February 2024

Matt’s review:

The 2019 Secondo Marco Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG is a testament to the meticulous craftsmanship and unwavering dedication of winemaker Marco Speri to produce some of the finest wines in Valpolicella. Located in Fumane, in the heart of the Valpolicella Classico area between Lake Garda and ancient city of Verona, Secondo Marco’s vineyards benefit from a unique microclimate, with warm breezes from Lake Garda in the morning and cool mountain air in the late afternoon that travels down from the Lessini Mountains. This microclimate coupled with mineral-rich soils and Speri’s unique “Y” shaped pergola vines, creates a unique terroir perfect for the gradual ripening of the grapes while preserving their freshness, resulting in wines with great concentration and harmony.

Marco Speri’s approach to winemaking is both patient and precise. He vinifies and ages each varietal separately, blending them only when they have reached an important level of integration and harmony. This painstaking process, spanning nearly a decade, is instrumental in creating the expressive and well-structured wines for which Secondo Marco is renowned.

The 2019 vintage, hailed as a five-star year, has yielded another remarkable expression of Amarone. This wine exhibits a light ruby hue, hinting at its finesse. The nose is a symphony of aromas, with dried cherry, plum, fragrant spices, herbs, tobacco, and a subtle note of scorched earth. On the palate, the fruit and spice harmonize beautifully, balanced by fine tannins that impart a remarkably smooth and refreshing finish lasting minutes on the palate.

While winemaker Marco Speri plans to let this wine rest for another three years in barrel before bottling, it is already showing beautifully and is expected to gain further integration and complexity leading up to its release in 2027. This is a wine worthy of investment, one that will show beautifully upon release and over the next three decades. Anticipated optimal drinking window: 2027-2050. Score: 96+ points. Matt Steeves – www.quercusvino.ca