The drying process, called "appassimento" in Italian, gives this wine fullness, roundness and a special personality. It is produced in a beautiful hillside vineyard in Valpolicella, near Verona, at the foot of the Dolomite Alps.
Historical information: in the forties, the small wooden barrel of Recioto della Valpolicella, a sweet wine made from dried grapes, was long forgotten. This wine then had time to referment the residual sugar, turning it into alcohol and becoming dry. When this wine was tasted, it was no longer sweet, but bitter, in Italian "amaro". And so Amarone was born.
Harvested in late September/early October, the grapes have perfect preservation, allowing them to reach good maturity, but with thick, crisp skins and good acidity. Hand harvested, the grapes are dried for several months, crests removed, fermentation/maceration at controlled temperatures. The wine is then aged for 24 months in new barriques, followed by extended bottle ageing.
Intense ruby colour, deep aromas of ripe cherries, prunes, blackberries; important structure, dense velvety tannins and a rich bouquet. Store in a cool and dark place, keeping the bottle in a horizontal position. Its structure and complexity allow the wine to improve during maturation in bottle, which can last up to 35 years, reaching its peak 20-25 years after the grapes are harvested.