Cesari Jema 2013
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Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
The 2013 Cesari Jema is a bright purple-red color. The wine releases a bouquet of red fruits and cherry macerated with slightly toasted notes with hints of cocoa and coffee. The taste is soft, full and harmonious, of excellent length and persistence. It goes perfectly with game, grilled meat and on a spit as well as with very mature cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Now with some perspective, you can appreciate the historic importance of this wine. This bottling from Cesari gave us one of our first tastes of the Corvina grape in a single-variety wine, and many other producers have followed in these footsteps since. The 2013 Corvina Jèma sees a very light appassimento of just 20 days, nonetheless resulting in a bold and full-bodied red wine with thick layers of black fruit and spice at its core. The wine is aged in French barrique for 18 months and is then transferred into large oak cask for a little relaxation time lasting six months. This latter phase works toward the seamless integration you taste here, with soft tannins, dark fruit, some sweetness and a much-needed spot of acidity. You get a lot of Valpolicella intensity here for a reasonable price.
Rating: 93(+)
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James Suckling
This shows some nice tertiary development on the nose with spice box, tobacco, licorice and Indian spices. Medium to full body, some tightly wound tannins and a fine finish. A subtle and savory wine.
Other Vintages
2016-
Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling
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James
Suckling
Cesari was founded in 1936 by Gerardo Cesari who set out to produce an Amarone capable of competing with the great red wines of the world. Joined by his son Franco in the early 1960s, operations were expanded in an effort to conquer the export market. As one of the first Italian wines to be exported to all five continents, the Cesari name quickly became synonymous with Amarone the world round.
The winery continues to evolve while staying true to its regional roots. Franco’s children, Gerardo and Deborah, have joined their father in upholding the pillars of traditional winemaking while introducing innovative technology at their two state-of-the-art cellars.
Their estate holdings include more than 100 hectares of hillside vineyards located in premier sites in the Valpolicella appellation, including 3 single vineyards, primarily in the historic Classico area. An additional 10 hectares of 100% estate-managed vineyards under long-term lease are located throughout the Veneto region. All are primarily planted to indigenous varietals, with a small percentage of international grapes, carefully harvested by hand ensuring that only the best grapes are selected. In recent years, Cesari has adopted environmentally sustainable growing practices. Focused on quality, Cesari extensively ages their wines beyond the DOCG regulations.
The Cesari portfolio is comprised of unique, elegant, and balanced appellation wines renowned for authenticity, respected for regional character, and distinguished for superior quality.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
Part of the greater Veneto wine region, Verona, the city, is the capital of Italy’s wine trade, hosting the country’s most important wine fair, Vinitaly, each year.
Everyday-drinking red and white blends can also be bottled under the heading Veronese IGT or IGP if they are comprised of approved Veneto grape varieties. Typically for reds, these include Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Corvina, Corvinone and Merlot among others. For whites, the approved grapes include Chardonnay, Friulano, Garganega, Pinot Bianco, Trebbiano and others. Rosato can also be labeled in this way with the same varieties approved for red blends. These wines represent an affordable introduction to the wines of the area.