Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG(Italy)

Amarone from the Valpolicella wine region is one of the finest Italian wines.

The main grape varieties are Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella (mandatory) followed by Molinara and many others.

Amarone Flavors

Black Cherries, Black Berries, Plum, and Raisins are typical Amarone flavors, with hints of Peppery Spices, and Earthy flavors like Coffee and Oak.

Cherry

Blackberry

Plum

Prune

Raisin

Fig

Violets

Spices

Tertiary Flavors from Aging:

Vanilla

Chocolate

Tobacco

Oak

Amarone Profile

Amarone is a rich red wine from Valpolicella in the Veneto region of north-eastern Italy. It is known for its very strong, powerful flavor. It also has a high alcohol percentage:

BODY:	Full

TANNINS:	Medium - High

FRUIT:	Medium - High

ACIDITY:	Medium

ALCOHOL:	15-16%

	Serving temperature: 17-18°C (63-64°F)

Amarone Food Pairing

Amarone has a powerfull personality.

It pairs well with both Venetian Cuisine and Asian cooking.

It is also great sipped alone as a Meditation Wine.

Pasta

Pizza

Risotto

Cheese

Sausages

Salami

Ham

Hamburger

Chicken

Goose

Lamb

Pork

Wild Boar

Deer

Steak

Chocolate

Excellent Pairings

Savory Dishes. Amarone Sauce. Soups.
Spiced Chicken. Chicken Teriyaki. Roast Duck.
Rustic Stew. Pork Stew. Wild Boar.
Lamb. Veal. Osso Buco.
Beef. Braised Ox. Grilled Steak.
Any Meat Braised in Amarone.
Game. Deer. Venison.
Reindeer. Elk. (in Scandinavia).
Chocolate.

Cheeses

Chesese and Fruit. Big Flavor Cheeses.
Aged Cheeses. Asiago. Manchegeo. Parmesan. Pecorino.
Blue Cheeses. Gorgonzola. Roquefort. Stilton

Veneto Spesialities

Pappardelle alla Lepre (Ribbon Pasta with Hare).
Risotto all'Amarone.
Pasta e Fasoi (Pasta and Bean Soup).
Bigoli col sugo de Anara (Pasta with Duck Sauce).
Fegato alla Veneziana (Calf Liver).
Pastisade de Caval (Horse Stew).

The Ideal Glass for Amarone

The Bordeaux Glass was designed for enjoying fuller-bodied, tannic red wines. They are taller than other red wine glasses, and has a slimmer bowl.

The tall size allows the bouquet of the wine to develop, smooth out rough edges, play down tannins, and allow the wine to achieve balance.

The slimmer bowl directs the wine to the back of your mouth for a maximum taste.

Amarone Cheese Pairing

Cantal

Cheddar

Dry Jack

Manchego

Parmesan

Pecorino

About Amarone

Amarone is made with dehydrated grapes to add softness, alcohol, full body, cherry and plum notes.

Amarone was born out of a mistake:the sweet Recioto was left to ferment too long, resulting in a dry wine that became Valpolicella`s star.

Amarone has been produced for many years, but has gained very high international popularity in recent years.

Since Amarone is produced from dried grapes, its concentration, body and alcoholic % (min. 14%) are high.

One of the DOC(G) rules demands that the wine output from the dried grapes must be less than 40% (grape to wine yield).

Amarone grapes are dryed in large drying houses called fruttai.

Amarone DOC(G)

Amarone became a part of the Valpolicella DOC in 1968 as a dry version of Recioto, a separate DOC in 1990 and DOCG in 2010.

Amarone DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita):

45-95% Corvina and/or Corvinone Grapes
5-30% Rondinella Grapes
0-10% Molinara Grapes and/or other admitted varieties

Minimum 14% Alcohol
Maximum 9 grams/liter Residual Sugar
Minimum 24 Months Aging
Minimum 48 Months for Riserva

An average Amarone can last 10-15 years in a cellar.

The Valpolicella Wine Region

Valpolicella is a valley by Lake Garda near Verona in Northeast Italy.

Valpolicella is also a well-known red wine from Veneto. The grapes used in Valpolicella are Corvina Veronese, Rondinella and Molinara.

Valpolicella comes in various styles:

Valpolicella DOC the lightest.
Light, fragrant wines produced in a Vino Novello style, similar to Beaujolais Nouveau and released only a few weeks after harvest (out for sale on 30 October).
Valpolicella Ripasso DOC the boldest.
A Valpolicella Superiore made with both fresh and dried grapes. The grape skins that have been left over from the fermentation of Amarone or Recioto add flavors like baked fruit, cedar, and tobacco to the new grapes.
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG the king.
Made with dehydrated grapes to add full body, cherry, plum, and pine resin notes. This wine was born out of a mistake:
Recioto was left to ferment too long, resulting in a dry wine that became Valpolicella`s star.
Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG the sweet.
The historical-traditional sweet wine from this valley, dating back to Roman times.

Wine Region Veneto

The most famous white wines from the region are Soave and the sparkling Prosecco.

The most famous red wines are Amarone and Valpolicella from the Valpolicella Wine Region.

Black Grapes	White Grapes
11% Corvina (Amarone) 11% Merlot 4% Cabernet Sauvignon 3% Cabernet Franc 3% Rondinella 3% Molinara 1% Refosco	27% Glera (Prosecco) 15% Garganega (Soave) 11% Pinot Grigio 4% Chardonnay 1% Durella