog/wijn-kennis/moldavische-wijn-saperavi/">Moldovan wine and the Saperavi grape</a>, or visit our <a href="/en/druif/saperavi/">Saperavi grape page</a> for all its taste and serving tips at a glance.</p>
<h2>Which Moldovan grapes can you taste at NEVINI?</h2>
<p>To be honest: we do not (yet) carry Rara Neagra or Viorica. Our Moldovan selection currently revolves around Saperavi, with two wines from the Gitana winery that we import directly.</p>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/saperavi/">Gitana Saperavi</a> is 100% Saperavi: dark cherry, cedar and pepper, velvety and expressive. The <a href="/en/wine/lupi-rezerva/">Lupi Rezerva</a> is a powerful blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Saperavi, with long barrel ageing and a refined finish.</p>
<p>Two bottles, one grape family as the common thread, and who knows what comes next. Moldova&#39;s grape landscape is big enough to keep exploring for years.</p>
<p><a href="/en/categorie/moldavische-wijn/">View our Moldovan wines →</a> or browse <a href="/en/shop/">our full collection</a>.</p>


Saperavi, Rara Neagra and Feteasca: The Grapes of Moldova

<p>Ask ten wine lovers for their favourite wine country and you will hear France, Italy, Spain. Almost no one says Moldova. Yet this small country between Romania and Ukraine has made wine for thousands of years, and it has one of the highest numbers of vineyards per inhabitant in the world. Moldovan wine is one of the last real discoveries in a world where almost everything seems to have been tasted already.</p>
<p>In this article we take you to that unknown wine country, to the remarkable Saperavi grape, and to the bottle that convinced us to give Moldova a permanent place in our collection.</p>
<h2>A wine country as old as wine itself</h2>
<p>Moldova&#39;s winemaking tradition goes back centuries, in fact millennia. The climate is partly comparable to Burgundy: warm summers, cool nights and a long ripening period in autumn. Exactly the conditions in which grapes slowly build flavour and balance.</p>
<p>For a long time Moldovan wine stayed within the borders of Eastern Europe. A new generation of winemakers now focuses on quality over volume, and the wine lover is the one who benefits. Discover Moldovan wine today and you taste a tradition that is coming back to life.</p>
<h2>Saperavi: the grape that gives colour</h2>
<p>The heart of Moldovan red wine is the Saperavi grape. It originally comes from Georgia, where wine has been made for some 8,000 years. The name Saperavi literally means &quot;giving colour&quot;, and that is no exaggeration. Pour a glass and you understand immediately: deep, almost opaque ruby red.</p>
<p>Saperavi is one of the few grapes with red-coloured flesh, not just a red skin. That gives the wine its intense colour, firm structure and fresh acidity. It also makes the grape excellent for ageing. A good Saperavi needs time, and rewards your patience. You can find everything about its origin, taste and serving tips on our <a href="/en/druif/saperavi/">Saperavi grape page</a>.</p>
<h2>How does the Gitana Saperavi taste?</h2>
<p>Gitana, a winery from southern Moldova, knows exactly how to handle this grape. The nose offers dark cherry, cedar and a hint of mint. On the palate come blackcurrant, blackberry, liquorice and black pepper, with a smoky note in the background.</p>
<p>The wine is velvety and firm at the same time. Enough backbone to stand next to a powerful dish, enough finesse to enjoy on its own. For anyone used to a Malbec or a sturdy Italian red, this is a surprisingly familiar yet completely new experience.</p>
<h2>What to pair with a Saperavi</h2>
<p>The combination of fruit, spice and firm tannins makes Saperavi a rewarding wine at the table. A few suggestions:</p>
<ul>
<li>A grilled steak or rib-eye</li>
<li>Pasta with game ragout or a rich bolognese</li>
<li>Lamb with rosemary</li>
<li>Aged cheese, such as mature Gouda or a sharp pecorino</li>
<li>Stews with plum, star anise or bay leaf</li>
</ul>
<p>Serve it not too cold, around 16 to 18 degrees.</p>
<h2>Why we import Moldovan wine</h2>
<p>We are two cousins with a shared love of wine, and our collection is all about discovery. No mass imports, only bottles we have tasted ourselves and that genuinely convinced us. Gitana&#39;s Saperavi is a perfect example. A wine from an unexpected country, made by people who know their craft, with a story you want to pass on.</p>
<p>Want to explore further? Discover our <a href="/en/categorie/moldavische-wijn/">Moldovan wines</a> and the rest of our <a href="/en/categorie/rode-wijn/">red wines</a>.</p>
<h2>Ready to taste?</h2>
<p>Moldovan wine may be unknown, but it is far from unimportant. Gitana&#39;s Saperavi shows how much there is still to discover beyond the familiar names. A deep, characterful red wine with a story that goes back thousands of years.</p>
<p><a href="/en/wine/saperavi/">View the Gitana Saperavi →</a> or explore <a href="/en/shop/">our full collection</a>.</p>


