Red wine of Negrar di Valpolicella: DOC, DOCG and IGT

Amarone della Valpolicella, Corvina Veronese, Raffaello rosso Veronese, Recioto della Valpolicella, etc…are all red wines of superior quality, structured and elegant that share a beautiful red color. Red wine has a red color appearance in different shades, ranging from purple to ruby, up to garnet and orange. It is produced using must macerated on the skins of the berries of the various grape varieties. In this way the polyphenols and coloring substances naturally present in the skins are extracted.

Red wine is characterized by a wide range of aromas: flowers, fruit, jam, herbs, spices, etc… It can be more or less soft, full-bodied and tannic. The serving temperature varies according to the quality of the wine consumed, but is usually between 14 ° C and 20 ° C. While, as regards the pairings, these too vary according to the type of wine. For example, with an Amarone della Valpolicella great roasts, game, noble-furred game, braised meats, stews and seasoned or spicy cheeses are ideal. While Recioto della Valpolicella is a dessert wine, very balanced in the mouth.

The magic of polyphenols

Many wonder why red wine has just that beautiful bright red color. The answer is to be found during the fermentation phase. Fermentation is the process during which the must is transformed into wine. Natural yeasts transform sugar into alcohol, developing carbon dioxide and heat.

In this phase also the polyphenols undergo variations at the molecular level. To better understand what happens, we must first understand what polyphenols are. These are particular chemical compounds, naturally present in grapes and stalks. They are concentrated mainly in the skins and seeds and are responsible for the organoleptic characteristics of the wine: color, smell, taste. The ability to give astringency, tannins, bitterness, or the sense of “spicy” also depends on the polyphenols.

During fermentation, but also in refinement and aging, polyphenols undergo changes at the molecular level, due to the temperature and the amount of air present in the liquid. The reactions of polymerization, or combination with other molecules of phenols, polysaccharides and proteins, lead to the formation of more complex and structured molecules. In this way it therefore varies color and aroma. The reactions of the polyphenols therefore change the pigments that give life to the final color of the wine (and this is true for both red wine, white wine, or rosé).

The intensity of the color depends on the amount of pigments obtained during maceration. It is therefore clear, how important it is to know the composition of the compounds in the skins and grains, to determine the quality of a wine.

Red wine is characterized by a wide range of aromas: flowers, fruit, jam, herbs, spices, etc… It can be more or less soft, full-bodied and tannic. The serving temperature varies according to the quality of the wine consumed, but is usually between 14 ° C and 20 ° C. While, as regards the pairings, these too vary according to the type of wine. For example, with an Amarone della Valpolicella great roasts, game, noble-furred game, braised meats, stews and seasoned or spicy cheeses are ideal. While Recioto della Valpolicella is a dessert wine, very balanced in the mouth.