Quintarelli VS Dal Forno - The Kings of Amarone Tasting at Wine Watch

I like best the wine drunk at the cost of others.

Diogenes the Cynic

And wines like those of Romano Dal Forno and Giuseppi Quintarelli are very costly wines so it’s good if you have friends that possess these wines in their cellar.  And to that end let me just put the toe in the water and say that anyone who possesses these wines can be my friend, especially when you decide to open a bottle just call me and I will be there!

This is one of those events that we do just because we love the wine.  These two producers are the elite in the world of Amarone and even some serious fans of this style of wine have only tasted these two wines a few times but to try several bottles of each at the same time on any occasion is a "Once in a lifetime" experience.  I like to think of these as "Once in a lifetime" experiences but we do this tasting every year so this is more like an annual event to me.

Wine is one of those things that brings me back to a place in time and I remember the first time I tasted a wine from Quintarelli.  Toni and I were up in Washington DC and it was the day before we got married.  We were out to dinner at a famous Italian restaurant in DC which the name now escapes me but I ordered my favorite wine at that time or one that I just loved to say, Braida Barbera Bricco Dell Uccellone.  The sommelier informed me that this wine was not available and recommended the 1990 Quintarelli Valpolicella.  If he had not brought the bottle to the table I may have continued my search on the wine list but the hand written label intrigued me and I went with his suggestion.

I knew Valpolicella as a simple wine, one that was the entry level into wines from this famous wine region near Verona, the home of one of the world's largest wine fairs, Vin Italy.  One smell of this wonderful elixir and I was hooked, the bouquet of dried flowers, meats, that play dough/clay like minerality that complimented the tart red cherry fruit was complex and unique.  I remember thinking of what an interesting wine this was and it was like nothing that I had ever had before from Valpolicella or anywhere else.

When I got home to Fort Lauderdale I found who the US importer was and contacted them in hopes of obtaining everything that I could from Giuseppe Quintarelli.  The importer at that time was Robert Chadderdon and his representative here in South Florida was Bill Pelzer.  Bill informed me politely that I would have to take a selection of wines from their portfolio just to get a few cases of the Valpolicella and that if I wanted to get some Amarone it may take a little while and a lot more cases of Chadderdon wines in the store.

That was over 15 years ago and today the Wine Watch has one of the best selections of Quintarelli wines in the United States and we give you our wine drinking people a chance to taste these legendary wines once a year at our annual Quintarelli tasting.

This year we had a contest between the two top dogs in Verona The old master Giuseppe Quintarelli versus the new sensation Romano Dal Forno.  Join us as we taste through 4 different wines from each producer pared to a special tasting menu prepared by Wine Watch Caterings Toni Lampasone. The fee for this tasting is $495 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463.

Quintarelli Versus Dal Forno - The Kings of Amarone Tasting at Wine Watch
Friday, May 1, 2015
7:00 PM

Tasting Line-Up:

 

2013 Quintarelli Bianco Secco Ca Del Merlo
Price: $49.50    Sale $43.56

The master of red makes a stunning white as well, an artful blend of Garganega, Trebbiano Toscano, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Saorin (believed to be a clone of the Tokay grape and meaning "flavor" in Veronese dialect). This marks the debut arrival of the 2011, providing a glimpse of what we can expect from Giuseppe in his standout reds. Deft balance on the floral nose and in the brisk but full palate. It finishes with a seductive hint of dried honey and minerals.

2005 Quintarelli Rosso Ca del Merlo
Price: $101.25    Sale $89.10

The wine of Valpolicella is made in various styles.  The most common is the light-bodied, dry, fruity red.  This wine is most appealing when drunk young and cool.  Some producers make a more serious style of Valpolicella using a method known as ripasso.  This word is derived from the Italian verb ripassare, meaning "to pass over" or "to do something again."  In the late winter or spring, occasionally later, the new Valpolicella is refermented on the grape pomace from the Amarone, which still contains a lot of sugar.  The wine is put into the barrels that had been used to ferment the Amarone immediately after the wine is drawn off.  The pomace, still high in sugar, nutrients, and extract, activates an alcoholic refermentation.  The temperature increases, due to the warming of the season combined with the warm pomace, causes the development of Saccharomyces bayanus yeasts, which bring about the refermentation of the Valpolicella.  This adds alcohol, total acidity, dry extract, and glycerine to the wine.  The alcohol increases 1.5 to 1.7 percent and total acidity 0.5 to 1 percent.  The wine becomes deeper in color, bigger in body, and richer in alcohol, extract and tannin.  In fact at one time the wines of the Veronese hillsides were classified by the farmers according to their degree of sweetness, and they were priced accordingly, with the sweetest wines commanding the highest prices.  The recioto wines were the sweetest, mezzo recioto was medium sweet, pastoso off dry, and amaro dry.  The first two wines here are made from the same varietals as Quintarelli’s Valpolicella, however the Ca del Merlo (NOT Merlot) is aged longer in large wood vessels and comes from a single hilltop vineyard named after a plot of land where a large Merlo (bird) sat perched on a tree overlooking the hillside.