Moldovan Wine: Eastern Europe's Best-Kept Secret

<p>The same red wine, two different glasses. From the first glass: fruity, fine, nothing wrong with it. From the second: as if someone turned up the volume. Suddenly there are spices that weren&#39;t there a moment ago. Rounder tannins. A finish that lingers.</p>
<p>No trick, no imagination. Simply the difference between a random glass and a wine glass that suits the wine.</p>
<p>The wine speaks, but the glass gives it its voice. The right wine glass doesn&#39;t change what&#39;s in your glass. It does let you hear everything the wine has to say.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Why your wine glass matters</h2>
<p>Every wine glass has three parts: the bowl, the stem and the foot. Of those three, only the bowl really matters. Its width determines how much air reaches the wine. The opening at the top directs aromas towards your nose, or doesn&#39;t.</p>
<p><strong>Wide and round</strong> gives wine room to breathe. Exactly what powerful red wines need. Wines like <a href="/en/wine/amarone-della-valpolicella-classico-2018/">Amarone</a>, Bordeaux and Ribera del Duero need oxygen to open up. In a glass that&#39;s too small they stay closed, tight, sometimes even a little sharp.</p>
<p><strong>Narrow and tall</strong> concentrates the aromas and pushes them straight towards your nose. That works well for aromatic white wines and light red wines that rely on finesse.</p>
<p><strong>Tulip-shaped</strong> captures aromas through a slight tapering at the top. Not too wide, not too narrow. For most wines, actually the best choice. Not sure which wine glass to pick? Go for a tulip shape.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>It&#39;s not about expensive or cheap. It&#39;s about the shape of your glass working together with what&#39;s inside it.</p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<h2>Which wine glass to choose? Spiegelau Definition</h2>
<p>Spiegelau has been around for more than 500 years. The brand is part of the Riedel Group and makes glasses that look like mouth-blown craftsmanship but are machine-made. Thin rim, pleasing weight, honest price. And they survive the dishwasher. That sounds like a detail, but anyone who drinks wine regularly knows: it isn&#39;t.</p>
<h3>The best wine glasses for everyday use</h3>
<p>The Definition series combines everything a good wine glass set needs. Each glass weighs just 120 grams, has a razor-thin rim and sits beautifully balanced in the hand. With three or four glasses you cover virtually every wine.</p>
<p><strong>Definition Bordeaux glass.</strong> This is the red wine glass for powerful wines. The wide bowl gives tannin-rich wines the space they need to open up. Think of a <a href="/en/wine/guerriero-della-terra/">Guerriero Della Terra</a>, an <a href="/en/wine/aalto/">AALTO</a>, a <a href="/en/wine/psi/">PSI</a> or a <a href="/en/wine/clos-martinet-2022/">Clos Martinet</a>. Wines with structure and backbone that only come to life when they can breathe. This Bordeaux glass does exactly that: giving air where it&#39;s needed.</p>
<p><strong>Definition Burgundy glass.</strong> Wider and rounder than the Bordeaux glass, with a larger opening. Made for wines where elegance matters more than power. The <a href="/en/wine/vina-tondonia-reserva-2012/">Vina Tondonia Reserva</a> belongs here. So do the <a href="/en/wine/brunello-di-montalcino/">Brunello di Montalcino</a> and the <a href="/en/wine/vina-arana-gran-reserva-2017/">Vina Arana Gran Reserva</a>. Wines that whisper instead of shout. The Burgundy glass captures those subtle nuances and brings them to your nose.</p>
<p><strong>Definition white wine glass.</strong> Smaller and tighter. Designed to preserve freshness and concentrate fruit aromas. The <a href="/en/wine/guerriero-bianco/">Guerriero Bianco</a> shines here, as do the <a href="/en/wine/alto-adige-doc-weissburgunder/">Kreyss Weissburgunder</a> and the <a href="/en/wine/rioja-blanco/">Rioja Blanco</a>. You want to keep white wine cool. A smaller glass helps, simply because you pour smaller amounts that warm up less quickly.</p>
<p><strong>Definition Champagne glass.</strong> Not a flat coupe that lets all the bubbles escape. Not a narrow flute that gives you nothing on the nose. But a tulip shape that combines bubbles and aromas. The <a href="/en/wine/grande-reserve-brut-champagne/">Gosset Grande Reserve</a> and the <a href="/en/wine/guerrieri-spumante/">Guerrieri Spumante</a> come fully into their own here.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Zieher Vision: wine glasses for special moments</h2>
<p>And then there&#39;s Zieher. A completely different story.</p>
<p>Every glass in the Vision collection is fully mouth-blown by a master glassblower. That means each glass is unique, so light it startles you the first time you pick one up. The wall is thin enough to almost feel the wine through it.</p>
<p>What Zieher does differently from most glassmakers: the glasses aren&#39;t named after grape varieties, but after the character of the wine. The collection was developed together with Silvio Nitzsche, one of Germany&#39;s finest sommeliers. You choose your glass based on what&#39;s in the bottle, not on what&#39;s on the label.</p>
<p>A lovely philosophy. Wine doesn&#39;t always fit into boxes.</p>
<h3>Vision Fresh</h3>
<p>Small, compact, made for freshness and bubbles. This is the glass for the <a href="/en/wine/prosecco-doc-spumante/">Prosecco DOC</a>, the <a href="/en/wine/guerrieri-spumante-rose/">Guerrieri Spumante Rose</a> and the <a href="/en/wine/rosa-dei-venti/">Rosa dei Venti</a> rose. Wines that are young, lively and uncomplicated. Summer wines. Terrace wines. You reach for this glass when the sun is out and you have nowhere to be.</p>
<h3>Vision Straight</h3>
<p>For pure wines that should come across clear and unadorned. No frills, no distractions. The <a href="/en/wine/guerriero-del-mare/">Guerriero Del Mare</a> fits here well: Bianchello in its purest form. The <a href="/en/wine/artigas/">Artigas</a> white Priorat and the <a href="/en/wine/alto-adige-doc-sauvignon-blanc/">Kreyss Sauvignon Blanc</a> are also at home here. Wines that rely on honesty get exactly that in this glass.</p>
<h3>Vision Intense</h3>
<p>The glass for powerful, full-bodied wines that need focus. The tapered neck concentrates intense aromas without overwhelming them. This is where the <a href="/en/wine/speri-vigneto-monte-santurbano-amarone-della-valpolicella-classico/">Amarone from Speri</a>, the <a href="/en/wine/desti/">Desti from Priorat</a> and the <a href="/en/wine/le-argille-cabernet-di-cabernet/">Le Argille Cabernet di Cabernet</a> belong. Wines at 14.5% or more that benefit from a glass that keeps their power in check.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Try the same Amarone side by side in an ordinary glass and a Vision Intense. The people at your table will think they&#39;re two different wines.</p>
</blockquote>
<h3>Vision Balanced</h3>
<p>Wide enough for complex wines, but with a shape that respects both power and subtlety. The <a href="/en/wine/harlequin-2017/">Zyme Harlequin</a> belongs nowhere else but here. Fifteen grape varieties in one wine. That calls for a glass that gives every layer room. The <a href="/en/wine/chateau-giscours/">Chateau Giscours Margaux</a> and the <a href="/en/wine/guerriero-della-terra-vintage-2017/">Guerriero Della Terra Vintage 2017</a> deserve this glass too.</p>
<p>And perhaps surprisingly: the <a href="/en/wine/12-ans-de-cave-a-minima/">Gosset 12 Ans de Cave a Minima</a>. Champagne aged for twelve years in a wide glass? Sounds odd. But mature champagne needs room to show its complexity. A narrow flute is a waste for a wine like that. Try it once.</p>
<h3>Vision Rich</h3>
<p>Small glass, narrow opening. Made especially for dessert wines and fortified wines. The alcohol doesn&#39;t dominate, the sweet aromas do. The <a href="/en/wine/oro-dei-guerrieri/">Oro dei Guerrieri</a> passito and the <a href="/en/wine/recioto-amandorlato-2011/">Recioto Amandorlato</a> from Zyme are at their best here. These are wines you drink in small sips. So you want a small glass that holds the concentration.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Buying wine glasses: which brand to choose?</h2>
<p>The most common question: which wine glass set should you buy? The honest answer depends on how you drink wine.</p>
<p><strong>Spiegelau Definition</strong> if you&#39;re looking for a reliable wine glass set for everyday use. The quality is high, the price is fair, and you won&#39;t have to cry when one breaks on a Saturday night. These are the best wine glasses for anyone who simply wants to drink good wine without turning it into a whole ritual.</p>
<p><strong>Zieher Vision</strong> if you want the best for special moments. When you open a bottle you&#39;ve been saving for months and you want everything to be right. Each glass is a unique piece of craftsmanship. You feel the difference in your hand. You see the difference in your glass.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Start with a Spiegelau Definition set. A Bordeaux glass and a white wine glass cover eighty percent of your wines. Finding yourself opening special bottles more and more often? Then add a few Zieher Vision glasses. That combination works.</p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<h2>At a glance: which wine glass for which wine?</h2>
<p>For quick decisions:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Powerful red wines</strong> (Amarone, Priorat, Ribera del Duero): Spiegelau Definition Bordeaux or Zieher Vision Intense</li>
<li><strong>Elegant red wines</strong> (Brunello, Rioja Reserva, Margaux): Spiegelau Definition Burgundy or Zieher Vision Balanced</li>
<li><strong>Crisp white wines</strong> (Bianchello, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc): Spiegelau Definition White Wine or Zieher Vision Straight</li>
<li><strong>Bubbles and rose</strong> (Prosecco, Spumante, rose): Spiegelau Definition Champagne or Zieher Vision Fresh</li>
<li><strong>Complex top wines</strong> (Harlequin, older vintages, Grand Cru): Zieher Vision Balanced</li>
<li><strong>Dessert wines</strong> (Recioto, Passito): Zieher Vision Rich</li>
</ul>
<p>Both brands will soon be available in our shop. Keep an eye on the <a href="/en/shop">shop</a> for the full range.</p>


