My recent trip to Italy was absolutely amazing. I finally got to take my husband on one of my press trips, which I designed with the help of some amazing Public Relations teams and my love for particular wines. One winery in particular I had to visit and was so honored to was Tedeschi, a longstanding family winery rooted in tradition, imagination, and passion. They have four centuries of winemaking in the family and I had the pleasure of meeting Riccardo Tedeschi, the oncologist and exporter, as well as spend the day with Sabrina Tedeschi who handles the export management and marketing for the winery.

They extract the best from their vines and have a beautiful winery in Valpolicella. Surrounding the area they also have incredible vineyards with amazing sights to see. The rolling hills in this region are absolutely stunning as well as the wines. Here you will find some of the best red wines including Amarone, Valpolicella, and more. They produce really alluring, complex, sophisticated wines that are very expressive and true to the Corvina, Corvinone, and Rondinella grapes. The poor soils in the area really produce very nice wines, and they rely on this to give strength and structure to the wines.

The winery is located in the heart of Valpolicella where they have a beautiful tasting room, a large aging cellar, and a private family wine cellar. I had the opportunity to taste some wines at the tasting room before heading on a beautiful drive with Sabrina to tour some of the Grand Cru vineyards.

The Marne 180 Amarone Della Valpolicella DOCG is the wine that I first tasted from this winery. Once I saw it again while there I was like “this is it, this is the moment I have been dreaming of”. I love visiting wineries that I have tried at home prior, because there’s something so fun about tasting a wine in your own country, and then falling in love with the winery before you even get there! Then once you’re there, you feel so welcomed, especially at Tedeschi. The name Marne is from the soil, and the 180 degrees of exposure from the south east and west. This wine is made from grapes from different vineyards which creates a layered complexity that’s just addicting.

Tasting with Sabrina was so informative and amazing, and I really enjoyed the Capitel Monte Olmi Amarone Della Valpolicella, which has depth and beauty. This wine is a symbol of the estate territory and truly one of a kind. This is one of the first single vineyard wines in Valpolicella and is full of fruit, spice, and complexity. It’s an Amarone not to miss. One of my favorite wines was the Maternigo Amarone Della Valpolicella Riserva because of its structure and also it’s limited production. This wine is only produced during the best vintages and is fruity and elegant, and really captivating.

Outside of the selection of Amarone they also have Valpolicella. The Materingo Valpolicella DOC I absolutely loved for its aromas and intensity. The Capitel Nicalo’ Valpolicella I think is a perfect food wine, while the San Rocco Valpolicella Ripasso is elegant and balanced. After the tasting in the tasting room, we went off to view the vineyards before having an amazing lunch at Villa De Winckels where we enjoyed an array of Italian favorites to pair alongside some more Tedeschi wines.

During the lunch we enjoyed Fried Zucchini Flowers, Charcuterie, and some Pickled Vegetables. Honestly the best fried zucchini I have ever had… like ever! Foods like this go perfect with the wines from the region because of  the fruit forward characters in the wines. For our pasta course, we could not choose between truffles and rabbit ragu, so in true Italian fashion, we got both; because there is always room for two pasta courses! For the final course I enjoyed the best Lamb I have ever had in Italy, it was delightful with the Amarone. We ended the meal with a special bottle, the Capitel Fontana Recioto Della Valpolicella which was out of this world delicious, with bold fruit, sweetness, elegance, and structure. It was truly the perfect way to end an amazing meal.

If you’re looking for some new incredible wines to enjoy this Fall and Winter, Tedeschi wines are a must have. Sure you can totally drink them in spring and summer, but in the fall and winter, there’s nothing I love more than coming home and curling up with a bottle of Valpolicella.

Always remember, eat what you like and drink what you love. Please pair responsibly.