Cielo e Terra, Casa Defra Valpolicella Ripasso, DOC Venezie, Italy, 2020

Producer Profile

Cielo e Terra is a joint venture between two families, Cielo, who have been making wine for over a century in Veneto and Puglia, and the Cantina Sociale Colli Berici.

Drawing on the Colli Berici’s vineyard resources, combined with the Cielo family’s winemaking skills, their partnership consistently produces wines which are fantastic value for money from both indigenous and international varieties.

Viticulture

The production area covers the entire foothills of the province of Verona extending from Lake Garda to almost the border with the province of Vicenza. Thanks to the protection of the Lessini mountains in the north, the proximity of Lake Garda and the southern exposure of the hilly terrain and the valley floor, the climate in which the Valpolicella vine grows is generally mild and not too rainy, Mediterranean. The rainfall does not exceed if not during the winter and the annual average is between 850 and 1000 mm. The soils of Valpolicella consist of both the breakdown of limestone-dolomitic formations, and basalts and moraine and fluvial deposits of volcanic origin which determine a different water supply to the vine in the various stages of development and during the phase of ripening grapes. The “Valpolicella” vineyards have different exposures depending on the altitude at which they grow, which can reach up to 500 m above sea level.

Winemaking

Storage takes place in steel tanks at a controlled temperature below 20 ° C, protecting the wine with nitrogen to avoid the oxidative effect from the air. Stabilisation and bottling are carried out cold using an isobaric filter.

Oak Ageing

No oak ageing

Tasting Note

Full and round, with scrumptious notes of ripe red fruit, bramble and coffee bean.

Food Matching

Red meat and medium/ hard cheeses.