Which Glass for Which Wine? The Ultimate Guide

<p>Most wine lists read like a predictable script. Pinot Grigio, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc. Perfectly fine wines, but by the tenth time you know exactly what you are getting. No surprise left, no curiosity.</p>
<p>Yet just outside that familiar circuit lie lesser-known wines with more character than many a bestseller list would suggest. Wines from regions nobody thinks of, made from grapes you cannot pronounce, in bottles without a marketing budget.</p>
<p>These are five of those remarkable wines from the NEVINI collection. Every single one selected for taste, story and an honest price.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Saperavi from Gitana: an undiscovered Moldovan wine with character</h2>
<p>Moldova. Not the first country that comes to mind when you think of wine. Yet it has a tradition going back centuries, favoured by a climate partly comparable to that of Burgundy.</p>
<p>The Saperavi grape itself originates from Georgia, where wine has been made for some 8,000 years. The name means &#39;giver of colour&#39;. Pour a glass and you will see why straight away: deep, almost opaque ruby red.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Georgia is considered the cradle of winemaking. Archaeologists found 8,000-year-old wine residues in clay vessels there.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Gitana, a winery from the south of Moldova, knows exactly what to make of it. Dark cherries, cedar and a hint of mint on the nose. The palate brings blackcurrant, blackberry, liquorice and pepper. Velvety, yet firm enough for a steak or pasta with game ragout.</p>
<p>Here you are not paying for a famous name or a fashionable region. You are paying for what is in the bottle. That is how discovering wine should always work.</p>
<p><a href="/en/wine/saperavi/">View the Saperavi →</a></p>
<hr>
<h2>Kairos 2021 from Zyme: a remarkable Italian wine that brings everything together</h2>
<p>There are wines you drink. And there are wines that briefly leave you speechless.</p>
<p>Kairos is Ancient Greek for &#39;the right moment&#39;. Winemaker Celestino Gaspari of Zyme, in Valpolicella, tries to capture that moment in a bottle. Fifteen grape varieties go in. Eleven red, four white. Corvina, Rondinella, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Sangiovese, Teroldego, and a handful more that would make even seasoned wine connoisseurs pause for a moment.</p>
<p>On paper it sounds like an experiment that got out of hand. The result is exactly the opposite. Everything falls into place.</p>
<p>Red and black fruit, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, a hint of tobacco. Full on the palate, almost velvety. The wine matures for 36 months in French oak barriques, followed by another year in bottle.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The Kairos won the Vivino Wine Style Award for Northern Italy Red. A remarkable Italian wine you will not soon forget.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Not cheap, but honestly priced. Buying a special wine is not something you do every week, but when you do, it should be this kind of bottle. Perfect for an evening with good friends, a board of aged cheeses and nowhere else to be.</p>
<p><a href="/en/wine/kairos-2021/">View the Kairos 2021 →</a></p>
<hr>
<h2>Le Argille Cabernet di Cabernet: a hidden gem from Veneto</h2>
<p>Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc together in one bottle. Sounds like Bordeaux. But this comes from Veneto, and you can taste the difference.</p>
<p>47 Anno Domini makes this wine on clay soils. &#39;Argille&#39; is Italian for clay. That soil retains moisture and gives the grapes a more intense, fuller flavour. Ripe black fruit, plum, vanilla, subtle tobacco notes. Warm and supple, with a finish that lingers longer than expected.</p>
<p>The most striking part? The wine matures for two years in concrete vats. No wood, no steel. Concrete. Sounds contradictory, but the result speaks for itself: pure fruit expression without oak dominating. The bottle itself comes in a concrete casing that protects against light and temperature swings. And it looks stunning too.</p>
<h3>A wine gift with a story</h3>
<p>If you are looking for an <a href="/en/wijn-cadeau/">original wine gift</a> for someone who loves red wine, Le Argille is a strong choice. The story behind the concrete ageing, the striking packaging, the wine itself. Everything fits, and it impresses without being flashy.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>A Cabernet blend that makes you forget it does not come from Bordeaux. That says more about Veneto than about Bordeaux.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="/en/wine/le-argille-cabernet-di-cabernet/">View Le Argille Cabernet di Cabernet →</a></p>
<hr>
<h2>Brunello di Montalcino from Banfi: the timeless one</h2>
<p>Brunello di Montalcino may not be the most obscure name on this list. Many wine lovers know it. But surprisingly few people know the story behind it, and why this wine is so different from other Sangiovese wines.</p>
<p>Brunello is 100% Sangiovese. Specifically the Sangiovese Grosso clone that grows only around the town of Montalcino in Tuscany. The rules are strict: at least two years of ageing in oak, four months in bottle, and the wine may only be sold five years after the harvest. Five years of patience. You can taste it.</p>
<p>Banfi&#39;s 2019 is a textbook example. Intense ruby red with garnet reflections. Vanilla, liquorice and spices on the nose. Full and velvety on the palate, with a refinement you rarely find in other red wines. Ideal with ossobuco, game or a plate of truffle risotto.</p>
<h3>Brunello di Montalcino as a wine gift</h3>
<p>If you want to give someone a serious <a href="/en/wijn-cadeau/">wine gift</a>, Brunello is always a safe bet. It is a wine that impresses without being over the top. The recipient does not need to be a connoisseur to notice this is something special.</p>
<p><a href="/en/wine/brunello-di-montalcino/">View the Brunello di Montalcino →</a></p>
<hr>
<h2>Alto Adige DOC Weissburgunder from Kreyss: a wine tip for white wine lovers</h2>
<p>After four reds: something fresh. And we mean properly fresh.</p>
<p>South Tyrol is one of Italy&#39;s most underrated wine regions. Vineyards at 450 to 650 metres altitude, cool nights, the Dolomites as a backdrop. It feels more Austrian than Italian, and you can taste that in the wine.</p>
<p>The Weissburgunder, or Pinot Blanc, has been the leading white grape here for more than a century. Kreyss turns it into a wine that does exactly what you want. Green apple, pear, citrus and a stony minerality you rarely find in other white wines. Ageing on fine lees gives it a creamy texture, while the acidity keeps everything crisp and lively.</p>
<p>Excellent with prawns, grilled salmon or a summer salad. But just as good on its own, on an ordinary weeknight when you simply fancy a good glass. Good wine does not always need an occasion.</p>
<p>For less than twenty euros. Really.</p>
<p><a href="/en/wine/alto-adige-doc-weissburgunder/">View the Alto Adige DOC Weissburgunder →</a></p>
<hr>
<h2>Discovering remarkable wines: it starts with curiosity</h2>
<p>You will not find these five bottles in the supermarket. That is exactly the point.</p>
<p>The urge to order the same wine every time is all too familiar. The same Pinot Grigio, the same Merlot. Safe and comfortable. But try something different for once. Pick a Pecorino wine from Le Marche instead of that standard Chardonnay, or a Saperavi from Moldova instead of yet another Malbec. You will discover how much is still out there.</p>
<p>NEVINI selects these wines directly from the winemakers, without middlemen. No frills, no hype. Just honest bottles from people who are proud of what they make.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The best wines are the ones that come with a story. Not because the label tells it, but because you experienced it yourself.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Looking for more wine tips or advice on which bottle suits your taste best? <a href="/en/contact">Feel free to get in touch</a>. Or browse the <a href="/en/shop">full collection</a> and let yourself be surprised.</p>


Five Wines You Don't Know Yet (But Really Should)

