Le Alène Rosso Veneto 2019
Member Price €31.54
This is a Valpolicella Ripasso in all but name.
So if you wanted a taste of the really good stuff at a snip of the price, this is your chance.
It’s made by Mirko Sella, the owner of the San Cassiano winery in the Veneto region between Lake Garda and Venice and at the foothills of the Alps.
I know him through Federico Cerelli, who makes his I Filari Amarone here from some of Mirko’s best vines.
San Cassiano is in the eastern part of Valpolicella, and just like Federico’s Amarone, it’s one of the best parts of the region for making this type of wine:
- The vineyards sit at 400m altitude, which is one of the highest sites in the region. You get a big difference between day and night temperatures, which concentrates the flavours in the grapes
- The soils are very poor and made up of white marl - so the vines struggle and produce less fruit per plant. Again doubling down on that concentration
- The grapes are slowly dried on racks for 45-50 days after harvest, increasing the power and intensity even further
- The wine is then aged for 3 years in French and American oak, to make it even more smooth and luxurious.
Wines around here are usually made from a blend of three grapes: Corvina, Rondinella and Corvinone.
Corvinone adds colour and richness to the party, and Mirko believes it’s the most important component of the blend. So he decided to make a single-vineyard, single-grape wine dedicated to the variety.
It’s powerful, raisiny and dark, with lovely herbaceous and balsamic flavours, and coffee and chocolate too. There’s great complexity and length, with a beautifully balanced and lifted finish.
It’s amazing value for a wine of this style and quality - some might call it a baby Amarone, but that wouldn’t do it justice!
| Wine type | Red |
| Grape(s) | Corvinone 100% |
| Region of origin | Veneto, Italy |
| Appellation | Veneto Rosso IGT |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Alcohol % | 16.5% |
| Oak? | Yes |
| Months in Oak | 36 |
| Type of Oak | French and American barrique |
| Allergens (e.g. does it contain Milk, Egg, Fish, Nuts) | None |
| Average age of vines | 25 years |
| Average altitude of vines (m) | 350 m |
| Soil type(s) | Limestone, south west exposure |
| Closure Type | Natural cork |
| Is this wine organic? | No |
| Biodynamic? | No |
| Sustainably produced? | Yes |
| Suitable for vegans? | Yes |
| Ageing potential | 10 - 15 years |
| Ideal drinking window | 2025-2035 |
The former winemaker of Solaia and Tignanello, two of Italy's most iconic wines.
FOR IRELAND
We know how important it is to get your wine order quickly and efficiently. So we’ve partnered with UPS to offer next-day delivery on our wines.
Here’s what you need to know:
- It’s free - delivery is already included in the members' price
- It’s fast - you’ll get next-day delivery if you order before 12pm Monday-Thursday
- It’s environmentally-friendly - all of our orders are shipped carbon neutral with UPS.
€2 per case is added to all Northern Ireland orders to cover additional shipping costs. The point of sale occurs in the Republic of Ireland.
Our minimum order requirement is 6 bottles and we ship in multiples of 6’s. This can be 6 different bottles!
You may need to show your ID on delivery.
Please read our Terms & Conditions for more information.
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FOR UK
1. Order minimum & case sizes
We ship exclusively in full cases of wine. Your order must be a minimum of 6 bottles and in a multiple of 6 (for example 6, 12, 18 bottles).
2. Where we deliver
We deliver across Great Britain, with a small number of exceptions. Delivery is currently not available to the following locations:
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Channel Islands (GY, JE)
Please also note that some more remote areas take a little longer to reach. For the postcodes listed below, delivery may take 2–5 working days due to their location, and there is an additional £20 charge applied to these areas:
KA27, KA28, AB31–AB56, IV1–IV63, KW1–KW17, PH15–PH150, PA20–PA78, HS1–HS9, PH42–PH44, ZE1–ZE3, FK16–FK21,BT
3. Delivery timeframe
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Place your order by midday (12pm) Monday-Friday for next working-day delivery.
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Saturday delivery is available when you order by midday on Friday.
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If you order after midday, your delivery will fall on the next working day, and in some cases it may arrive sooner - but this is not guaranteed.
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Orders placed after 3pm on a Friday will be delivered on the following Tuesday.
4. Courier & delivery options
We use DPD Local for all deliveries with the default method as delivery to your address - handover required. You’ll receive text and/or an email notification to let you know your case has been shipped and another with your 1 hour delivery window, with both giving you the options to:
• leave in a safe place
• leave with a neighbour
• change the delivery day
• deliver to a different address
• deliver to a DPD Pickup ParcelShop
If you choose a safe place or a neighbour and the parcel is delivered to that place or person, responsibility passes to you from that point onwards.
5. Age verification
This site is for adults only. We operate a Challenge 25 age verification policy. When in doubt DPD will request valid photo ID on delivery to confirm you are 18 or over. Accepted ID includes a passport, driving licence or other recognised photographic ID.
6. Damaged goods in transit
If your case of wine is damaged during transit, we will be notified by DPD and will reorder and dispatch a replacement for you at the earliest opportunity and keep you updated throughout.
7. Returns once delivered
If you decide you need to return your order after it has been delivered, please get in touch with us and we will arrange a collection. Returns are handled on a case-by-case basis once you contact us.
8. General provisions
By placing an order you agree to these delivery terms. We may update or amend these terms from time to time - any changes will apply to orders placed after the update.