Zyme Oseleta 2011

Cellar for up to 19 years. Decant 1 hour before serving.

The son-in-law of the legendary Guiseppe Quintarelli, winemaker Celestino Gaspari founded Zyme in his garage after helping set up more than a dozen wineries in the Veneto region. Celestino was born into a family of farmers and started out working with livestock before discovering a passion for winemaking. He learnt how to make exceptional Amarone and Valpolicella wines while working alongside Quintarelli.

When Celestino founded Zyme he decided to embrace a more experimental approach using little-known native varietals and winemaking techniques. Oseleta is a rare Venetian grape which was close to extinction for a long while, dwindling to just 20 hectares close to the shores of Lake Garda. Celestino’s version is sourced from 30 hectares spread across small parcels in Valpolicella, Verona and Vicenza.

The grapes are fermented using wild yeasts and the young wine is then aged in the barrel for at least 36 months followed by one year of additional ageing in the bottle. On the nose there are elegant hints of red currants and cherries while the first sip reveals a bright acidity, ripe red fruit flavours, and a very long finish. A great wine to serve with charcuterie, hard cheeses or tomato-based pasta dishes.