<p>Amarone is not a wine in a hurry. The grapes spend months drying on wooden racks. The must ferments slowly, deep into winter. The wine matures for years in oak casks. And when you finally open the bottle, you taste all that time in every sip.</p>
<p>That is what makes Amarone della Valpolicella so different from virtually every other red wine in the world. No quick harvest and immediate fermentation here. Here, waiting is the most important ingredient.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Valpolicella: wine from Veneto with a character of its own</h2>
<p>Valpolicella sits wedged between Lake Garda and Verona, in the western part of Veneto. Rolling hills, cherry orchards, cypresses. Compact and personal. No endless plains full of vines like in parts of France or Spain. The vineyards here are smaller, the producers more approachable.</p>
<p>The grape varieties that grow here are rarely heard of outside Italy: Corvina, Rondinella, Corvinone, Molinara. The <strong>Corvina grape</strong> in particular is the backbone of everything made in Valpolicella. No international superstar you run into everywhere. Corvina is modest, local, and precisely because of that perfectly suited to what happens here. This grape was not made to impress at a blind tasting. It was made to dry.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Corvina delivers the lion&#39;s share of the structure and the signature cherry notes in Amarone. Rondinella adds colour and freshness. Corvinone brings depth. Together they form the classic Valpolicella blend.</p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<h2>Appassimento: the secret behind Amarone della Valpolicella</h2>
<p>The heart of Amarone is not in the cellar. It is in the loft.</p>
<p>After the harvest in September, the best bunches are hand-selected and laid out on wooden racks, the so-called <em>arele</em>. Then the waiting begins. Three months, sometimes longer. The windows of the <em>fruttai</em> (drying lofts) stay open, letting cool autumn air from the Alps slowly shrivel the grapes. The berries lose 30 to 40 percent of their weight. Water evaporates. Sugars, acids and aroma compounds concentrate.</p>
<p>This process is called <strong>appassimento</strong>. It is as old as winemaking in this region itself.</p>
<p>What makes it so special: traditionally the grapes are dried on bamboo racks in well-ventilated rooms. Modern producers nowadays often use climate-controlled drying chambers, but the principle remains the same: grapes, air and time.</p>
<p>Only sometime in January or February, when the rest of the wine world has long finished fermenting, do the Amarone producers begin their vinification. The shrivelled grapes yield a thick, concentrated must that ferments slowly. Sometimes it takes weeks, sometimes months. The result is a dry wine of 15 percent alcohol or more, yet without that burning heat you sometimes feel in other big wines.</p>
<p>That balance between power and elegance. That is what makes Amarone so special.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Three styles of Valpolicella wine, one shared origin</h2>
<p>From the same dried grapes come three very different wines. That is what makes Valpolicella so fascinating as a wine region: the same grapes, the same terroir, the same appassimento process, and yet completely different results.</p>
<h3>Amarone della Valpolicella: powerful and dry</h3>
<p>Amarone is the fully dry version. All the sugar is converted into alcohol. The result is a powerful, complex Italian red wine with flavours of dried fruit, chocolate, tobacco and spice. The finish can literally last for minutes.</p>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/speri-vigneto-monte-santurbano-amarone-della-valpolicella-classico">Speri Vigneto Monte Sant&#39;Urbano</a> is a textbook example. This single vineyard Amarone comes from a winery that has been working the same vineyards for more than a hundred years. The grapes dry for around a hundred days. The wine then matures for two years in French oak tonneaux, followed by a year and a half in large Slavonian oak casks, and finally another year in bottle. Patience as a recipe. Simply put. Incredibly hard to do.</p>
<p>For those who want to experience the full depth of Amarone, the <a href="/en/wine/amarone-della-valpolicella-classico-2018">Zyme Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2018</a> is an absolute must. Winemaker Celestino Gaspari, son-in-law of the legendary Giuseppe Quintarelli, crafts an Amarone here from five grape varieties, including the rare Oseleta. The wine matures for at least five years in large Slavonian oak. Scores of 96 points from both Falstaff and James Suckling speak for themselves, but numbers never tell the whole story. This is a wine you have to taste to understand.</p>
<h3>Recioto: the sweet counterpart</h3>
<blockquote>
<p>Historically, Recioto was the original wine of Valpolicella. Amarone reportedly came about by accident: a cask of Recioto that fermented too long and turned dry. <em>Amaro</em> means bitter in Italian. The winemaker apparently did not think the result was half bad.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>With Recioto, fermentation stops before all the sugar has been converted. What you are left with is a sweet, full-bodied wine. Compare it to Port, but with a completely different flavour profile. More dried fruit, less spirit, more finesse.</p>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/recioto-amandorlato-2011">Recioto Amandorlato 2011</a> from Zyme is an extraordinary example. Dedicated to master Quintarelli himself, made with wild yeasts in cement tanks, and bottled after more than five years of ageing. Only 1,500 half bottles were produced. Whoever has this in their glass is literally drinking a piece of wine history.</p>
<h3>Ripasso wine: the clever middle ground</h3>
<p>Ripasso is the third style and perhaps the most accessible. After the Amarone production, the pressed grape skins remain, still soaked with aromas and tannins. A lighter Valpolicella is passed over these skins (<em>ripassato</em>, literally &quot;passed again&quot;) and undergoes a second, short fermentation.</p>
<p>The result: more body, more complexity, but at a fraction of the price of a true Amarone. If you are looking for something with the warmth and richness of Amarone at an affordable price, Ripasso wine is your answer. Perfect with a hearty pasta or a stew on a Friday night.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Celestino Gaspari and Zyme: the creative mind behind Italy&#39;s finest wines</h2>
<p>You cannot really talk about wine from Veneto without mentioning Celestino Gaspari. As son-in-law and apprentice of Giuseppe Quintarelli, he grew up among the greatest wines of Valpolicella. But instead of simply repeating his father-in-law&#39;s recipe, Gaspari went his own way with Zyme.</p>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/harlequin-2017">Harlequin 2017</a> is the ultimate proof of that. A wine that fits in no box whatsoever. Gaspari uses at least fifteen grape varieties here. Red and white grapes together. Corvina and Rondinella, yes, but also Syrah, Sangiovese, Teroldego, Garganega, Chardonnay and a handful of others.</p>
<p>The name refers to the colourful Harlequin from the Italian commedia dell&#39;arte. And it fits. This is wine as theatre. Every sip reveals something different: jam, forest floor, tobacco, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a minerality that holds it all together. A wine you can pour for ten people and get ten different descriptions back.</p>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/kairos-2021">Kairos 2021</a> from Zyme is also worth discovering. Made from fifteen grape varieties, just like the Harlequin, but in a more approachable and youthful guise. A fine introduction to the philosophy of the house.</p>
<hr>
<h2>When do you open an Amarone?</h2>
<p>Amarone demands attention. A game stew, an ossobuco, an aged Parmigiano Reggiano. That is the company this wine longs for. Serve it at room temperature, preferably opened or decanted an hour in advance. And take your time.</p>
<p>The Recioto is a dessert in itself. With a slice of dark chocolate cake, or simply on its own after dinner, as the evening slowly winds down. And Ripasso? That is the one to uncork on a Friday night with a pizza or pasta. That is exactly the beauty of it: the same family of wines, but for completely different moments.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Store Amarone cool and dark, lying down in a wine rack. A bottle that has been kept too warm loses its finesse. Between 12 and 16 degrees is ideal for longer storage.</p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<h2>Buying Amarone: what to look out for</h2>
<p>Buying an Amarone della Valpolicella for the first time? A few things to keep in mind.</p>
<p><strong>Cheap Amarone does not really exist.</strong> The appassimento process costs time, labour and grapes. Below 30 euros you rarely get what Amarone is known for. Better a good Ripasso wine than a disappointing Amarone.</p>
<p><strong>Look for &quot;Classico&quot; on the label.</strong> It means the grapes come from the original heartland, higher up in the hills of Valpolicella. The vineyards there have more elevation, better drainage and greater temperature swings between day and night. The result: more complexity, more character.</p>
<p><strong>Give the wine time.</strong> A young Amarone can come across as closed and austere. Open the bottle at least an hour in advance, or use a decanter. The difference is enormous. With an Amarone that has ten years or more under its belt, decanting is less necessary, but do wait until the wine has come up to temperature.</p>
<p><strong>Vintages matter.</strong> As with other great Italian red wines, quality varies from harvest to harvest. 2015, 2016 and 2019 are recent top vintages for Amarone. The 2018 is excellent as well, as the scores of the <a href="/en/wine/amarone-della-valpolicella-classico-2018">Zyme Amarone 2018</a> confirm.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Why Amarone remains one of Italy&#39;s finest wines</h2>
<p>There are plenty of powerful red wines in the world. Barolo, Brunello, Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Greats, every one of them. But Amarone della Valpolicella does something none of those wines do. The appassimento process gives it a concentration and texture you will find nowhere else. That combination of richness, dryness and balance, with flavours that slowly unfold over minutes in your glass.</p>
<p>The Corvina grape, modest and local, is transformed by this process into something great. That is the magic of Valpolicella wine. It is not the grape that makes the difference, but what you do with it. Or rather: how long you are willing to wait.</p>
<p>Browse our <a href="/en/categorie/amarone/">Amarone collection</a> or discover the <a href="/en/categorie/italiaanse-wijn/">full collection of Italian wines</a> and taste for yourself what wine from Veneto has to offer.</p>


