2023 Alpha Zeta, `V` Valpolicella - Liberty

Alpha Zeta was conceived in 1999 when Liberty Wines set out to produce a range of modern, fruit-driven wines from the hills outside Verona. Working with leading New Zealand winemaker Matt Thomson of Blank Canvas, Alpha Zeta works directly with growers rather than buying bulk wine, the standard for most wines from Verona at this price. In doing so, ripe grapes are obtained by reducing yields and picking later, utilising Matt’s expertise to preserve these flavours in the finished wines. As a result, Alpha Zeta continues to offer great value, quality, balance and typicity.

The unoaked ‘S’ Soave is dry, scented and delicious, while the ‘C’ Chardonnay is melony and impressive, offering outstanding value. The ‘P’ Pinot Grigio, made solely from grapes grown on hillside vineyards in the Alpone Valley, is balanced and quaffable with a lovely pear and bread crust character on the nose and palate. The ‘Terrapieno’ Pinot Grigio is a testament to the close collaboration between Matt and his grower. Having discovered the quality of the fruit from this vineyard, Matt decided to bottle it separately, creating a wine with great intensity and a silky texture. The reds are equally impressive. The ‘V’ Valpolicella has bright, black cherry fruit and velvety tannins, while the ‘R’ Ripasso is silky and scented. New for the 2023 vintage is a Valpolicella hailing from the Valpantena valley. Here, higher elevations lend themselves an elegant and complex profile, enhanced by the use of whole bunch fermentation. The range is rounded out with the ‘A’ Amarone, which is one of the best-value examples available on the market today.

The vineyards are situated in the hills outside Verona in the Valpantena Valley. Cool currents blow down the valley from the foothills of the Dolomites, which helps to moderate the climate, enabling the grapes to ripen slowly. This helps the grapes to retain their aromatic compounds and acidity. The soil is poor and chalky so the vines are put under stress helping to produce superior quality fruit.

The 2023 season is regarded as one of the hottest and most challenging vintages in Italy, marked by prolonged drought and severe hailstorms that led to reduced yields.The diurnal range was crucial in preserving the grapes' acidity and freshness, resulting in remarkable quality despite the difficult growing season.

The grapes were hand harvested, de-stemmed, crushed and pumped to stainless steel tanks.The must was left in contact with the skins for eight days, then fermentation took place at temperatures between 22-28 °C. Malolactic fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks. Then the wine was transferred in concrete tanks for final filtration and held there until bottling.

Bright, youthful ruby in colour with cherry perfume giving way to a fresh, ripe cherry pie character on the palate. Soft, rounded, juicy tannins lend body to youthful fruit which continues to the finish.