1995 Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella
Price: $550.0    Sale $484.00

(88 Points)  A pretty and balanced Amarone, with plum and cherry aromas and hints of red licorice. Medium- to full-bodied, with fine tannins and a delicious, fruity finish. Lots of finesse. Estimated price. Drink now. 1,000 cases made. –JS  Wine Spectator Issue: Web Only - 2002
I know that 88 points is not impressive for a wine that costs $400 per bottle but wait till you taste this wine it is Most Excellent, I have had the 1995 Quintarelli Amarone many times and the complexity of this wine is dazzling, still quite youthful this wine has layers of spice, mineral and sweet cherry and plum fruit, coco and balsamic notes. 
 

2004 Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella
Price: $399.50    Sale $351.56
Quantity in Stock: 3

(96 points)  The 2004 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is insanely beautiful. A dark, mysterious beauty, the 2004 hits the palate with masses of black fruit, tobacco, smoke, licorice and incense. The 2004 is constantly changing in the glass, as it reveals layer after layer of flavor and pure nuance. Readers will have to be patient with the 2004, but it is spectacular. I tasted the 2004 just after bottling, and will not be surprised if it is even better with more time in bottle. The huge, voluptuous finish bodes well for the future. Readers who can find the 2004 should not hesitate. This is another magical 2004 from Quintarelli. (3/2014) Antonio Galloni

2000 Quintarelli Amarone Selezione Giuseppi Quintarelli
Price: $1370.00    Sale $1205.60
Quantity in Stock: 6

This is one of the best wines from Quintarelli and this is the wine that I spent every dime in my wallet for while visiting Quintarelli. Thanks to Liz I borrowed the cab fair that I needed to get to the airport to make it home. Well this bottling is not called "Riserva", it is a special commemorative bottling to honor the master while he is still alive.

2005 Quintarelli Alzero
Price: $495.00    Sale $435.60
Quantity in Stock: 4

Alzero is a massive--and massively delicious--wine. Quintarelli makes it only in the very best years, solely from fruit derived from old vines, predominately Cabernet Franc, usually blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and a small percentage of Merlot. As in the estate’s Amarone, Quintarelli treats Alzero’s grapes with the appassimento technique, drying the grapes in single layers upon straw or plastic mats for 60 to 100 days to concentrate and intensify the flavor; it’s also the sole Quintarelli wine that’s aged in barriques.

2004 Dal Forno Valpolicella

(93 Points) Sweet, open aromatics lead to hints of dark blueberries, blackberries, spices and minerals as the 2004 Valpolicella Superiore gradually opens in the glass. Today the wine comes across as shut down, but the imposing tannins are also rather fine, suggesting that with time the wine’s inner sweetness will gradually emerge. Readers who want to try their luck with this wine earlier should open the bottle a good eight hours or so prior to drinking it. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019.  Wine Advocate # 179, Oct 2008

 

1995 Dal Forno Romano Amarone

 (98 Points)  The opaque purple-colored 1995 Amarone is nearly perfect. It is reminiscent of super-concentrated blackberry liqueur infused with incense, smoke, and minerals. Full-bodied, dense, and chewy, this huge offering possesses remarkable purity and liveliness for its size and intensity.  Amarone is an acquired taste, given its size as well as earthy, tarry characteristics. Certainly this wine reaches new levels of extract and richness, yet is dry, well-balanced, and, because of its extravagant richness, able to hide the whopping 16.5% alcohol it routinely possesses.  This is the product of a true genius. It should drink well for a minimum of two decades.  Wine Advocate #130, Aug 2000

 

2004 Dal Forno Romano Amarone
Price: $550.00    Sale $484.00
Quantity in Stock: 13

(98 Points) The 2004 Amarone della Valpolicella is one of the most monumental young wines I have ever tasted. This is an especially silky, elegant Amarone from Dal Forno that avoids the heaviness of some previous vintages. Blackberry jam, crushed rocks, minerals, violets, new leather and bittersweet chocolate are some of the nuances that emerge over time. This is every bit as majestic as it was every time I tasted it from barrel over the last few years. The silky, exceptionally polished tannins make the 2004 approachable today, but the wine will be even better in a few years. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029.   These two new releases from Romano Dal Forno are nothing short of extraordinary. Unfortunately readers will have to wait until the Fall for the 2004 Vigna Sere (the wine previously sold as Recioto), one of the most monumental young sweet wines I have ever had the pleasure of tasting...and make no mistake about it, this is a wine I did not spit the last time I sampled it!

 

2006 Dal Forno Amarone Della Valpolicella
Price: $412.50    Sale $363.00
Quantity in Stock: 4

Lots of dark cherry liqueur like fruit, sweet tobacco spice and dark coco notes some of that play dough like clay minerality that defines Valpolicella, some graphite and toasty oak, very rich and opening up nicely as this wine gets more air.  Thick and chewy on the tonue but with great freshness through the finish, very fresh and lively even though this wine is 17% alcohol, lots of sweet cherry liqueur like fruit with bitter chocolate notes.  Finish 50+     Most Excellent +

 

Recioto - the GREATEST wine made in Verona!!