Amarone: The Wine That Rewards Your Patience

<p>Bubbles have an image problem. They get saved for the big moment. The wedding. New Year&#39;s Eve. That one promotion. As if sparkling wine is only allowed once there is something to celebrate.</p>
<p>In Champagne itself, they see things very differently. There, champagne is simply wine. A very good one, but simply wine. Poured into a white wine glass, on an ordinary weeknight, alongside dinner. No toast, no occasion.</p>
<p>That attitude deserves to be copied. Whether it is a bottle of prosecco on a Friday afternoon or a brut champagne with a long dinner: bubbles make every moment just a little sharper. Brighter. More festive, without needing a party.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Champagne vs prosecco: what is the difference?</h2>
<p>The question comes up all the time: champagne or prosecco? And is champagne really that much better? The honest answer: they are two completely different wines that happen to both sparkle.</p>
<p>With <strong>champagne</strong>, the second fermentation takes place in the bottle. That is the <em>méthode traditionnelle</em>. The wine rests on its lees for months, sometimes years. That is what gives it that typical bready, creamy character. Nutty depth. Complexity that only fully unfolds after a few sips.</p>
<p><strong>Prosecco</strong> works differently. There, the second fermentation happens in large stainless steel tanks, the so-called Charmat method. The result is fresher, fruitier, lighter. Less complex, yes. But that is exactly the point. Prosecco does not need to be complex. It needs to be delicious. And it is.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The difference between champagne and prosecco is not a matter of better or worse. It is a matter of moment. Champagne asks for attention. Prosecco only asks for a glass.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Compare it to music. Champagne is a Debussy piano concert. Prosecco is your favourite song on the car radio with the windows down. Both valuable. Completely different energy.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Buying prosecco: which bottle suits you?</h2>
<p>A good prosecco is easy to recognise. Fine, persistent bubbles. Fruity but not sweet. Light enough to enjoy on a summer afternoon, but with enough flavour to serve with food.</p>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/prosecco-doc-spumante/">Prosecco DOC Spumante</a> from 47 Anno Domini ticks all those boxes. Organic, from Veneto, made from the Glera grape. Fine perlage, blossom on the nose, pear and green apple on the palate. No unnecessary frills. A bottle you can always keep chilled in the fridge.</p>
<p>With an aperitif. With a plate of spaghetti vongole. On a Friday afternoon when the working week is done. You do not have to think about it. Just pour and enjoy.</p>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/prosecco-rose-doc-spumante/">Prosecco Rosé DOC Spumante</a> is the pink version. Glera topped up with a splash of Pinot Nero. A little more body, a little more red fruit, a beautiful salmon-pink colour in the glass. Lovely with smoked salmon, a charcuterie board, or simply on its own on a terrace.</p>
<p>Both bottles sit around twenty euros. If you are looking for bubbles as a gift under twenty-five euros, these are two safe choices. Everyone is happy to receive a bottle of bubbles. Without exception.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Spumante from Le Marche: the hidden gem</h2>
<p>Beyond prosecco from Veneto, Italy has plenty more sparkling wine to offer. One of the finest examples comes from Le Marche, in central Italy.</p>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/guerrieri-spumante/">Guerrieri Spumante</a> is made by a family estate that has been making wine for generations. The blend of Bianchello and Chardonnay delivers something you do not expect. Bianchello is a grape you hardly ever hear about. That is precisely what makes it interesting. You are drinking something your friends do not know, and the bottle costs less than fifteen euros.</p>
<p>In the glass: citrus, green apple, a mineral finish. A touch more serious than a standard prosecco, but at least as easy to love.</p>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/guerrieri-spumante-rose/">Guerrieri Spumante Rosé</a> is made from Sangiovese. Yes, the same grape as in Chianti, but as a spumante. Salmon-pink colour, strawberry, raspberry, a hint of rose petals. The perfect bottle for an afternoon in the garden with friends. Also under fifteen euros. Seriously.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>In terms of value for money, the Guerrieri bubbles are hard to beat. Under fifteen euros, you rarely find spumante at this level.</p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<h2>Gosset Champagne: the oldest wine house in Champagne</h2>
<p>If you want to buy champagne you will not find in every supermarket, you quickly end up at <strong>Gosset</strong>. Founded in 1584. The oldest wine house in Champagne. Not the most famous. Not the biggest. But ask winemakers and sommeliers, and the name Gosset is always mentioned with respect.</p>
<p>What Gosset does differently from most houses: they do not use malolactic fermentation. Most champagne producers apply it as standard to make the wine softer and rounder. Gosset deliberately skips it. The result is champagne with more freshness, more precision, more fruit. Headstrong. And exactly why it is so good.</p>
<hr>
<h3>Grande Réserve: the best champagne to start with</h3>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/grande-reserve-brut-champagne/">Grande Réserve Brut</a> is Gosset&#39;s calling card. A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, aged for at least four years in the cellar. Lemon tart and mirabelle on the nose. Creamy and agile at once on the palate.</p>
<p>This is the brut champagne you recommend to anyone who asks: &quot;What is a good champagne to try?&quot; No shouting. No showing off. Craftsmanship in a bottle. The dosage of 8 grams per litre keeps everything in balance. Not too dry, not too sweet. Just right.</p>
<p>Buying champagne for a birthday, a dinner or simply for yourself? Start here.</p>
<hr>
<h3>Cuvée Zero Dosage: champagne without compromise</h3>
<p>Then the <a href="/en/wine/cuvee-zero-dosage/">Cuvée Zero Dosage</a>. Zero grams of sugar added after disgorgement. Nothing at all. The wine stands entirely on its own.</p>
<p>Almond paste, ripe lemon, bergamot, a touch of salted butter caramel. And then that taut, almost saline finish. This was the first non-dosage cuvée Gosset ever made. They only released it once they knew the wine could hold up without sugar. That says everything about their confidence in the base quality.</p>
<p>For wine lovers who want it pure. No frills. Only champagne at its best.</p>
<hr>
<h3>12 Ans de Cave à Minima: twelve years of patience in one bottle</h3>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/12-ans-de-cave-a-minima/">12 Ans de Cave à Minima</a> is champagne for those who appreciate patience.</p>
<p>This wine spent twelve years in Gosset&#39;s cellars before the label went on. Minimal dosage, just 3 grams per litre. Open the bottle and you smell dried fruit, apricot, candied pineapple, chestnut honey. Deep gold in the glass.</p>
<p>On the palate, layer upon layer. Plums, citrus, minerals, a saline note at the end. After disgorgement, every bottle goes back into the cellar for at least another six months. Because it is not finished yet. Because patience is literally an ingredient here.</p>
<p>This is not a champagne gift for a colleague you barely know. This is the bottle for the moment you want to remember. A marriage proposal. The graduation that took years of work. Or an evening when you decide you want to celebrate something, without knowing exactly what.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Some bottles you keep. This bottle has already been kept. For twelve years. All you have to do is open it.</p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<h2>Which bubbles suit which moment?</h2>
<p>Choosing between prosecco, spumante and champagne does not have to be complicated. It is all about the moment.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Midweek, spontaneous, fridge open:</strong> <a href="/en/wine/prosecco-doc-spumante/">Prosecco DOC</a> or <a href="/en/wine/prosecco-rose-doc-spumante/">Prosecco Rosé</a></li>
<li><strong>Friends over, barbecue, last-minute gift:</strong> <a href="/en/wine/guerrieri-spumante/">Guerrieri Spumante</a> or <a href="/en/wine/guerrieri-spumante-rose/">Guerrieri Rosé</a></li>
<li><strong>Dinner, birthday, Christmas:</strong> <a href="/en/wine/grande-reserve-brut-champagne/">Grande Réserve Brut</a></li>
<li><strong>Someone who loves wine and tastes the difference:</strong> <a href="/en/wine/cuvee-zero-dosage/">Cuvée Zero Dosage</a></li>
<li><strong>The moment you want to remember:</strong> <a href="/en/wine/12-ans-de-cave-a-minima/">12 Ans de Cave à Minima</a></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<h2>Sparkling wine is not for saving</h2>
<p>Too many bottles of bubbles sit unopened, waiting for that one perfect moment. That bottle of champagne that has been in the cupboard for two years &quot;for a special occasion.&quot; That prosecco from last summer still lying in the fridge.</p>
<p>The perfect moment is tonight. With whatever you are eating. With whoever you are, even if it is just you.</p>
<p>Not sure which bubbles suit you? Browse our <a href="/en/categorie/mousserend/">collection of sparkling wines</a> or the <a href="/en/shop">full collection</a> and order today, with shipping across Europe.</p>


