Matt’s review: 

Background: Renowned Valpolicella producer, Rubinelli Vajol, produces a modest quantity of individually numbered bottles of Valpolicella wines each year. In extraordinary vintages they produce a Riserva Amarone. 2011 was one of those vintages. When I tasted their 2011 Riserva Amarone in February 2024 it highlighted just how spectacular their wines can be, thanks to the unique terroir of their vineyards and the vision of their winemaker to craft exceptionally elegant and harmonious wines displaying great finesse with the structure to age for decades. 

Freshness and elegance have always been characteristics expected in premium wines, but arguably more and more these days than a decade+ ago when big and powerful was a popular style in wineries, restaurants, and for certain influential critics. Fast forward to present day and regardless of the wine or region, wine enthusiasts expect premium wines to showcase those qualities, so when wines renowned for their high alcohol levels, such as Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG, present with such elegant and harmonious characteristics, they get noticed and leave lasting impressions. That was my experience tasting Rubinelli Vajol’s 2011 Riserva Amarone with its 16% abv and 10+ years of age. Destinée 2011 was produced in an era where big and opulent wines were more typical, certainly fashionable, but that clearly didn’t sway Rubinelli Vajol’s winemaker as they crafted this expressive terroir wine, that’s incredibly harmonious and elegant. A masterpiece showcasing the timeless elegance and quality available in Valpolicella. A wine that reminds us why we need to be cellaring premium Valpolicella wines more than ever before, and for decades as they have the structure to age. Do yourself a favour and start tucking them away from great vintages and you’ll be rewarded for your foresight and patience.  

Matt’s review:  Rubinelli Vajol “Destinée” Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva DOCG 2011 shows a complex bouquet of dried fruit, balsamic/herbal notes, and spice. The palate repeats the complex bouquet with great intensity in a remarkably light, fresh, and elegant style. The texture is superbly harmonious, every element beautifully integrated resulting in an exceptionally long finish that seemingly never ends. This is an outstanding Cru-quality wine that showcases the the pedigree of the terroir and vision of the winemaker in crafting such well integrated and elegant age-worthy wines. Highly recommend acquiring and cellaring wines from Rubinelli Vajol, as they showcase the greatness in premium Valpolicella wines. Tasted February 2024 during Amarone Opera Prima in Verona, Italy. 97+ points. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca