Amarone: A Balanced Decadence

By Eric Guido

Can Amarone age well? Absolutely!

I had no intention of writing today, but when inspiration strikes, you go with it. In this case, that inspiration has come in the form of two excellent bottles of Amarone that I've enjoyed in the last 24 hours.

You can't drink Amarone every day, nor would I want it on a regular basis. It's a wine of hedonism and luxury that nearly overwhelms the senses--but not quite. When the time for Amarone arises, it's a moment that you are aware of, you crave it. It may be for a special occasion or in place of a dessert after a wonderful meal. Whatever the occasion may be, these are very special wines and they should have a place in your cellar because not only do they perform beautifully straight from the bottle, the best can age for decades.

Amarone hails from the Veneto region of Italy. These are wines that are made by the hand of man through processes like Recieto (Appassimento), where the harvested grapes are left to dry for months before being pressed, raising sugar (hence alcohol) levels and giving the wine a haunting level of depth, complexity and the ability to age. Be warned, however, that in the hands of some producers these techniques are used to cover up an otherwise inferior wine; but in the hands of quality producers they can create works of art.

Giuseppe Quintarelli "The Master of the Veneto"
Now gone, but has left a linage of great producers
of Amarone that were once his cellar or vineyard 
managers.  These are giant wines, with giant price tags.

When I think of Amarone, I think of a mix of sweet and savory, often seductive aromas, met by textures on the palate that lull you into a submissive state as dark, luxurious fruits, spices and sometimes confectionary elements that are balanced by a bitterness that is the call-card of a great Amarone. Acidity is also a key component. I think of experiences with Quintarelli and how fresh and vibrant they were, even with their lush, nearly dessert like aromas and flavors. However, don't think sweet when you think of Amarone, as the word Amarone itself translates to "the Great Bitter".

The following wines were all showstoppers from my recent tastings. Be warned, good Amarone is not cheap, but when the time is right, they are worth every penny.

2007 Fratelli Speri Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Monte Sant'Urbano - A dark, deep purple color in the glass. On the nose, a mix of dark cherry and blackberry dominated, hinting at herbal tones with notes of cinnamon, milk chocolate and undergrowth. It was like velvet on the palate with rich textures yet a surprisingly vibrant and elegant feel with a fine structure lurking beneath it's layered intensity. Ripe black fruits and dark chocolate saturated the senses with a bitter core that followed this wine from first sip through the long, vibrant finish. It was so obviously Italian in breed, but not what I've come to expect from Amarone, as there was a balance here, seldom found in a wine made through the recieto process. (93 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher! / Producer Website

2006 Tommaso Bussola Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Tb - The nose was rich and slightly confectionary with cherry sauce, plum-raisin, fruit cake and spice cookie. On the palate, rich, velvety textures were met by brisk acidity to form a beautiful balance, yet there was a touch of noticeable alcohol, showing notes of brown sugar, raisin, sage, and molasses with a bitter twang that leaned this more toward savory than sweet. The finish was long with palate saturating black fruits, plum and black currant. This wine was on the richer, more hedonistic side of Amarone, yet still beautifully balanced. (94 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher! / Producer Website

2006 Azienda Agricola Musella Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva - The Musella Riserva was savory and sweet with notes of olive tapenade, cherry sauce, potpourri and dark soil tones. On the palate, it show excellent balance with brisk acidity which lent a juicy quality to the rich dried cherry, bitter chocolate and herbal flavors. The finish was long, showing inner floral notes and dried fruits.(94 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher! / Producer Website


And for the true masochists, I thought it would be insightful to post an older note from my experiences with one of the best Amarone I have had the pleasure of tasting.

1995 Giuseppe Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva - The 1995 Giuseppe Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva was a dark mahogany color with rich and wild aromas rising from the glass. I found it difficult to take that first sip because the aromatics were so seductive that I simply didn’t want to take my nose from the glass. Black cherry sauce with saw dust, and then butterscotch and hazelnuts which then turned to spiced ginger cookies and plum reduction. So many layers could be pulled away to continue finding descriptors in this wine and I was only sad that we didn’t have the time to spend hours with it. On the palate I found a menagerie of red fruits as cherry, then raspberry and cranberry filled the palate. Vanilla and milk chocolate, butter cream and roasted nuts with spicy cedar. However, with all this concentration, the wine remains finessed and fresh on the palate. Its 16.5% alcohol is nearly invisible due to the impeccable balance of this wine. The finish lingered for 30 plus seconds with cherry dark chocolate. (99 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Bea and Quintarelli: An Evening to remember

Another remarkable evening at i Trulli took place as we descended on what has become my go-to Italian restaurant in New York City to celebrate with friends and, with a number of stunning top shelf Italian wines. I Trulli’s staff and service was top notch yet again and the food was out of this world. This also gave me a chance to try a few more items off their menu that peaked my interests during my last visit.

