Giuseppe Quintarelli
Ca' del Merlo Veneto IGT
Veneto IGT
2018
Vintage
Varietal
Valpolicella Blend
ABV
Where it is, June 2026
Approaching Peak: drinkable, but best years are ahead.
In May 2026, the 2018 Giuseppe Quintarelli Ca' del Merlo is approaching the heart of its drinking window, which opened in 2025 and peaks from 2028 through 2038. Eight years from harvest, the wine is in an excellent transitional phase where the dried herb and floral aromatics have fully integrated and the fruit is vibrant and expressive. A 45 to 60 minute decant will add aromatic breadth and allow the floral complexity to fully emerge from the glass. This is an excellent moment to explore this wine, which will continue to develop and reward over the next decade before beginning its gradual decline toward the hard limit of 2045.
The ‘18 Ca' del Merlo Veneto IGT.
An explosive, aromatic Veneto IGT from Italy's most singular producer: dried herbs, geranium, wild strawberry, and mineral freshness in perfect balance.
Drinking window
Tasting note
Giuseppe Quintarelli's Ca' del Merlo is among the Veneto's most distinctive and compelling red wines, produced in the master's own uniquely unhurried style from a blend of varieties including Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, and other indigenous grapes that Quintarelli cultivated with obsessive care. The Ca' del Merlo occupies a fascinating position in the Quintarelli hierarchy: a wine that shares the estate's philosophy of late harvest, extended drying, and minimal intervention without the full Amarone production method, resulting in a Veneto IGT of unusual freshness, aromatic complexity, and drinking pleasure. The 2018 vintage is explosive in its aromatic presentation: dried Mediterranean herbs and geranium provide an immediately distinctive character, while citrus-tinged wild strawberry and ripe red and blue fruit offer fresh, bright counterpoints. Crisp mineral tones run through the aromatics like a thread, connecting the floral and fruit elements to the estate's distinctive terroir character. Rosy florals add elegance and perfume, and the finish carries raspberry and lavender through a long, aromatic conclusion. The wine is precise, expressive, and genuinely original: a reflection of one of Italian viticulture's most singular artistic visions.
The 2018 vintage
The 2018 growing season in the Veneto was generally favorable, with warm summer conditions producing Corvina and related varieties of excellent ripeness and aromatic complexity. For Quintarelli's Ca' del Merlo, which uses selectively harvested fruit from the estate's old vines without the extended appassimento drying process of Amarone, the 2018 vintage provided material of exceptional freshness and aromatic intensity. The wine's unique production method, combining Quintarelli's meticulous selection with the freshness-preserving IGT format, made full use of the vintage's generous and expressive fruit character.
About Giuseppe Quintarelli
Giuseppe Quintarelli is widely regarded as one of the greatest figures in Italian wine history, a producer whose obsessive attention to detail and refusal to compromise on quality created a body of work that continues to define the Veneto's finest possibilities. The estate in Negrar di Valpolicella is now managed by the family following Quintarelli's death in 2012, maintaining his precise approach to selection, late harvesting, and extended aging. Ca' del Merlo represents the estate's most accessible and immediately pleasurable expression, offering Quintarelli's singular vision in a format designed for earlier drinking and broader enjoyment.
From the cellar: pair with
Roasted duck breast with raspberry and lavender reduction
The wine's raspberry and lavender finish creates an extraordinary aromatic harmony with duck prepared with these same elements, bridging the food and wine in an unusually intimate way.
Grilled lamb chops with rosemary and dried Mediterranean herbs
The wine's dried herb and mineral character echoes the herbal crust and char of grilled lamb, a pairing that expresses both the Veneto terroir and Italian table culture at its best.
Aged Asiago or mountain cheese with wild honey
The wine's floral aromatics and citrus freshness pair beautifully with the grassy, crystalline character of aged Asiago, with honey softening the encounter.
Service & cellaring
- Serving Temp
- 15 to 17 degrees C (59 to 63 degrees F)
- Decanting
- Decant 45 to 60 minutes before serving to allow the floral aromatics to fully express and the fruit to broaden.
- Cellar Storage
- 12 to 14 degrees C (54 to 57 degrees F)
The drinking window on this bottle is calculated with the Cellared Ageability Index (CAI) v1.0, a 10-factor model. Try the free drinking window calculator on any wine, or read when to drink wine for the practical signals.
Frequently Asked
What is Ca' del Merlo and how does it differ from Quintarelli Amarone?
Ca' del Merlo is Quintarelli's Veneto IGT, produced without the full Amarone appassimento drying process. It shares the estate's philosophy of meticulous selection and minimal intervention but prioritizes freshness and earlier accessibility over the power and richness of Amarone.
Is the 2018 Ca' del Merlo ready to drink?
Yes. The window opened in 2025 and the wine is approaching its peak, which runs from 2028 through 2038. Excellent drinking right now with a 45-minute decant.
What grape varieties are in Ca' del Merlo?
The blend consists primarily of Corvina and Corvinone with Rondinella and other indigenous Veneto varieties cultivated on the Quintarelli estate.
How does the Quintarelli estate maintain its legacy after Giuseppe's passing?
The estate is managed by the family, including his daughter Fiorenza, who maintains his precise approach to vineyard selection, late harvesting, and extended aging without modification to the production philosophy.