1997 Quintarelli Recioto
Price: $425.00    Sale $374.00
Quantity in Stock: 9

I am just wild about the 1997 vintage of Reciot from both of these two producers, the color is also very deep in this wine with dark cherry pie filling aromas, brown spices and sweet balsamic notes lifting from the glass.  This wine is silky smooth not quite as viscous as the Dal Forno but very weighty on the tongue with an elegance and finesse that make the wine seem lighter on the palate but make no mistake this is a heavy weight at 15% alcohol on the label this wine is remarkably fresh and light on the finish.  You could keep this wine another 20+ years in your cellar it has great structure but these wines are so appealing now it is hard to resist them. Finish 50+  KILLER

I liked this wine so much I have it in three sizes:
1997 Quintarelli Recioto  375ml Price: $225  Sale $198      
1997 Quintarelli Recioto Magnum $1275 Sale $1122

 

 

Menu:

Blue cheese and bacon quiche

Amarone Braised beef cheeks with smoked bacon and root vegetable hash

Chocolate creme brulee

 

 

A bit about Giuseppe Quintarelli - The Godfather of the Veneto

Known as “The Master of the Veneto,” Giuseppe Quintarelli makes some of the world’s most sought-after wines. From aperitifs to digestifs, his limited production Amarones, Reciotos, and Valpolicellas are the benchmark for excellence. Their greatness stems from the inherent quality of the terroir and natural talent of this master, whose concept of vintage approval and strict grape selection rival great Chateau of Sauternes.  Quintarelli makes stunning wines in average vintages by hand picking everything and making severe selections- sometimes going cluster by cluster and selecting each individual berry!

Giuseppe puts his wines on the market when he deems them ready, often keeping them in the cellar for decades until the right moment arrives.  Quintarelli Produces around 2,500 cases of Valpolicella, 850 cases of Amarone and 300 cases of Recioto.  Valpolicella is a terroir with a long history.  It has weathered difficult times and has now been saved by the commitment of a large number of young producers, and the example of a great one, Guiseppe Quintarelli.  Giuseppe’s winery, situated at Negrar on the gentile Valpolicella hills, has 12 hectares of vineyards at an average altitude of 240 meters above sea level.  Some of the grapes are brought in bringing the average annual production up to 50-60,000 bottles.  In the best years, Giuseppe Quintarelli makes an Amarone Riserva, and of course 1990 was no exception.  Before release, this seriously good wine spent ten years ageing in Slavonian oak barrels.  The deep garnet hue is appealing and there are sweet cocoa powder and ripe berry fruit on the nose.  The palate is generous with plums, fruit liqueur and coffee in a harmonious, lingering profile.  The Alzero, made from raisined Cabernet Franc grapes is deep ruby red and proffers aromas of red peppers, vegetables and tobacco on the nose.  The palate has remarkable finesse and hints of cocoa, morello cherries, pepper and pencil lead create a very stylish, bitter-sweet effect.  The fresh-tasting nicely rounded Valpolicella has hints of aromatic herbs, cherry fruit and liquorice, as well as good extract.

According to archaeological evidence vines were growing in the Valpolicella area some 40 million years ago, but winemaking probably came about around the 5th century BC somewhere that is now referred to as Fumane, the home of one of the most famous Amarone producers, Allegrini.  This wine was referred to as Retico and came from the county of Catullus, Verona.  Late in the Roman period the name Retico changed to Acinatico.    Cassiodoro, a famous Italian minister to the Ostrogoth king Theodoric, has been quoted making reference to Acinato:  “It has a pure and exceptional taste and a regal color, so that you may believe either that purple got its colour from the wine or that the wine is the epitome of purple.  Its sweetness is of incredible gentleness, its density is accompanied by an indescribable stability and it swells over the tongue in such a way that it seems either a liquid made of solid flesh or else a drink to be eaten.”

Valpolicella, according to some accounts, means “valley of many cellars,” which seems fitting.  It is derived, they say, from the Greek word poli (many) and the Latin cella (cellar).   This area is approximately 27 miles long and 5 miles wide, it passes north and west of Verona, extending from the Adige River to the Cazzano Valley.  Bardolino and Lake Garda lie to the west and Soave to the east.  The land ranges in altitude from 490 to 1,475 feet above sea level.  The vines in the classico district to the northwest of Verona, are planted on the hillsides and mountain slopes of the valleys of the Adige tributaries and the Fumane, Marano, and Negrar torrents.  Some of the vineyards are terraced with stone.  The cretaceous, calcareous soil is of glacial origins.  And volcanic activity in this area contributed elements to the soil as well. 

The area around Sant’Ambrogio is considered the heart of the Amarone production zone.  Within this area, northeast of Gargagnago, is a valley called Vaio Armaron, which may have given the wine its name.   The blend of grapes typically used in Valpolicella is Corvina (40%-70%), Rondinella (20%-40%), Molinara (5%-25%) and may contain up to 15% Negrara Trentina, Rossignola, Dindarella, Barbera, and/or Sangiovese.  Before 1989 producers were allowed to add as much as 15% of grapes, must, or wine from outside the zone to correct problems from a weak vintage, but this practice is prohibited today.  Corvina contributes color, body, bouquet, flavor, and the basic Valpolicella character to the wine.   Rondinella, which is resistant to disease and rot, is added for its color and strength, tannin and vigor, it also adds some refinement to the azromas.  Molinara, or Mulinara, is also known as Rossara Veronese and Rossanella, is blended in to make the wine lighter and more drinkable.  It also contributes dryness and acidity, as well as that characteristic bitterness.  Negrara, adds softness, freshness and early drinkability.