From Prosecco to Champagne: Bubbles for Every Moment

Wijn Kennis

<p>Browse our collection and, among the Italians and Spaniards, you will spot two bottles from an unexpected corner: Moldova. Both come from the same house, Gitana Winery, a family estate in the far south of the country. We have already written about the Saperavi grape. This time it is about the winery itself: who is behind Gitana, where the vineyards lie, and why we import exactly these two wines.</p>
<h2>A family estate in southern Moldova</h2>
<p>Gitana Winery is the estate of the Dulgher family, based in the far south of Moldova, in the Cahul region. After Moldova gained independence in the early nineties, the family was among the first to build a private winery of their own. That was far from obvious at the time: for decades Moldovan winemaking was about volume for the Soviet market, not about labels and personal style.</p>
<p>The Dulgher family chose a different path. Their own vineyards, manageable volumes, and the patience a serious red wine demands. Today Gitana counts among the country&#39;s leading quality houses, and stands as a fine example of the new generation of Moldovan winemakers putting quality before quantity.</p>
<h2>Valul lui Traian: vineyards with Roman roots</h2>
<p>Gitana&#39;s vineyards lie in Valul lui Traian, the protected wine region in the southwest of Moldova. The name literally means &quot;Trajan&#39;s Wall&quot;, after the ancient earthen defence walls that still run through the landscape and are traditionally attributed to the Roman emperor. In this part of the world, wine and history are never far apart.</p>
<p>The climate is warm and continental, tempered by the nearby Black Sea. Long sunny summers and a mild autumn give the grapes all the time they need to ripen fully, while gentle hills and fertile black earth bring concentration and depth. Exactly the conditions behind the sturdy reds that are quietly earning Moldova a name.</p>
<h2>Gitana Saperavi: the character of the house</h2>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/saperavi/">Gitana Saperavi</a> (€39.95) is made from one hundred percent Saperavi, the originally Georgian grape that found a second home in Moldova. Deep ruby in the glass, dark cherry, cedar and a hint of mint on the nose, black fruit, pepper and liquorice on the palate. Velvety and firm at the same time.</p>
<p>We wrote a full article about this remarkable grape, and why the wine won us over instantly: <a href="/en/blog/wijn-kennis/moldavische-wijn-saperavi/">Moldovan Wine: Eastern Europe&#39;s Best-Kept Secret</a>. Everything about its taste, serving and cellaring is on our <a href="/en/druif/saperavi/">Saperavi grape page</a>.</p>
<h2>Gitana Lupi Rezerva: the flagship</h2>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/lupi-rezerva/">Gitana Lupi Rezerva 2018</a> (€59.95) is the most powerful bottle we carry from Moldova. Lupi means &quot;wolves&quot; in Romanian, the language of Moldova. The wine is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 20% Saperavi: two international grapes for structure and suppleness, completed by Saperavi for its deep colour and unmistakably Moldovan character.</p>
<p>The ageing is serious. First 10 to 12 months in 225-litre oak barrels, then at least two more years in large Krasnodar oak casks. The result is a full, structured wine with aromas of blackberry, plum, chocolate, coffee beans and liquorice, powerful tannins and a long, refined finish. Serve it at 16 to 18 degrees with game, grilled red meat or aged cheeses — or save it for an evening when you take your time.</p>
<h2>Why we chose Gitana</h2>
<p>We are two cousins from Maastricht and our collection is all about discovery. No mass imports, only bottles we have tasted ourselves and that genuinely convinced us. A bottle of Gitana wine fits that perfectly: craftsmanship from a country hardly anyone has on their radar, made by a family that has been building its own story since the nineties. We import these wines directly, so you can discover them without detours.</p>
<h2>Ready to taste?</h2>
<p>Moldovan wine surprises nearly everyone who tries it for the first time, and Gitana is the perfect introduction. Explore our <a href="/en/categorie/moldavische-wijn/">Moldovan wines</a>, or go straight to the <a href="/en/wine/saperavi/">Gitana Saperavi</a> and the <a href="/en/wine/lupi-rezerva/">Gitana Lupi Rezerva</a>.</p>