Perfection in simplicity is the name of the game here where the best ingredients are assembled by a deft hand in the kitchen and presented beautifully on each plate. It’s such a simple recipe for success that speaks volumes to the forward thinking of i Trulli’s owners and management. I'm already looking forward to my next visit.

However, I must stay on track, as I truly intended this addition to The V.I.P. Table to be about the momentous wines that were opened and enjoyed on this evening. These consisted of two artisanal producers who are considered masters at their craft and producers of reference point wines in their regions.

First, Paolo Bea, a producer of Sagrantino di Montefalco, from the region of Umbria in Italy. Paolo Bea is a strict biodynamic producer, who is proud to use the same traditional methods as taught to him by his father. To Bea, these wines are simple expressions of the land that are fortified through decades of experience in wine making and the inspiration he gains from his family. However, I can guarantee that these wines are anything but simple. Paolo Bea Sagrantino is rich and lush, yet finessed and with the ability to mature for decades. Also not to be missed are the stunning and wonderfully unique white wines and Sangiovese from his estate.

Then there is Quintarelli, “The Master of the Veneto”. Although Giuseppe Quintarelli is no longer heavily involved in the wine making of his estate (due to his age), the decades of vintages he leaves behind will surely live forever. Quintarelli is synonymous with Amarone della Valpolicella, a wine of meditation and reflection. Amarone is known for its intensity and layers of deep rich flavors, but Quintarelli takes it to an entirely different level. The aromatics are often so deep and layered that a glass could be enjoyed without ever sipping it. Once you take that first sip, you are transported to a heaven of flavors and sensations across the palate. It is nearly indescribable but, be warned, it comes at a high price. Once Quintarelli was truly discovered and reached cult status, the prices soared. However, in this taster’s opinion, I feel the experience is worth the price of admission, and the Amarone I tasted on this night, at $550 a bottle, provided an experience that I will never forget.

On to the notes:

The 2003 Paolo Bea, Sagrantino di Montefalco showed a gorgeous deep red crimson color in the glass. As I poured, an aroma of candied cherry filled the air. With a little time in the glass, the rich fruit transformed into a Burgundian expression of red fruit with earth and clay. Dusty dried flowers filled out the bouquet and, as a few tasters noted, hints of sausage, which gave the nose a savory edge. The palate followed suit with flavors of raspberry, coffee, chocolate liquor and old cedar. The finish was long with staying dark chocolate and red fruit. (95 out of 100 points)

What could follow such a wonderful experience with the Sagrantino? The 1995 Giuseppe Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva was a dark mahogany color with rich and wild aromas rising from the glass. I found it difficult to take that first sip because the aromatics were so seductive that I simply didn’t want to take my nose from the glass. Black cherry sauce with saw dust were the first aromas to come to mind, followed by butterscotch and hazelnuts, which then turned to spiced ginger cookies and plum reduction. So many layers could be pulled away to continue finding descriptors in this wine, and I was only sad that we didn’t have the time to spend hours with it. On the palate I found a menagerie of red fruits as cherry, then raspberry and cranberry filled the palate. Vanilla and milk chocolate, butter cream and roasted nuts with spicy cedar were also present. However, with all this concentration, the wine remains finessed and fresh on the palate. Its 16.5% alcohol is nearly invisible due to the impeccable balance of this wine. The finish lingered for 30-plus seconds with cherry dark chocolate. (99 out of 100 points)

Lastly, the 1990 Giuseppe Quintarelli, Bianco Amabile del Cere Veneto was the finale of the evening and it was amazing. This was another example of Quintarelli’s ability to make such a rich and intense wine that can be perfectly balanced and fresh on the finish. The color was amber with a hint of orange with aromas of apricot, candied orange rinds, burnt sugar, roasted almond liquor and butter. The palate was intense and expansive with sweet roasted nuts, orange sprits and buttery caramel that goes on and on into the finish. I have officially declared this to be the best sweet wine I have yet tasted. (98 out of 100 points)

Click here to find the 2003 Paolo Bea Sagrantino di Montefalco on Wine-Searcher.
Click here to find the 1995 Giuseppe Quintarelli Amarone Riserva on Wine-Searcher.
Click here to find the 1990 Giuseppe Quintarelli, Bianco Amabile del Cere on Wine-Searcher.

For another take on this amazing evening, I urge you to check out Vigna Uva Vino. It's a great wine blog by, fellow writer and good friend, Dave Trieger.