The first dry Amarone, according to writer Cesare Marchi, was the result of a fortunate accident.  In the early 1950s, Adelino Lucchese, Bertani’s cellarmaster, discovered a barrel of wine in the cellar that had been overlooked and neglected for some time.  Certain that it had spoiled he was about to discard its contents, when curiosity prompted him to take a taste just to see what had happened.  He was astonished to discover that the forgotten wine had a velvety texture and a penetrating perfume, a slightly bitter taste, but not at all unpleasant.  There is however evidence that the Romans made a type of bitter Recioto for diabetics or other people who couldn’t take sugar.  Sandro Boscaini of Masi pointed out that some of the oldest families in Valpolicella, the Count Campostrini and Count Serego Alighieri, as well as his own produced an Amaro, a dry Recioto.  This would seem to indicate that Amarone is considerably older that Marchi admits.  According to another book called Valpolicella Spolendida Contea Dei Vino, written by Lamberto Paronetto, the name Amarone has been in use since the eighteenth century.  It became popular at the beginning of this century and the name could very well be derived from the Italian word amaro, meaning “bitter” (scholar Scipione Maffei, writing in the first half of the eighteenth century, refers to an amaro, a dry wine from the Valpolicella area), or it could come from Vajo Armaron, where some highly regarded Amarones have been produced for ages.

1990 Quintarelli Amabile Del Cere
Price: $499.00    Your Price: $439.12
Quantity in Stock: 2

(97 Points) The 1990 Amabile del Cere is a relatively recent release from the winery. This sweet white dessert wine flows from the glass with endless nuances of licorice, roasted coffee beans, toffee, star anise and sweet spices, showing remarkable purity. The layers of fruit and complex tertiary aromas lead to a long, caressing finish that lingers on the palate with tons of elegance. This sublime dessert wine is another gem from Quintarelli. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2018.

 

It isn't easy to keep up with Giuseppe Quintarelli, as this legendary producer releases his wines when he feels they are ready, not a moment sooner. As is often the case, these are some of the most mind-blowing wines being made anywhere, but sadly, prices are equally dizzying. Still, for readers who can afford them, these are reference-point wines. Wine Advocate # 179, Oct 2008

2001 Quintarelli Recioto Della Valpolicella Classico
Price: $395.00    Your Price: $347.60
Quantity in Stock: 6

2001 Quintarelli Recioto Della Valpolicella Classico (375ML)
List Price: $201.25      Your Price: $177.10
Quantity in Stock: 11

For 100 years this small producer from the Veneto has been exporting limited quantities to the U.S. The absolute traditionalist has not changed the techniques set by his father. As those who are familiar with Quintarelli know, he creates miracles in off vintages and legends when Mother Nature shines - and in 1990, 1993 and 1995 she did just that, rivaling her efforts of 1990 and perhaps 1976 or 1985. For Giuseppe, like his father, the challenge of Recioto is a labor of love. After arrested fermentation, which provides Recioto's distinctive sweetness, this wine's vinification follows the same pattern as for the Amarone.

 

2004 Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella MAGNUM
Price: $875.00    Your Price: $743.75
Quantity in Stock: 3

(96 points)  The 2004 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is insanely beautiful. A dark, mysterious beauty, the 2004 hits the palate with masses of black fruit, tobacco, smoke, licorice and incense. The 2004 is constantly changing in the glass, as it reveals layer after layer of flavor and pure nuance. Readers will have to be patient with the 2004, but it is spectacular. I tasted the 2004 just after bottling, and will not be surprised if it is even better with more time in bottle. The huge, voluptuous finish bodes well for the future. Readers who can find the 2004 should not hesitate. This is another magical 2004 from Quintarelli. (3/2014) Antonio Galloni

 

 2003 Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Magnum
Price: $828.00    Your Price: $728.64
Quantity in Stock: 1

This is one of the hardest wines to come by from Italy. This wine comes primarily from the indigenous Corvina, as well as Rondinella with a small percentage of Molinara with traces of Cabernet, Sangiovese, and Nebbiolo. A truly stunning wine with great potential for long-term aging, but is tremendously rewarding to drink right now, but I would caution you to finish with this wine as it is hard to follow this wine with anything else.

2003 Quintarelli Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico Riserva
Price: $745.00    Your Price: $655.60
Quantity in Stock: 6

• In truly exceptional years an Amarone Riserva is produced, a personal barrel selection by the family
• Careful selection of grapes during harvest
• After harvest, grapes sit in wooden boxes or on rush mats
• Careful attention is paid to the positioning of the grapes so the appassimento can occur naturally
• Noble rot starts to appear in November and develops mostly in January
• Grapes are pressed at the end of January and after 20 days of maceration, alcoholic fermentation begins with indigenous yeasts
• Fermentation lasts 45 days
• Wine is then racked and ages in Slavonian oak barrels for seven years
• Alcoholic fermentation continues during this aging period creating a dry wine

 

A bit about Dal Forno Romano:

 

A few years ago the last day of the Vinitaly we left early to go see one of the producers that does not show his wines at the fair- Romano Dal Forno.   We just happened to be doing a tasting with this producers wine in a few weeks after my return, so I was anxious to learn more about this producer from the horse’s mouth.