Gitana Winery: The Story Behind Our Moldovan Wines

<p>Somewhere in the hills of Le Marche, a fifteen-minute drive from the Adriatic coast, sits an unassuming family estate. No designer tasting room. No neon letters for Instagram. What you will find: a cellar full of oak barrels, a long table under a pergola, bread with home-made olive oil and salami from the neighbour. This is the domain of the Guerrieri family, an Italian winemaker that has been doing what it does best for generations: making honest wine.</p>
<p>Their wines reach the Netherlands through NEVINI, a wine importer from Maastricht. And they form the beating heart of the collection.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Le Marche: Italy&#39;s hidden wine region</h2>
<p>Think of Italian wine and you think of Tuscany, Piedmont, Sicily. Understandable. But that keeps a region like Le Marche under the radar, even though grapes have been grown here for centuries.</p>
<p>Le Marche is wedged between the Apennines and the Adriatic Sea, just below Emilia-Romagna. No busloads of tourists, no inflated prices, no wines made to score points with critics. What you do find: family estates refining, generation after generation, what they learned from their parents.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Le Marche counts more than 200 wine producers, but only a fraction export. As a result, many wines from Le Marche are barely available in the Netherlands. The grape varieties Bianchello, Verdicchio and Lacrima are virtually unique to this region.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The Guerrieri vineyards lie some fifteen kilometres from the coast. By day the sun warms the slopes. In the evening the sea breeze brings cool relief. You taste that interplay of heat and freshness in every bottle. The soil is a mix of clay and limestone. Not the most fertile ground, but that is exactly why the vines root deep. The result: grapes with concentration and mineral notes.</p>
<hr>
<h2>White wine from Italy: from fresh and approachable to complex and layered</h2>
<p>The Guerrieri family makes white Italian wines that show what is possible beyond the familiar grape varieties. No Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay here, but Bianchello and Verdicchio. Grapes you will hardly find anywhere else.</p>
<h3>Guerriero Bianco: the perfect introduction</h3>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/guerriero-bianco/">Guerriero Bianco</a> is a blend of Bianchello and Verdicchio. Golden yellow in the glass, with aromas of yellow peach, aromatic herbs and a touch of vanilla. The wine ages six to eight months in French oak barrels, giving it a subtle roundness without letting the wood dominate. Fresh, mineral, with crisp citrus on the finish.</p>
<p>This is white wine from Italy you happily pour all evening alongside grilled fish, white meat or a ripe cheese board. The price (around fourteen euros) makes it even easier.</p>
<h3>Biancanima: Bianchello at its purest</h3>
<p>If you want to get to know the Bianchello grape properly, try the <a href="/en/wine/biancanima/">Biancanima</a>. One hundred percent Bianchello, fermented and aged in concrete vats and Italian terracotta. No wood. Pure fruit, minerality and texture. After a year of ageing in the vat, the result is a wine that is taut and full at the same time. This is serious white wine, but without the pretence.</p>
<h3>Guerriero Del Mare: the top of the white range</h3>
<p>And then the <a href="/en/wine/guerriero-del-mare/">Guerriero Del Mare</a>. The same Bianchello grape at its core, but in a completely different league. This wine is only made in years when the harvest is exceptionally good. The grapes are picked later, rigorously selected, and the wine ages in concrete tanks and then in French tonneaux. The result is fuller and more complex, with layers of citrus and peach, and herbal notes of rosemary and sage that slowly reveal themselves.</p>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/guerriero-del-mare-vintage-2018/">Guerriero Del Mare Vintage 2018</a> has had extra ageing and shows what Bianchello can really do when you give it time. White wine from Italy that wants to be taken seriously. And deserves it.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Red wine from Italy: from everyday to festive</h2>
<p>When it comes to red Italian wines, most people think of Chianti, Barolo or Amarone. Red wine from Le Marche is less well known, but at least as interesting. Especially when it comes from the Guerrieri family.</p>
<h3>Guerriero Nero: the red all-rounder</h3>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/guerriero-nero/">Guerriero Nero</a> is a blend of Sangiovese, Montepulciano and a dash of Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep ruby red. Aromas of black fruit, violets, vanilla and cocoa. Powerful and mineral, with a long finish. The grapes are harvested late, the wine ages ten months in French oak barriques and then another eight months in bottle.</p>
<p>Despite all that complexity, this is a red wine from Italy you can simply open on a weeknight with pasta or a stew. Just under fifteen euros, making it one of the best value-for-money wines in the Italian segment.</p>
<h3>Guerriero Della Terra: the flagship</h3>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/guerriero-della-terra/">Guerriero Della Terra</a> is the family&#39;s most powerful red. A blend of Montepulciano and Sangiovese, harvested late, aged for more than twelve months in French oak. Fifteen percent alcohol. This is not a wine for the sidelines. This is a wine to sit down for.</p>
<p>Deep purple with an almost black core. Ripe aromas of black fruit and blackberries, refined with balsamic and menthol notes. Full and silky on the palate, with velvety tannins and a finish that lingers. Serve it with game, rich meat dishes or aged cheeses.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The Guerriero Della Terra is also available in magnum (1.5L) and jeroboam (3L). In larger formats the wine ages more slowly and develops even more complexity. Perfect for a special occasion or as a gift for a wine lover.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/guerriero-della-terra-vintage-2017/">Guerriero Della Terra Vintage 2017</a> is the limited edition. Eight years of ageing, still very much alive, and by now nearly sold out. If you are looking for red wine from Italy with cellaring potential and can still find it: do not hesitate too long.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Rosé, bubbles and dessert wine: the surprises</h2>
<p>Alongside the reds and whites, the Guerrieri family makes a number of remarkable bottles that complete the range.</p>
<h3>Rosa dei Venti: rosé with backbone</h3>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/rosa-dei-venti/">Rosa dei Venti</a> is named after the compass rose, a nod to the position of the vineyards between mountains and sea. One hundred percent Sangiovese. Forget the sweet, watery rosés from the supermarket. This is an elegant, fresh rosé with aromas of strawberry, flowers and soft red fruit. Lively and drinkable, with a dry, refreshing finish. Lovely with grilled vegetables, salads or a generous antipasti board.</p>
<h3>Guerrieri Spumante: sparkling wine with its own character</h3>
<p>The family&#39;s two spumantes are the ideal opening to any meal or tasting. The <a href="/en/wine/guerrieri-spumante/">Guerrieri Spumante</a> is made from Bianchello and Chardonnay. Pale straw yellow, with citrus, white flowers and green apple. Fine mousse, dry, mineral.</p>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/guerrieri-spumante-rose/">Guerrieri Spumante Rosé</a> is based on Sangiovese. Salmon pink, with strawberry, raspberry and rose petals. Not prosecco, not franciacorta. Something of its own. These are the wines people always ask about first at tastings.</p>
<p>For those with a sweeter tooth: the <a href="/en/wine/leo-moscato/">Leo Moscato</a> is a lightly sparkling Moscato with aromas of tropical fruit. Low in alcohol (5%), refreshingly sweet, perfect as an aperitif or with a light dessert.</p>
<h3>Oro dei Guerrieri: liquid gold</h3>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/oro-dei-guerrieri/">Oro dei Guerrieri</a> deserves a mention of its own. A dessert wine made from late-harvested Verdicchio grapes that are dried on wooden tables after picking. The result is amber, almost golden in colour. Sweet, soft and enveloping, with great intensity and a finish that lingers long. Pour it after dinner with a piece of Parmigiano or foie gras. Or simply on its own, in small glasses. A bottle lasts a long time.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Buying Italian wine from an importer who knows the makers</h2>
<p>You will find all the family&#39;s wines together on our <a href="/en/wijnhuis/guerrieri/">Guerrieri page</a>, alongside the full collection of <a href="/en/categorie/italiaanse-wijn/">Italian wines</a>.</p>
<p>Why do so many of the Italian wines at NEVINI come from the same producer? Because the Guerrieri family makes exactly what fits the philosophy of a small-scale wine importer: wine with character, without pretence. Honest about origin. You can drink it without making a study of it, but it also rewards those who take a moment to taste consciously.</p>
<p>The relationship between importer and winemaker is essential here. It is not just about the wine in the bottle, but about the people behind it. How they think about their land, their grapes, their craft. With the Guerrieri family, that is in everything. In the way they tend their vineyards, how they time their harvest, how they patiently wait until a wine is ready for the market.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The Guerrieri family is no mass producer. They make limited quantities, and some wines, such as the Vintage editions, run to only a few hundred bottles. Once a vintage sells out, there is no new one until the harvest allows it.</p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<h2>Getting started with wines from Le Marche</h2>
<p>Curious about Le Marche wine? The best introduction depends on what you are looking for.</p>
<p><strong>For white wine from Italy:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Start with the <a href="/en/wine/guerriero-bianco/">Guerriero Bianco</a> for an approachable, versatile white</li>
<li>Want more depth? Try the <a href="/en/wine/biancanima/">Biancanima</a> or the <a href="/en/wine/guerriero-del-mare/">Guerriero Del Mare</a></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>For red wine from Italy:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>The <a href="/en/wine/guerriero-nero/">Guerriero Nero</a> is the perfect starting point: juicy, complex, affordable</li>
<li>For a special evening: the <a href="/en/wine/guerriero-della-terra/">Guerriero Della Terra</a></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>For something different:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>The <a href="/en/wine/rosa-dei-venti/">Rosa dei Venti</a> if you like rosé that is more than a summer drink</li>
<li>The <a href="/en/wine/guerrieri-spumante/">Guerrieri Spumante</a> or <a href="/en/wine/guerrieri-spumante-rose/">Guerrieri Spumante Rosé</a> for festive moments</li>
</ul>
<p>Buying Italian wine does not have to be complicated. It starts with a good glass, an honest producer and an importer who knows the story. The rest follows naturally.</p>


