Le Peagnè is Cantina Vaona’s Recioto della Valpolicella Classico—a classic sweet red specialty from Valpolicella’s historic “Classico” heartland. The Vaona family is based in Marano di Valpolicella (Valgatara) and works with a clear blend of tradition and modern precision: the focus is on their own hillside vineyards, careful grape selection, and a craft approach where drying the grapes is the key to the wine’s depth and character. The producer also highlights a strong environmental focus and steps taken toward organic production.
Recioto is the “original form” of the appassimento method: the grapes are dried to concentrate sugar and aromas, but fermentation is stopped before all the sugar is fermented out. That gives Le Peagnè a generous, velvety texture without feeling sticky, with a clear freshness that keeps everything in balance. The grapes come from the family’s own vineyards in Marano di Valpolicella, on hills around 200–250 meters in elevation, where site and soils are particularly well suited to long drying for Recioto.
In the glass, the style is typically deep garnet red. Aromas lean toward intense fruit (think cherries and berries, often with a hint of jam), frequently paired with a balsamic lift and spicy notes that can suggest cocoa and warmer spices. The palate is soft, elegant, and unmistakably sweet, yet supported by a rounded, velour-like tannic structure that keeps the wine harmonious and food-friendly rather than heavy.
Serving and pairing
Serve slightly cool, around 14–16 °C, to highlight freshness and lift the aromatics.
It’s a classic “meditation wine,” but it also shines with dry biscuits and nutty desserts (including crisp Italian pastries), and with blue cheese where sweetness and salt meet beautifully.
For a more “savory” angle: try it with dark chocolate, cherry-based desserts, or a cheese board with both aged and blue styles.