Although Romano’s wines have become some of the most sought after in all of Italy, there are not many people that know a lot about them, many people believe that he was a pupil of the great Giuseppe Quintarelli.  Well it is true that Dal Forno is a good friend of Quintarelli and that it was Giuseppe’s passion for winemaking that inspired Romano to get into the wine business, however he never worked for Quintarelli like so many wine experts have claimed.  Romano’s family had been land owners in Valpolicella for several generations and they owned vineyards, but they had always sold their grapes to other producers.  Romano never went to enology school, he is a self taught winemaker, his first vintage was 1983 and over the course of the next few he quickly became one of the rising stars of this area.

His approach to making Amarone is very different from Quintarelli and collectors usually will like one or the other rather than both.  Quintarelli dries his grapes for upwards of six months before crushing them.  This causes the resulting wines to be rather sweet in style.  Romano prefers the taste of dryer wines so he only leaves his grapes to dry for one to two months, thus the resulting wines are fairly dry in style.

When you walk down to the cellar, the stairs are made of white marble tile that has been tumbled so that the surface is not slippery, everything that Romano does is well thought out, he is a perfectionist and it shows in his cellar and in his wines.  The brick work on the ceilings of the cellar is a mosaic and really makes the cellar one of the most attractive that you will encounter.  The barrles are stained in the centers so you will not notice the drippings from topping off.  It seems like every little detail has been thought out.

His greatest recent vintages are:  1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, and the 2004 which is still in barrique.  The Valpolicella is one of the most concentrated and rich that you will encounter and is rich enough that it could be mistaken for Amarone.  The magical elixir, Recioto was declassified in 2003 because it failed the tasting panel from the DOC and will from this vintage on be simply entitled late harvest with the name of the vineyard, Vigna Sere.  There are two tests that Valpolicella, Amarone and Recioto have to pass before they are allowed to carry the DOC title.  One is a chemical analysis that measures both the sugar content and the grape varietals.  The second is a physical tasting that the DOC panel conducts to ensure that the wine resembles the style of wines that are produced in this area.  The Recioto in 2003 passed the chemical analysis but the tasting panel failed this wine for being to astringent, this may have angered Dal Forno as he stated that this wine will no longer be submitted for DOC status.

We were like kids in a candy store during our visit as the exuberant wine producer showed us his newest wines that were still in barrique.  Romano is very passionate about his wines and you could tell that he was glad to have a group of his fans in his home to learn more about what makes this producers wines so unique.

His journey stared with the 1983 vintage and every vintage he has continued to improve his wines by making progress in the vineyard as well as developing new techniques in the winery.  He began a complete renovation and expansion of the winery in 2005 and it was completed by the end of 2007 just in time for the harvest.  One of the things that he stresses is cleanliness.  Some producers of Amarone like to have a bit of "Noble Rot" in their wines.  Romano feels that there is nothing noble about rot, therefore he goes to every extreme to ensure that there is none in his cellar.  The new facility has a series of fans to circulate the air in the cellar so there is very little moisture, which is one of the largest contributors to the formation of mold in the cellar.

Any great producer will tell you that great wine is made in the vineyard and Dal Forno is no exception to this rule.  Dal Forno spends a lot of time tending his vines and has planted several new acres of vines to increase the size of his production which now hovers at around 20,000 cases of the four wines. 

 

 

Everything Amarone in the store:

 

This is everything that we have in the store in the Amarone section, if you love Amarone you want to take a look at the wines below.  We have one of the greatest selections of this magical elixir that you will find in the U.S.

 

2008 Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella
Price: $92.25    Sale $81.18
Quantity in Stock: 2

(96 Points) "Amazing in the nose, with hazelnut, walnuts, dark fruits and chocolate. Full body, with a rich and balanced palate and lovely length. Drinkable now but structured for aging. Harmonic."  James Suckling.com

 

2009 Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella
Price: $80.25    Sale $70.62
Quantity in Stock: 7

They do not like Botrytis so they have systems in place so they do not get any during the drying process. This wine has a very traditional bouquet, a bit more port like, residual sugar high and high alcohol and has peach and apricot like fruit in with the dried cherry and a host of pretty floral notes, sweet herbs with a good hand of that Clay like minerality. The blend here is 80% Corvina, Rondinella and Oseletta. A very rich and fruity wine with layers of sweet cherry liqueur like fruit, a good bit of spice, pretty floral nuance from the nose through the finish, ripe and round tannins with a long layered finish, tongue tingly minerality. Finish 50+ Most Excellent

 

1967 Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella
Price: $565.00    Sale Price: $480.00
Quantity in Stock: 3

A very good vintage for Amarone production: a fairly dry and very hot summer followed a wet spring. Harvest of perfectly healthy grapes.

Intense garnet red with a slightly orange rim. Well - defined aroma of dried plum, hazelnut, black truffle, walnut and chocolate. Intense scents that continue to change and to vary.

 

1980 Bertani Amarone Della Valpolicella
Price: $285.00    Sale Price: $240.00
Quantity in Stock: 1

Tannic but sharply focused, with an earthy edge to the generous raspberry, spice and pepper aromas and flavors. Not as rich as some, but has real bouquet, elegance and grace. (9/1992) Wine Spectator

 

1994 Bertani Amarone Della Valpolicella
Price: $199.00    Sale $175.12
Quantity in Stock: 4

Winemaker's Notes:  Deep garnet red.  Rich, delicate, with scents of dried fruit, spices and nuts. Warm, full, austere, full-bodied and complex, yet soft and velvety.

