Le Guaite di Noemi

When Noemi Pizzighella took over her family’s winery in 2015 at the age of 21, she became the youngest winemaker in Valpolicella. She started working in her family’s vineyards, located just outside Verona, at 16 and in the intervening years got a degree in agriculture and trained as a sommelier. It didn’t take long for the accolades to start rolling in. She was included in Corriere Della Sera’s 2022 food section’s 
 
20 Women of the Year, named the “rising star of Amarone” by Forbes and featured as one of La Repubblica’s 2024 five young winemakers of the future. 
 
Le Guaite means “place of observation” from where you can survey the surrounding land. The wines Noemi produces are excellent representations of that land, the terroir of Valpolicella. The three main grapes of region, Corvina, Corvinone, and Rondinella, are blended to make Valpolicella, a thin, light bodied red wine, and Amarone, a robust, high alcohol, full bodied wine made from dried grapes that the region is most famous for. Then there’s Ripasso, literally meaning “to repass”, a red wine that bridges the two wines by passing Valpolicella through the dried and crushed skins used to make Amarone. Noemi also maintains an old Valpolicella tradition of ageing her wines between 8 to 10 years before she releases them. 
 
Noemi is a fantastic winemaker, and we’re excited to share her amazing wines with you! But be warned, with an alcohol level of 17%, Amarone is not for the faint of heart. 
 
2013 Le Guaite di Noemi Valpolicella Superiore DOC    
 
A beautifully aged wine with over three years in French oak followed by extended bottle aging in the cellar. Deep ruby red with garnet reflections. Notes of red cherry, black fruits and hints of balsamic, fennel and pepper. Smooth palate and ripe acidity - full-flavored and well-developed. 
 
2013 Le Guaite di Noemi Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore DOC 
  
The first ferment of the Valpolicella Superiore is strained through the dried and crushed Amarone skins, then matures in French oak for over three years before years of additional bottle aging. Notes of red cherry, black fruits and hints of balsamic and chocolate. A smooth palate with balanced acidity, plenty of red fruits and a long lingering finish. 
 
2012 Le Guaite di Noemi Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 
  
The grapes are first dried for three months before de-stemming and pressing. The wine matures in French oak for over four years, followed by a minimum of six years of bottle aging in the cellar. Deep ruby red with strong garnet reflections. A gorgeous bouquet of dried cherry, black fruits, and hints of balsamic and fennel. Very smooth palate despite characteristic bold acidity, with plenty of red and black fruits, and a lengthy complex finish.