The Guerrieri Family: The Heart of Our Collection

<p>Spain has more vines in the ground than any other country in the world. More than France, more than Italy. And yet Spanish wine is often underestimated. Many people never get past the eight-euro supermarket bottle. Fine at a barbecue, but it tells you nothing about what this country is truly capable of.</p>
<p>The best Spanish wines combine patience with character. Years in oak. Years in bottle. And when you open them, you taste that time. A kind of calm you rarely find in other wine countries.</p>
<p>In this guide we take you through the three regions that form the heart of the Spanish wine world: Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Priorat. Plus seven wines that show why wine from Spain is so exciting right now.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Rioja wine: the region where it all begins</h2>
<p>Rioja is Spain&#39;s most recognisable wine region. Almost everyone knows the name. But the real Rioja, the Rioja that stays with you, is not the one on the supermarket shelf. It comes from bodegas that have been doing the same thing for more than a hundred years. Not out of tradition for tradition&#39;s sake, but because the result speaks for itself.</p>
<p>The heart of the region is Haro, a town of five thousand inhabitants in La Rioja Alta. More historic bodegas per square metre than anywhere else in Europe. The houses here work with Tempranillo as their main grape, complemented by Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo. Long ageing in American oak gives the wines their signature softness: vanilla, leather, tobacco, dried fruit.</p>
<h3>La Rioja Alta: six years of patience in a glass</h3>
<p><a href="/en/wine/vina-arana-gran-reserva-2017/">Vina Arana Gran Reserva</a> is proof that great craftsmanship does not have to cost a fortune. La Rioja Alta has been making wine since 1890. At this house, the word &quot;hurry&quot; simply does not exist. This Gran Reserva spends three years in American oak, followed by another three years in bottle. Only then is it allowed out of the door.</p>
<p>Tempranillo with a touch of Graciano. Soft and elegant, with notes of leather, tobacco and dried fruit. The kind of Spanish red wine you drink slowly, then regret that the bottle is already empty. For €44.95. At many other houses you would easily pay double for the same quality.</p>
<h3>Lopez de Heredia: buying Rioja from Spain&#39;s most headstrong house</h3>
<p><a href="/en/wine/vina-tondonia-reserva-2012/">Vina Tondonia Reserva 2012</a> comes from a bodega that does everything at its own pace. Everything, truly. The wine ferments in large wooden vats, ages for years in old oak barrels and is only released when the house decides the moment has come. Not when the market asks for it. Not when the importer calls.</p>
<p>A blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo. At the first sip you might think: this tastes like another era. Not old-fashioned. Timeless. It is wine that slows you down, that demands your attention and rewards it. €42.95 for craftsmanship without compromise.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Want to buy Rioja but not quite ready for a Gran Reserva? Then try the <a href="/en/wine/rioja-blanco/">Rioja Blanco</a>. Viura and Grenache Blanc, fresh and approachable, with more depth than you would expect from a white Rioja. Lovely as an aperitif and surprisingly good with grilled fish.</p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<h2>Ribera del Duero: Tempranillo with extra bite</h2>
<p>If Rioja is known for elegance and patience, Ribera del Duero stands for intensity and ambition. The region sits at around 800 metres on the Meseta, Spain&#39;s central plateau. Scorching hot by day, cold at night. Those extreme temperature swings give Tempranillo (known here as Tinto Fino) a completely different character than in Rioja. Darker. More powerful. More concentrated.</p>
<p>The landscape reflects it. No rolling hills lined with cypresses. Dust, stone and vines. That austerity carries through into the wines. No frills, pure fruit and structure.</p>
<h3>Aalto: the hand of a master</h3>
<p><a href="/en/wine/aalto/">Aalto</a> bears the signature of Mariano Garcia, for decades the winemaker at Vega Sicilia, the most famous wine address in Spain. When Garcia struck out on his own, the entire wine world was watching. Rightly so.</p>
<p>Aalto is dark fruit, spice, a whisper of smoke. But never overdone. Always controlled. The best Spanish wines have that quality: they show their power without flaunting it. €47.95, and every euro is in the wine. Not in the packaging.</p>
<h3>PSI: biodynamic Tempranillo from old vines</h3>
<p><a href="/en/wine/psi/">PSI</a> is the project of Peter Sisseck, the Dane who happened to find his home in Ribera del Duero and created Pingus there. A cult classic and one of the most expensive Spanish wines ever. But PSI is a very different story.</p>
<p>Biodynamically farmed. Old Tempranillo vines, spread across different villages in the region. The idea: a wine that captures the mosaic of the whole of Ribera del Duero in a single bottle. Rawer than Aalto, less polished, more honest. Sometimes that is exactly what you are after. €46.95 for one of the most singular wines in our range.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Tempranillo is the king of Spain&#39;s red grapes. In Rioja it produces elegant, softer wines. In Ribera del Duero, at high altitude and with extreme temperature swings, the same grape becomes more intense and more powerful. Two regions, one grape, two completely different characters.</p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<h2>Priorat wine: Spain&#39;s greatest comeback story</h2>
<p>This is one of the most remarkable stories in the wine world.</p>
<p>In the seventies, Priorat was nearly dead. The old slate terraces (llicorella) lay abandoned in the hills of Catalonia. The young had left for Barcelona. The Garnacha vines that remained were old and forgotten.</p>
<p>Until a handful of winemakers returned in the eighties and discovered what everyone else had overlooked. Those poor, weathered slate soils. Those steep slopes where roots grow metres deep in search of water. Precisely those extreme conditions produce grapes with a concentration and minerality you will not find anywhere else.</p>
<p>Today Priorat is, alongside Rioja, the only Spanish region with the highest classification (DOCa). From near extinction to the absolute top. In thirty years.</p>
<h3>Artigas: the white surprise from Priorat</h3>
<p><a href="/en/wine/artigas/">Artigas</a> from Bodegas Mas Alta is a wine that turns expectations upside down. Because this is a white Priorat wine. Garnacha, Pedro Ximenez and Macabeu. Citrus, white flowers, stone fruit. And that typical Priorat minerality, but in a white wine glass.</p>
<p>Many wine lovers only think of powerful reds when they hear Priorat. This white shows the region has more to offer. €29.50 for a wine that changes how you look at Priorat.</p>
<h3>Clos Martinet: Garnacha at its finest</h3>
<p>The <a href="/en/wine/clos-martinet-2022/">Clos Martinet 2022</a> deserves a moment of silence.</p>
<p>Mas Martinet is one of the bodegas that saved Priorat from oblivion. Sara Perez, daughter of founder Jose Luis Perez, makes wines here that translate the terroir down to the very last layer of flavour. Garnacha, Carinena, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon. Complex on paper. Perfectly logical in the glass.</p>
<p>The 2022 vintage is young and intense, with layers of dark fruit, liquorice and minerals. The finish goes on and on. €79.95 is not an everyday amount. But open this bottle on the right evening, with the right people, and you will know exactly what you paid for.</p>
<hr>
<h2>Buying Spanish wine: where do you start?</h2>
<p>Seven wines is a lot to choose from, especially if you are just getting into Spanish wine. A few pointers.</p>
<p><strong>Looking for the essence of Spanish red wine?</strong> Start with <a href="/en/wine/psi/">PSI</a> or <a href="/en/wine/aalto/">Aalto</a>. Two very different faces of Ribera del Duero, both under fifty euros, both impressive.</p>
<p><strong>Fancy something surprising?</strong> Go for the <a href="/en/wine/artigas/">Artigas</a>. Nobody expects a white Priorat wine, which is exactly what makes it such fun to put on the table.</p>
<p><strong>Ready for the best of Spain?</strong> The <a href="/en/wine/clos-martinet-2022/">Clos Martinet</a> or the <a href="/en/wine/vina-tondonia-reserva-2012/">Vina Tondonia</a>. Two wines you will not soon forget. The first brings the power and minerality of Priorat. The second the timeless elegance of Rioja.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Spain has more hectares of vineyard than any other country. Yet Spanish winemakers produce less wine per hectare than their French or Italian colleagues. Dry soils and low yields make for concentrated, characterful wines. Quality over quantity, baked into the landscape itself.</p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<h2>What makes wine from Spain so special?</h2>
<p>The answer lies in the combination of climate, soil and time.</p>
<p>Spain has an enormous variety of terroirs. From the cool, Atlantic-influenced hills of Rioja to the sweltering high plains of Ribera del Duero and the steep slate terraces of Priorat. Each landscape leaves its mark on the grape.</p>
<p>Add to that the Spanish culture of ageing. No other wine country in the world holds on to its wines this long before release. A Rioja Gran Reserva has at least five years of ageing behind it before it reaches the shelf. At houses like La Rioja Alta and Lopez de Heredia, six to ten years is closer to the truth. The result: wines that are exactly right the moment you open them. No guesswork, no years of cellaring on your part.</p>
<p>And then the price. Compared with Bordeaux, Barolo or Burgundy, Spanish wine still offers remarkable quality for the money. A forty-five-euro bottle from Rioja or Ribera del Duero can effortlessly hold its own against French wines at twice the price.</p>
<p>That makes buying Spanish wine attractive for beginners and connoisseurs alike. Approachable enough to start with, deep enough to keep discovering for years.</p>
<p>Want to taste for yourself? Browse our <a href="/en/categorie/spaanse-wijn/">Spanish wines</a> or dive straight into the slate world of <a href="/en/categorie/priorat/">Priorat</a>.</p>


NEVINI Blog