 

1995 Bertani Amarone Della Valpolicella
Price: $166.00    Sale $146.08
Quantity in Stock: 6

"Quite likable, with a viscous body and firm tannins. The aromas are perfumed and sweet, with hints of licorice, chocolate and raisins. This is textbook Amarone." Wine Enthusiast

 

2011 Bertani Amarone Villa Arvedi
Price: $57.00    Sale $50.16
Quantity in Stock: 5

Carefully selected grape bunches are hand-harvested from top vineyards planted in the hills of Valpantena, north of the city of Verona in northeast Italy, in the communes of Quinto, Grezzana, and Santa Maria.

 

2009 Brigaldara Amarone Della Valpolicella
Price: $59.00    Sale $51.92
Quantity in Stock: 9

(93 points)  The 2009 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is a savory and sophisticated red with dusty notes of terracotta and flint backed by pressed plum, prune, dark smoke, leather and tobacco. This is a fabulous effort that will appeal to those who don’t like the overblown style normally exhibited in Amarone. The wine radiates elegance. Pair it with succulent steak marinated in rosemary and olive oil. Drink 2015-2027.  eRobertParker.com #209

 

2005 Brigaldara Amarone della Valpolicella 375ml
Price: $30.00    Sale $26.40
Quantity in Stock: 17

(90 Points) The 2005 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is a relatively straightforward wine but I loved it for its superb balance and harmony. Sweet red cherries, herbs, leather, spices and earthiness are buffered by finessed tannins as this soft-textured wine opens in the glass. This is a great introduction to Amarone. Curiously, the 2005 comes across as more advanced than the 2004, and I would choose to drink it on the young side. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2015. I was very impressed with the wines I tasted from Brigaldara. The Amarone is aged in cask and is made in a fairly approachable style, while the single-vineyard Amarone Case Vecie is a richer wine that also sees some French oak. Both wines are well worth seeking out. Wine Advocate # 179, Oct 2008

 

2008 Brigaldara Amarone della Valpolicella Case Vecie
Price: $85.00    Sale $74.80
Quantity in Stock: 10

(94 Points) The 2008 Amarone della Valpolicella Case Vecie delivers richness and smoothness that is heightened by velvety tannins and an extra long finish. What sets this wine apart are the delicious aromas of dried mint, crushed mineral, balsam herb and cherry cola that give so much intensity, lift and buoyancy to the bouquet. The finish can be counted in long minutes and the wine shows all qualities (acidity, structure and fruit integrity) necessary for cellar aging. Drink 2015-2028.

Brigaldara holds the Valpolicella banner high and makes some of the best Amarone available today. The 50-hectare estate is owned by the Cesari family and is home to extensive vineyards and olive groves. This beautiful collection of wines is absolutely unbeatable thanks to the excellent vintages (2010, 2009 and 2007) on offer now. eRobertParker.com #209 Oct 2013 Reviewer: Monica Larner

 

2007 Brigaldara Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva San Floriano
Price: $162.50    Sale $143.00
Quantity in Stock: 14

(95 Points) The beautiful 2007 Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva San Floriano already shows the sheer magic of bottle-aging with touches of leather, spice and dried fruit that play perfectly off one another. The wine is so incredibly lively and bright in the mouth: it is teaming with vitality and energy. Dark notes of tar and resin make appropriate background tones. This is a masterpiece Amarone that still has a long way to go. Drink 2015-2028.

Brigaldara holds the Valpolicella banner high and makes some of the best Amarone available today. The 50-hectare estate is owned by the Cesari family and is home to extensive vineyards and olive groves. This beautiful collection of wines is absolutely unbeatable thanks to the excellent vintages (2010, 2009 and 2007) on offer now.  eRobertParker.com #209 Oct 2013 Reviewer: Monica Larner

 

2009 Bolla Riserva le Origini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Price: $63.00    Sale $55.44
Quantity in Stock: 1

Franco Bernabei is the consulting enologist here, this wine is a blend of 75% Corvina and Corvinone, 25% Rondinella.   This wine has a very distinct bouquet of dark mocha and spices with dried meats, dried berry fruit, cherries and plum with a host of dark spice, clay like earthy notes.  A very elegant style of Amarone and that is tough at 16.5% alcohol, dark spices and meats with a long layered finish.  Finish 50+  Most Excellent

 

2004 Dal Forno Romano Amarone
Price: $550.00    Sale $484.00
Quantity in Stock: 13

(98 Points) The 2004 Amarone della Valpolicella is one of the most monumental young wines I have ever tasted. This is an especially silky, elegant Amarone from Dal Forno that avoids the heaviness of some previous vintages. Blackberry jam, crushed rocks, minerals, violets, new leather and bittersweet chocolate are some of the nuances that emerge over time. This is every bit as majestic as it was every time I tasted it from barrel over the last few years. The silky, exceptionally polished tannins make the 2004 approachable today, but the wine will be even better in a few years. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029.

These two new releases from Romano Dal Forno are nothing short of extraordinary. Unfortunately readers will have to wait until the Fall for the 2004 Vigna Sere (the wine previously sold as Recioto), one of the most monumental young sweet wines I have ever had the pleasure of tasting...and make no mistake about it, this is a wine I did not spit the last time I sampled it!

