Amarone

Many wine experts consider the Amarone to be the most extravagant top wine in Italy. It comes from the Italian wine region Valpolicella Classico in Veneto and is a dry version of the sweet Recioto - another DOCG wine from the region, which is also produced from dried grapes. The production of both red wines uses grapes from various varietals, specifically the Corvina, Corvinone Veronese, Molinara and Rondinella.

What does the DOCG status of Italian wines mean?

DOCG is the abbreviation for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita. The origin of DOCG wines is controlled and guaranteed by the Italian state. In terms of quality, they rank above DOC wines (Denominazione di Origine Controllata - wine from controlled cultivation) and occupy the premium segment in Italian winemaking. The bottling of DOCG wines must take place in their production area, and tank transport before bottling is explicitly prohibited. The DOGC status is indicated by corresponding labels.
Currently, there are 70 wines classified as DOGC products in Italy. In the Veneto wine region, in addition to Amarone and three Recioto variants, there are nine other wines with this status.

The Birth of Amarone - a mistake in Recioto production

The production of Amarone begins with the drying of the grapes - the so-called Appassimento lasts up to 120 days. Originally, it was only practiced in particularly good years to produce the Recioto - the ultimate wine delicacy of the Valpolicella region. The high-alcohol Recioto has a fruity-sweet aroma similar to port wine - unlike port, however, no sugar is added to the Recioto to retain its sweetness and stop the fermentation process. Its sweetness comes from the immense sugar concentration resulting from the drying of the grapes. Amarone was originally created due to a mistake in Recioto production. It was first mentioned on a delivery note in 1938, and the oldest declared Amarone barrel dates back to 1940. The first estate bottlings of Amarone began in 1953.

The Marketing of Amarone - first in Canada

In the 1930s, the largest wine cooperative in Valpolicella Classico experienced a restart of the fermentation process in a barrel of Recioto - consequently reducing the wine's sugar content to a few grams of residual sugar. Although the winemakers had experience with such incidents, normally only small amounts of wine were spoiled due to unwanted fermentation. However, this time it affected a barrel with several thousand liters of content - instead of the sweet Recioto, an ultra-heavy, almost dry red wine with an alcohol content of 15 to 16 percent was created. The term Recioto amaro - bitter sweet wine - had already become established for spoiled Recioto. Therefore, the new Italian red wine was named Amarone and was intended to be marketed. The Valpolicella winemakers eventually found a market for their product in Canada, where it was especially sought after by the large Italian expatriate community from the beginning.

Softer, more balanced Amarone - through a modified production method

Many wine connoisseurs also initially struggle with an Amarone. This wine is heavy and powerful, rich in tannins, and simultaneously sweet and bitter in the finish. After fermentation, Amarone is aged for at least two, often up to six years in oak barrels. In the bottle, they can last for decades. Good Amarone has a creamy texture and complex aromas, where fruit, spice, tobacco, or chocolate notes come into play. Inferior qualities, on the other hand, are dominated by strong tannins and alcohol.

Especially the younger generation of Amarone producers has now decided to modify the production process: The berries are left in their own juice for some time before the start of alcoholic fermentation, allowing their aromas to be gently and carefully extracted. Strong physical movements of the mash during the fermentation process are avoided, and the wine is aged in barrels made of Slovenian oak that give off little vanilla aroma and hold up to 5,000 liters. Amarone produced in this way shows a higher fruit intensity and a finer tannin structure. Although they are complex and spicy, they appear softer, fuller, and more balanced than traditionally made Amarone.

In the wine shipping company VINELLO, you will find a variety of Amarone.