WF Archives, August 2005: Amarone

Note: There was no July article written by this author.


Amarone is, without a doubt, my favorite style of wine. I love everything about the wine, from its history to vinification process to its taste. A good Amarone possesses everything I look for in a wine: complexity, depth, presence, harmony, and most importantly, great taste.

Amarone (Ah-ma-ROH-nay), formally known as Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, is a full, complex, and dry red wine made in the town of Verona in northeastern Italy. Although it was initially seen as an accident or failure, Amarone is gaining prominence as one of the world’s most desirable wines.

The roots of Amarone can be traced to Recioto from Valpolicella, a hilly section of Verona. For the trivia buffs, the name Valpolicella is derived from Latin for “vallley of many cellars.”

Recioto is a concentrated sweet red dessert wine that is popular in a region lacking sweet desserts. To create Recioto, vintners pick the sweetest grapes on the upper perimeter of the vine late in the season. This prestigious section of the grape is referred as “the ears” or “recie” in Italian, giving Recioto its name. The common grapes used in Valpolicella region wines are Corvina, Molinara, and Rondinella.

After picking, the grapes are laid out on straw mats in a climate- controlled room for several months. This “apassimento” process results in the grapes losing 35~40% of its weight in water, leaving behind shriveled grapes of highly concentrated flavor. The grapes are pressed then fermented for a brief period of time, leaving enough residual sugar to produce a silky, rich, and sweet red wine. Recioto is traditionally served with dry biscuits and fruit tarts, although I discovered that Trabucchi Recioto pairs very well with tiramisu.

When the wine is accidentally fermented for too long, it is left with no residual sugar. Not surprisingly, this wine was much bitter than Recioto, and was dubbed the “big bitter” (“amaro one” in Italian). Although it was initially considered undesirable, the production of Amarone became popular in the 1950s.

The Amarone that absolutely stunned me was the 1997 Corte Sant’Alda, which I first tried at a tasting. I liked it so much that I bought two bottles for Christmas dinner with family and guests. The nose was alluring blend of dark chocolate, raisins, and fruits. Interestingly, the warmth and spiciness from the raisinated grape combined with vibrancy of the fruit conveyed both sense of maturity and youth, a harmonious dichotomy captured in a glass. I found myself taking considerable amount of time just to enjoy the aroma.

On the palate, Corte Sant’Alda features a striking balance between vibrant fruit of black berries and rich qualities of raisins, prunes, chocolate, and vanilla. The silky tannins offered a very pleasing mouth feel, allowing it to pair well with roast beef dinner.

Shortly thereafter, I discovered that vintages make a big difference in the character of the wine. 1996 Corte Sant’Alda favored more richness in both taste and texture. I did not sense as much vibrancy of the fruit in this wine, and noticed that tannins were bigger, softer, and not as silky. Stylistically, it reminded me of the young and powerful 2000 F. Ili Speri Amarone with its cocoa flavors and heavy tannins. The 1996 vintage paired exceptionally well with herb-crusted medallion of lamb, as the citrus flavor from the crust highlighted dormant fruit of the wine while the deep character of the wine provided richness while masking the gaminess of the meat.

Tedeschi Vineyards produces several levels of wines. The Capitel line is their mid-level classification, and their Monte Olmi Amarone is comprised of grapes from a singular vineyard, and should not be too hard to find through your local wine retailer. The 1998 vintage is similar in character to the 1997 Corte Sant’Alda, possessing sweet nose of coffee and raisin with flavors bursting with deep dark prune, dark cherries, and chocolate. This was a fine accompaniment to the classic pairing with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. I do have their top-level 1998 La Fabrisera Amarone stashed away, and I look forward to opening it in 5~10 years.

For those reading this at the City House, Main Dining Room does offer one bottle of Amarone on the menu: 1996 Bertani Amarone. Although I have yet to try the 1996, I have sampled a comparably rated 1998 vintage that I found to be very well rounded and approachable. If 1998 is any indication, then it should be a natural pairing with red meat, game, or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

One thing you may notice about Amarone is that they do command premium prices. Low yield due to evaporation as well as risk associated with extended drying process such as rotting, contribute to the higher cost. A wise man once told me that one should look to spend about $50 for a good bottle of Amarone, and I agree with that assessment. I found that some of the inexpensive bottles are too fruity and lack the trademark raisin, chocolate, coffee, or licorice flavors, and others simply lack the complex structure altogether. Although they may be inviting at $30, a better investment may be Valpolicella Classico made through “ripasso,” a process where medium-bodied Valpolicella Classico is subjected to secondary fermentation with the lees of Amarone to infuse richness. Both Tedeschi Capitel San Rocco and Le Ragose Valpolicella Classico (Ripasso) are available for about $15/bottle, and they pair well with lighter meats such as pork.