Corte Adami, Valpolicella Ripasso, 2021

Grapes

Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara

Vintage report

The 2021 growing season in Veneto delivered exactly what nervous growers needed after a string of challenging years: textbook conditions that let the vines do their thing without drama. Spring arrived gently, summer stayed warm but not punishing, and crucially, September held dry and sunny through harvest. We find ourselves talking about a vintage where nature simply behaved, allowing winemakers to focus on craft rather than crisis management.

What emerged from those orderly conditions are wines with a lovely sense of balance—Amarone and Valpolicella showing both power and freshness, while Soave displays that mineral backbone we crave without the sometimes aggressive acidity of trickier years. The reds carry good concentration without feeling heavy, and there's an approachability to them that makes this vintage particularly rewarding. Most 2021 Veneto wines are drinking beautifully now, though the finest Amarones will reward patience until 2030 and beyond.