We recently gathered a group of Musing followers together to taste a wonderful flight of Amarone della Valpolicella wines. Ranging in vintage from 1997 through 2017, the flight featured a flight of truly memorable wines. Overall, the wines perfectly encapsulated why Amarone so well-loved!
Before we dive into the flight, here are a few words about Amarone.
Valpolicella
The term Valpolicella was originally thought to derive from the Greek term for “valley of many cellars.” In fact, after further study, the term Valpolicella originates from the Latin term Vallis Pulicellae, or valley of sand deposits. While there are many cellars in the region, which gives credence to the once accepted Greek derivation, the unique, alluvial soil in the delimited area is clearly the reason behind the region’s name.
The DOC defines Valpolicella as a blend of Corvina and Rondinella grapes with the possible addition of up to 15% other local varieties including Molinara, Rossignola, Negrara Trentina, Corvione, Dindarella, Oseleta, Rossignola, Megrara and Forsellina, or non-native varieties including Sangiovese, Croatina, Teroldego and Barbera.
The wine shall have a minimum of 11% alcohol, minimum 12% if declared Superiore. The term Classico on the label denotes a wine from the oldest production zone in the region.
The term Amarone on the label denotes a wine that has been made through a special process involving the drying of the grapes on straw mats for up to three months. Once dried the now highly concentrated grapes are fermented and ultimately produce a luxurious wine loaded with complexity and very high in alcohol. The term Reciotto di Valpolicella denotes a wine that has been taken through the grape drying process, but the resulting wine is left with up to 5% residual sugar, thereby producing a sweet, dessert wine.
The term Ripasso on the label denotes a wine that has been put through a highly specialized process designed to increase the color, body and alcohol of the wine. The process involves allowing the current vintage of wine to sit upon the lees of the just-fermented Amarone wine for up to six months. The additional maceration on the Amarone lees imparts more flavor, alcohol and complexity to the original Valpolicella wine.
The most predominant grapes found in the blend of Amarone are: Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara, and Corvinone.
If the label declares Amarone Classico, as opposed to just Amarone, then the grapes all originated in the specific sub-region of Valpolicella Classico. Otherwise, the grapes were sourced from across the broader region of Valpolicella.
Amarone the Flight
1997 Cesari Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Intense nose with prunes, cooked fruit, cedar, and leather hints. Well-balanced, smooth, harmonious with silky tannins. Long finish – perfection. Peppery on the aftertaste.
1997 Tommasi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Soft nose with cooked fruit compote, strawberries, cedar, and wet stone hints. Well-balanced with silky tannin. Lively fruit, almost jammy with blackberry notes. Long finish. Peppery, clove and cacao on the aftertaste.
2003 Tenuta Sant’Antonio Amarone della Valpolicella
Funky nose with resiny, dried fruit, and dried herb hints. Well-balanced with fine tannins. Sweet fruit. Dry. Long finish. Tart, sour cherry and cedar on the aftertaste.
2007 Salvalai Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Bright cherry fruit nose with olive and dried herb hints. Well-balanced with fine tannins. Peppery, sweet with cedar and exotic spice notes. Long finish. Charming.
2010 Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Vibrant, jammy nose with cooked fruit, spice, and cinnamon hints. Well-balanced with well-integrate, but firm tannins. Slightly maderized, with cocoa and cooked fruit on the palate. Long finish. Dry cherry and cedar on the aftertaste.
2011 Masi Costasera Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Jammy nose with floral hints. Well-balanced with firm, dry tannins. Dark chocolate with black cherry notes. Long finish. Structured and tight.
2012 Guerrieri Rizzardi 3 Cru Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Jammy nose, with cooked fruit, cedar, and dried cherry hints. Well-balanced with firm tannins. Dark and brooding with sour cherry, black pepper, and fresh herb notes. Long finish. Anise and black licorice on the aftertaste.
2016 Masi Mazzano Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Fruity, floral nose with cooked fruit, black pepper, and lilac hints. Well-balanced with firm tannin. Structured. Deep, dark core of fruit. Long finish. Anise and wet stone on the aftertaste.
2016 Pra Morandina Amarone della Valpolicella
Fruity nose with cooked fruit, floral, and peppery hints. Well-balanced with firm tannins. Cooked fruit on the palate with peppery notes. Long finish. Leather and sour cherry on the aftertaste.
2016 Tommasi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Fruity nose with cooked fruit, floral, and peppery hints. Well-balanced with firm tannins. Dry olate with sour cherry and black pepper notes. Long finish. Tight.
2016 Familia Pasqua Amarone della Valpolicella
Fruity, jammy nose with cooked fruit, fig. and mineral hints. Well-balanced with firm tannins. Tight palate with black cherry and black pepper notes. Long finish. Tight and age worthy.
2017 Zenato Riserva Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Stunning. Jammy nose with cooked fruit, anise, and fresh herb hints. Well-balanced with firm, structured tannins. Super chocolatey palate with ripe fruit and layers of exotic spice notes. Long, endless finish. Just spectacular. Age worthy.
Amarone the Scoring
| 2017 Zenato Riserva | 37 |
| 2011 Masi Costasera | 18 |
| 1997 Cesari | 17 |
| 2016 Famiglia Pasqua | 7 |
| 2010 Allegrini | 5 |
| 2016 Tommasi | 3 |
| 1997 Tommasi | 2 |
| 2003 Tenuta Sant’Antonio | 1 |
| 2007 Salvalai | 0 |
| 2012 Guerrieri Rizzardi | 0 |
| 2012 Masi Mazzano | 0 |
| 2016 Pra Morandina | 0 |
Amarone the Cheese
Bianco Sardo di Moliterno
Bianco Sardo, from Puglia, Italy, is also known as Canestrato, after the baskets in which this hard sheep’s milk cheese is matured. These unique molds are made from Apulian reed and greatly influence the flavor and complexity of the end product, all while giving the cheese a beautiful exterior that reinforces its handmade appeal. Furthermore, the raw sheep’s milk used for Bianco Sardo comes only from animals grazing on Apulian green grasses, instilling Bianco Sardo with the well-rounded and balanced flavor of the land. Its paste is dense and sometimes crumbly, its flavor earthy, sweet, and sometimes tangy.
Country: Italy
Milk Type: Sheep
Cheese Type: Semi-Firm
Taleggio
Taleggio is a semi-soft, washed-rind cheese from the Valtaleggio region in northern Italy, near Lombardy. It is characteristically aromatic yet mild in flavor and features tangy, meaty notes with a fruity finish. The texture of the cheese is moist-to-oozy with a very pleasant melt-in-your-mouth feel.
Country: Italy
Milk Type: Cow
Cheese Type: Washed-Rind
Parmigiano Reggiano
Parmigiano-Reggiano is one of the key cheeses on any cheese board. Made in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy, Parmigiano is produced in the shape of large cylinders weighing approximately 80 pound each. When cut into, the hard smooth exterior reveals a cheese with perfect crystalline texture, a piquant, salty flavor, and a great aroma.
Country: Italy
Milk Type: Cow
Cheese Type: Hard
Gorgonzola di Capra
Gorgonzola di Capra is a creamy and sweet blue cheese from Lombardia made from goat milk and aged for at least 60 days. The ivory-colored paste is characterized by light blue noble molds. The cheese has a mild flavor, with a very creamy texture.
Country: Italy
Milk Type: Goat
Cheese Type: Blue-Veined