A Personal Look at the 2025 Corvina Tasting at Accordini Winery

So, the winding road up into the hills of Valpolicella is actually an experience in itself, you know. I mean, you leave the city buzz of Verona behind, and it’s like the world just slows down a bit. This year’s 2025 Corvina showcase at the Accordini Igino winery was, honestly, circled on my calendar for months. I just had a feeling this would be a really special event. And frankly, the air itself seemed to change as I got closer, carrying a kind of sweet, earthy scent from the vineyards that blanket every slope. It’s pretty much the perfect welcome. The Accordini estate, it’s just perched beautifully with a view that really makes you pause for a second. At the end of the day, standing there before even tasting a single drop, you just get this sense that you’re somewhere with a deep, grounded history.

A Glimpse into the Accordini Family Story

Alright, before we even got to the wines, Guido Accordini, whose family has, like, worked this land for generations, shared a bit of their story. He explained that, you know, his family started with a very small plot of land right after the war. It was really his father, Igino, who saw what this place could become, as a matter of fact. He had this, sort of, deep belief in the local grapes, especially Corvina. Guido spoke with a calm, steady voice, and you could, like, feel the passion in every word he said, honestly. It wasn’t some kind of slick corporate presentation; it was more or less a person sharing his life’s work. He made it very clear that, to be honest, their whole philosophy is about letting the grapes speak for themselves. You could tell that this approach, well, it influences every single decision they make from the vineyard to the cellar, really.

Guido actually pointed out the window to some older vines, explaining that, well, those were planted by his grandfather. So, this connection to the past is something you can practically touch here, you know. He mentioned that making wine in Valpolicella is a bit of a balancing act. For instance, you have to respect the traditions that make the wines unique, yet you can’t be afraid to make small improvements where they matter. Honestly, it’s that blend of old and new that seemed to be the real spirit of the winery. You get the impression that for them, this is basically more than a business; it’s a family legacy they are very protective of. At the end of the day, that genuine feeling is something you just can’t manufacture.

The Terroir: More Than Just Soil

So, Guido also spent some time talking about the ‘terroir’, which is, like, a French word for everything that affects the grapes—the soil, the climate, the slope of the hill, and stuff. The soil here in the Fumane valley, where they are, is apparently rich in clay and limestone, which is kind of ideal for the Corvina grape. He said that this sort of ground helps give the wines a certain structure and a mineral-like quality that is very distinct, you know. You can honestly tell he has walked these vineyards a thousand times. He even showed us a handful of the soil, so we could see and feel it for ourselves, which was pretty cool. It’s definitely more than just dirt; it’s literally the foundation of every wine they produce. Basically, understanding this is key to getting why their Valpolicella tastes the way it does.

The Heart of Valpolicella: Tasting the Classico and Superiore

Alright, so we finally moved on to the tasting, starting with the foundation of the region: the Valpolicella Classico. It’s really the purest expression of the Corvina grape from the area, more or less. The 2025 vintage we tried was just so fresh and full of life, you know. I mean, it had these bright cherry and raspberry notes, with just a hint of what I would call almond. The color was, like, a beautiful ruby red, and it was almost glowing in the glass. It’s the kind of wine that, to be honest, you could easily enjoy on a warm afternoon. Guido explained that this wine is all about capturing the youth and energy of the grapes, and you could definitely taste that. It’s seriously refreshing and not heavy at all.

Next up, we tried the Valpolicella Classico Superiore. Now, this one was a little different. For a wine to be called ‘Superiore’, it has to be aged for at least one year and have a slightly higher alcohol content, so Guido told us. The difference was actually noticeable right away. The color was a little deeper, and the aroma, well, it was a bit more complex. You still get that lovely cherry fruit, but it’s kind of joined by these spicier, more savory notes. As a matter of fact, I thought I picked up a little black pepper and maybe some dried herbs. It’s got more body than the Classico, yet it’s still extremely well-balanced. This one felt like, you know, a more serious and thoughtful wine, maybe something you’d pair with a nice pasta dish. At the end of the day, it’s a perfect step up in complexity.

The Magic of Appassimento: Unveiling the Ripasso

So, then we moved onto the Ripasso, and this is where things get really interesting, to be honest. Guido explained the process, which is, like, pretty unique to this region. Basically, they take the young Valpolicella wine we just tried and they “re-pass” it over the leftover, dried grape skins from the Amarone production. I mean, that sounds a little strange, but the result is kind of amazing. This second fermentation with the Amarone skins just adds so much richness and depth to the wine. You can think of it as, like, Valpolicella’s bigger, more confident sibling, you know.

The 2022 ‘Le Bessole’ Ripasso we tasted was, frankly, a huge step up in power and texture. The wine had a much darker, more intense color in the glass. The smell was just full of dark fruit, like plums and dried cherries, but also with these wonderful hints of chocolate and sweet spices. On the tongue, it was so smooth and velvety, with a structure that just filled your mouth without being too heavy. It’s obviously a richer wine, yet it still has that characteristic Valpolicella freshness that stops it from being overwhelming. Seriously, it’s a wine that makes you sit back and just think for a moment. Guido described it as “meditation wine,” and at the end of the day, I can definitely see why.

“With Ripasso, you are giving a second life to the wine. You are asking the simple Valpolicella to grow up, to take on the memory and the soul of the Amarone. It’s a conversation between two different moments of our harvest, you know.”

The Main Event: Amarone and Recioto della Valpolicella

And so, we arrived at the star of the show: the Amarone della Valpolicella. Honestly, the anticipation in the room was something you could feel. Amarone is made using the ‘appassimento’ method, where the best bunches of Corvina grapes are, like, naturally dried on bamboo racks for months. This process, as a matter of fact, concentrates the sugars and flavors, resulting in a really powerful and intense wine. We tasted their 2018 ‘Le Viole’ Amarone, and well, it was just stunning. The wine is almost opaque in the glass, a deep garnet color. The aroma is so incredibly complex, with layers of fig, dried plum, cocoa, and a hint of something like pipe tobacco. It’s the sort of scent you could just get lost in, really.

When you taste it, the power is obvious, but it’s the gracefulness that’s truly surprising, you know. It’s a full-bodied wine, for sure, with this rich, almost syrupy texture, but it has this incredible balance. It’s not just sweet fruit; there’s a savory, earthy quality and a kind of bright lift on the finish that keeps it from being heavy. You can tell that so much care went into making this wine. To finish, we were treated to a little sip of Recioto della Valpolicella, which is pretty much Amarone’s sweet sibling. It’s made from the same dried grapes, but the fermentation is stopped early to leave some natural sugar. The result is a luscious, sweet red wine, bursting with flavors of black cherry jam and dark chocolate. It’s seriously the perfect way to end a tasting.

Key Takeaways From the Day

The People Matter: So, the passion of the Accordini family is literally in every bottle; their story just makes the wine taste better, you know.
Corvina’s Range: This single grape can, like, create an incredible spectrum of wines, from the fresh Valpolicella Classico to the profound Amarone, which is pretty amazing.
Ripasso is Special: Seriously, don’t overlook the Ripasso. It offers a kind of perfect middle ground with a lot of complexity for its price.
Book Ahead: A tasting like this is an intimate experience, so you really need to reserve your spot well in advance. They tend to fill up quickly.
Ask Questions: Honestly, the hosts are so willing to share their knowledge. The more you ask, the more you’ll get out of the visit, basically.

Read our full review: 2025 Corvina Tasting Accordini Winery Full Review and Details

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