Bright straw yellow in the glass, this wine is aromatic and concentrated with a thread of minerality. The palate is clean, fresh and fruit driven, with a medium-bodied mouthfeel and long finish.

Alpha Zeta was started in 1999 when Liberty Wines, working with leading New Zealand winemaker, Matt Thomson, set out to produce a range of modern, fruit driven wines from the hills outside Verona. Our aim was to work with growers (rather than buy bulk wine, which is standard among most wines from Verona at this price) to obtain ripe grapes (by reducing yields and picking later) and then, using Matt's expertise, preserve these flavours in the finished wines. The result is a realisation of the potential inherent in Veronese viniculture.

The vineyards are situated at 250-300 metres above sea level in the hills outside Verona in the Valpantena Valley and are south/south-east facing. Cool breezes blow down the valley from the foothills of the Dolomites, which moderate the climate, enabling the grapes to ripen slowly. This helps the grapes to retain their aromatic compounds and acidity. The soil is poor and chalky so the vines are put under stress and produce superior quality fruit. The vines are 20-30 years old on average and are trained using both the traditional Pergola Veronese and Guyot systems.

The 2024 wine year in Veneto was characterised by rather complex climatic conditions. The spring, one of the rainiest in the last thirty years, brought heavy rainfall and cool temperatures, slowing down the early stages of vine growth. However, with the arrival of June, the weather conditions stabilised, allowing for a regular harvest with good quality grapes.

The grapes were hand harvested, destemmed, crushed, and chilled on the way to the press with no addition of sulphur. The grapes were gently pressed in a pneumatic press and the juice was naturally settled. After racking, cultured yeasts were added to start fermentation, which took place at 15° to 18°C in 1200-hectolitre stainless steel tanks. Ageing took place in the same tanks, where the wine remained until bottling.