The Torre del Falasco wines are the standard bearers of this cooperative, situated in the Valpantena, northeast of Verona. Known as the 'valley of god' to the ancient Greeks, this area is well-known for its high quality red wines, due partly to the soils but also because of the cool breeze that blows down the valley from the foothills of the Dolomites. Run by Luca Degani since 1995, the Cantina di Valpantena is now one of Italy's best co-operatives, with 700 hectares of vineyard producing excellent quality fruit. Matt Thomson makes some of the Alpha Zeta wines here and has worked closely with them since 1999

The grapes for this Amarone are grown on flatter sites around the Verona hills, at altitudes between 100-350 metres above sea level. The soils here are chalky and poor, and the vines are planted using the traditional Guyot training system.

Once picked, the grapes were dried for at least four months in the Valpantena drying centre where temperature and humidity were controlled to ensure slow, even drying. During this period, the grapes lost 40% of their original weight. After drying, the grapes were crushed and then fermented in temperature-controlled, stainless-steel tanks at 18-22°C with maceration lasting for 20 days. Once fermentation was complete, the wine matured in oak barrels for two years before bottling

Pair along side rich red meats such as braised beef of venison casserole

Andrea Briccarello, Expert`s choice: Valpolicella, Decanter.com/Premium, 16th February 2021
Cantina Valpantena, `Torre del Falasco` Amarone della Valpolicella 2017, Italy
91 points
This cooperative in the Valpantena boasts more than 200 growers spread across about 750ha. Mainly produced from Corvina and Rondinella, this Amarone surprised me with its elegant and approachable character. It's a wine that can be easily enjoyed with a Sunday roast. Fragrant and elegant aromas of dark cherries and ripe plums lead to a palate tamed by juicy and crunchy red forest fruits, great acidity and a spicy, mellow finish.