 

2006 Dal Forno Amarone Dell aValpolicella
Price: $412.50    Sale $363.00
Quantity in Stock: 3

Lots of dark cherry liqueur like fruit, sweet tobacco spice and dark coco notes some of that play dough like clay minerality that defines Valpolicella, some graphite and toasty oak, very rich and opening up nicely as this wine gets more air.  Thick and chewy on the tongue but with great freshness through the finish, very fresh and lively even though this wine is 17% alcohol, lots of sweet cherry liqueur like fruit with bitter chocolate notes.  Finish 50+     Most Excellent +

 

2009 L'Arco Amarone della Valpolicella
Price: $112.50    Sale $99.00
Available: Ships in 2 - 3 days

Same blend as the Valpolicella as these wines are all a field blend, the drying takes place for 3-4 months depending on the vintage, produced in a classic style with large Slovenian Oak. This wine has a beautiful bouquet of dried cherry , sweet tobacco spice, dried flowers, dark coco, and a bit of that clay like mineraltiy. Wow, incredible richness of fruit on the palate with a velvet like texture on the tongue. Big but has wonderful balance and freshness this wine is just layered with sweet cherry liqueur like fruit laced with exotic spices, dark coco and more coming out on the second day. Finish 50+ Most Excellent +

 

2008 Masi Amarone Riserva Costasera
Price: $72.75    Sale $64.02
Available: Ships in 2 - 3 days

This wine is only the third release for the Riserva and by law they have to be aged for an additionoal year so it is released on the third year. The ancient Oseleta varietal is also included in the blend in place of a percentage of the Corvina and these grapes are dried a bit longer. Has a smoky game like character to the dark berry fruit, dark cherry liqueur like fruit nice complexity on the nose has a more rustic quality and this is due to the Oseleta which has lots of tannins unlike the other varietals used in this region. Exotic spices, wild game, very rich and unctuous on the palate with smooth silky tannins with dark spices, coco and a long finish, big but still fresh and balanced. Finish 45+ Most Excellent

 

2009 Masi Amarone Costasera
Price: $55.50    Sale $48.84
Available: Ships in 2 - 3 days

 

2005 Marchesi Fumanelli Amarone della Valpolicella Octavius Riserva
Price: $166.00    Sale $146.08
Quantity in Stock: 2

 

2007 Marchesi Fumanelli Amarone della Valpolicella Octavius Riserva
Price: $159.00    Sale $139.92
Quantity in Stock: 2

 

2008 Marchesi Fumanelli Amarone Valpolicella Classico
Price: $81.00    Sale $71.28
Quantity in Stock: 2

Pretty dried cherry and red plum fruit with pretty dried flowers, a bit of that fresh clay like mineraliity and red licorice spice.  Plump ripe cherry berry fruit on the tongue with silky smooth tannins and that exotic spice and clay like minerality through the finish, fine tannins.  finish 45+    Excellent +

 

2006 Masi Mazzano Amarone Della Valpolicella
Price: $168.75    Sale $148.50
Available: Ships in 2 - 3 days

(94 Points) This fresh red balances firm tannins with layers of tarry mineral and flavors of steeped black cherry, raspberry coulis, grilled mint, thyme, anise and spiced plum. An expressive style, featuring lots of stuffing in an elegant package. Drink now through 2030. 1,183 cases made. –AN,  Wine Spectator Issue: Jun 30, 2013

 

2001 Masi Amarone della Valpolicella Mazzano
Price: $168.75    Sale $148.50
Quantity in Stock: 1

A single vineyard from Negrar where they actually dry the grapes there, to keep the wine true to its terroir, lots of wind here and low humidity producing a more austere and elegant style of Armarone, 125 days of drying for this wine. These were the first crus porduced in the Veneto, 1958 was first vintage for the Campolongo and 1964 was Mazzano- a concept before their time in this region. Packed with spiced black cherry liqueur like fruit with dark spices, mocha, clove, sweet tobacco spice. Still has a lot of sweet black cherry fruit with dark spice and a lovely balanced with a long layered finish, showing some evolution but still quite youthful and fresh, even better ont he second day. Finish 50+ Most Excellent

 

2000 Monte Faustino Amarone della Valpolicella
Price: $95.00    Sale $83.60
Quantity in Stock: 3

(91 Points) Sweet black fruit, bitter herbs and chocolate vie for attention on the nose and follow through to a full-bodied palate, with soft, velvety tannins and a long, relaxed finish, where all the components mingle. Luscious and exotic, if slightly loose-knit. Nice even now. Best after 2006. 850 cases made. –JC Wine Spectator Issue: Aug 31, 2006

 

2008 Monte Faustino Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Price: $65.00    Sale $57.20
Quantity in Stock: 7

2008 Monte Faustino Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 3 Liter
Price: $330.00    Sale $290.40
Quantity in Stock: 1

(92 Points) Silky and layered, featuring an elegant frame fleshed out by cocoa and candied cherry notes, accented by hints of date, melted licorice, loamy earth and ground spice. Finely balanced, with a lasting finish. Drink now through 2023. 2,000 cases made. –AN Wine Spectator Issue: Feb 28, 2014

 

2008 Michele Castellani Colle Cristi Amarone della Valpolicella
Price: $57.00    Sale $50.16
Available: Ships in 2 - 3 days

