2017 Giuseppe Quintarelli "Alzero" Cabernet

Staff Reviews

OC

Orazio Campoli

Orazio Campoli

K&L Buyer

Review Date: 02/2026

If you want to understand the absolute ceiling of what the appassimento method can achieve with Bordeaux varietals, Alzero is the only wine that matters. This is predominantly Cabernet Franc, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, dried on straw mats just like the Amarone. If you thought that Amarone was exotic, you will be amazed by the variety of smell that this wine bring out. You get the classic dried dark fruits, fig paste, macerated blackberry, typical of high quality Amarone, but it is immediately pierced by the Cabernet Franc's signature green, nervous energy.

Notes

The 2017 Giuseppe Quintarelli "Alzero" is a monumental Cabernet-based red crafted using the appassimento (drying) technique typically reserved for Amarone. The nose is explosive and "smoldering," blending peppery wild berries, minty herbs, and graphite with deep notes of dark chocolate and cigar box. On the palate, it is silken and seamless, masking its massive 16.5% ABV with vibrant acidity and a core of ripe raspberry and black cherry. The finish is heroic and structural, leaving a stained concentration of clove and mocha that lingers for minutes.