Riserva
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically peaks between 10 to 25 years from the vintage date, though exceptional vintages can easily cellar for 30 years or more.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Slow-braised beef cheeks, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and roasted wild game such as venison.
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Hailing from the historic hills of Sant'Ambrogio di Valpolicella in Veneto, Zenato's landmark Riserva—dedicated to the estate's visionary founder, Sergio Zenato—represents the pinnacle of the region's appassimento winemaking tradition. Crafted only in exceptional vintages, this profound red is primarily composed of Corvina and Rondinella, with small additions of Oseleta and Croatina. The hand-harvested grapes are dried for several months in specialized drying rooms (fruttaio), concentrating their sugars, acids, and aromatics before a slow, cool fermentation. The wine is then aged for at least four years in large Slavonian oak casks, resulting in an incredibly complex, velvety masterpiece. The Zenato family legacy, which began in 1960, is deeply intertwined with the modern renaissance of Amarone, transforming what was once a local rustic style into one of Italy's most prestigious and collectible red wines.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Founded in 1960 by Sergio Zenato and his wife Carla, the Zenato winery is situated on the morainic hills of Lake Garda in San Benedetto di Lugana, Veneto, Italy. Today, the estate is managed by their children, Alberto and Francesca, who continue to champion the unique terroirs of both Lugana and Valpolicella. Renowned for pioneering the quality resurgence of the indigenous Turbiana grape, Zenato produces exceptional white wines, including the iconic Lugana Riserva Sergio Zenato. In Valpolicella, the family crafts powerful, elegant red wines from their Costalunga estate, most notably their acclaimed Amarone della Valpolicella Classico and the single-varietal Corvina, Cresasso.