Tommaso Bussola Valpolicella Classico Superiore "TB" 2017
(Veneto, Italy)
Regular price $60.00 Sale price $54.97 Save $5.03
About Tommaso Bussola:
In 1977, Tommaso Bussola, a young passionate man with a stubborn and inquisitive personality, decided to start working in the small winery owned by his uncle Giuseppe. At the beginning of his adventure, he faithfully followed the Valpolicella Classica tradition, personally overseeing production under the name of ‘BG’ at the time. The length of time the wines were kept in barrels was short and predetermined and Tommaso felt the need to experiment with something different.
Vinification:
The grapes to produce Valpolicella Classico Superiore are picked and selected the first and second week of October. 50% of the grapes is immediately pressed in truncated cone oak vats where fermentation with indigenous yeasts starts after 2 days of maceration. The must stays with its skins for about 18 days, during which several pumping-overs and skins submersions are performed. It is then racked off and left in a steel tank for 3 months. The other 50% of the grapes is left to dry in plastic plateaux for 3 months and then pressed. Fermentation starts immediately with indigenous yeasts and after 10 days the Valpolicella Classico produced in October with the first 50% of the grapes is added. In the following 30 days while the wine ferments several pumping-overs and delestage for the skins submersion are performed again. Once fermentation is completed the wine is racked off in steel tank to decant for 10 days. Finally, the wine is racked off again to wooden barrels to finish its aging.
Varietal composition: 55% Corvina, 40% Corvinone, 5% Rondinella
Ratings & Reviews
93 Points - Vinous (2016 Vintage):
"The 2016 Valpolicella Classico Superiore TB is sweetly seductive with minty herbs, medicinal cherries and hints of clove. This is a deeply textural yet cool-toned and remarkably pretty style of Valpolicella TB, with tart red fruits, minerals, cocoa, spice and touches of vanillin oak toward the close. It’s long and only lightly structured, opulent in taste, but totally classic in feel. The 2016 is a gorgeous vintage for the Tommaso Bussola Valpolicella TB. Of note, 50% of the grapes used here go through a three-month appassiamento." - Eric Guido (January 2022)
92 Points - Wine Spectator (2016 Vintage):
"This medium- to full-bodied red is silky and harmonious, seamlessly knitting fine tannins with lightly juicy acidity and a pure beam of black cherry, medicinal herbs, graphite, milled white pepper and sambuca blossoms. Long, spiced finish. Drink now through 2030." - Alison Napjus (March 2023)
92 Points - James Suckling (2016 Vintage):
"Dried berries and plums on the nose, with a refreshing hint of eucalyptus oil, following through to an elegant, medium to full body with engaging, fine tannins and good length. This is still in pristine form and drinkable now. Should continue to age nicely, too." - (May 2023)