A blend of Corvina Veronese 70%, Rondinella 20%, Molinara 10%, a classic bouquet of sweet tobacco spice, coco, dried meats, dried plums and a bit of that clay like playdough minerality. A nice touch of sweetness to the sweet dark cherry liqueur like fruit onthe tongue, very juicy but also fresh just a bit of that sundried quality to the finish along with a host of the nuance from the nose, that exotic brown spice, dried exotic meat like qualities, very nice complexity through the finish, even better on the second day, sweet but balanced and fresh at the end. Finish 45+ Most Excellent

 

2008 Michele Castellani Amarone della Valpolicella Cinque Stelle
Price: $63.75    Sale $56.10
Available: Ships in 2 - 3 days

A blend of 75% Corvina, 20% Rondinella and 5% Molinara, they have a few different Amarones and this is a very well endowed wine with brown spices, dried cherry and plum, dried tobacco spice, bitter chocolate. A big and chewy wine with ripe round tannins, very smooth with a nice hand of acidity keeping this very fruity wine fresh with notes of coco and dried meats along with tea notes through the finish.  Finish 40+ Excellent +

 

2008 Monte Tondo Amarone della Valpolicella
Price: $85.50    Sale $75.24
Available: Ships in 2 - 3 days

The DOCG came about in with the 2010 vintage in Amarone, this wine has a good amount of pretty floral notes, fresh herbs and tart red cherry berry fruit. Very complex wine on the nose and opening up nicely Excellent +

 

2010 Monte Tondo Amarone della Valpolicella
Price: $85.50    Sale $75.24
Available: Ships in 2 - 3 days

A big and chewy wine a blend of Corvina and Rondinella dried for 2 months, they only use their own family to pick the grapes, silky smooth texture with lots of red cherry fruit, licorice spice, menthol, black pepper spice and only aged in large oak barrels, this wine has wonderful intensity and lots of spice on the finish along with a firm hand of acidity. Some of that clay like minerality at the end. finish 50+ Most Excellent

 

2008 Pra Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico MAGNUM
Price: $145.50    Sale $128.04
Quantity in Stock: 6

2008 Pra Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico
Price: $65.00    Sale $57.20
Quantity in Stock: 7

(91 Points) Well-knit and silky in texture, with refined tannins framing the layers of dried cherry and black currant fruit. Aromatic notes of herb and spice show a deep accent of rich wood smoke that builds through to the lasting finish. Drink now through 2023. 600 cases made. –AN Wine Spectator Issue: Dec 15, 2013

 

1995 Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella
Price: $550.00    Sale $484.00
Quantity in Stock: 2

 

2004 Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella
Price: $399.50    Sale $351.56
Quantity in Stock: 3

2004 Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella MAGNUM
Price: $875.00    Sale $770.00
Quantity in Stock: 3

(96 points)  The 2004 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is insanely beautiful. A dark, mysterious beauty, the 2004 hits the palate with masses of black fruit, tobacco, smoke, licorice and incense. The 2004 is constantly changing in the glass, as it reveals layer after layer of flavor and pure nuance. Readers will have to be patient with the 2004, but it is spectacular. I tasted the 2004 just after bottling, and will not be surprised if it is even better with more time in bottle. The huge, voluptuous finish bodes well for the future. Readers who can find the 2004 should not hesitate. This is another magical 2004 from Quintarelli. (3/2014) Antonio Galloni

 

2003 Quintarelli Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico Riserva
Price: $745.00    Sale $655.60
Quantity in Stock: 6

 

2003 Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Magnum
Price: $828.00    Sale $728.64
Quantity in Stock: 1

This is one of the hardest wines to come by from Italy. This wine comes primarily from the indigenous Corvina, as well as Rondinella with a small percentage of Molinara with traces of Cabernet, Sangiovese, and Nebbiolo. A truly stunning wine with great potential for long-term aging, but is tremendously rewarding to drink right now, but I would caution you to finish with this wine as it is hard to follow this wine with anything else.

 

2000 Quintarelli Amarone Selezione Giuseppi Quintarelli
Price: $1370.00    Sale $1205.60
Quantity in Stock: 6

This is one of the best wines from Quintarelli and this is the wine that I spent every dime in my wallet for while visiting Quintarelli. Thanks to Liz I borrowed the cab fair that I needed to get to the airport to make it home. Well this bottling is not called "Riserva", it is a special commemorative bottling to honor the master while he is still alive.

2008 Tommaso Bussola Amarone Classico
Price: $67.50    Sale $59.40
Quantity in Stock: 5

The wine, of garnet-russet hue, is slightly sweet, warm, robust, full, harmonious, velvety with a most satisfying touch of bitterness. It is the ideal wine with game and has no rivals as an accompaniment to hard cheeses. But its most characteristic role is as an after-dinner wine, for sipping in moments of intimacy, or for fuelling lively post-prandial conversation. It should be opened at least two hours before consumption and consumed at ambient temperature. It is the classic wine of friendship.

 

1999 Tomasso Bussola Vigneto Alto Amarone Della Valpolicella
Price: $239.00    Sale $210.32
Quantity in Stock: 2

(93 points)  The 1999 Amarone Vigneto Alto is powerful in aroma, ripe, sweet, and complex. It offers plum jam, grilled black cherries, chocolate, and sweet herbs in its flavor range. Dense, muscular, but warmly alcoholic and enveloping, it is built to last until 2020.  Wine Advocate #154, Aug 2004

 

2000 Tommaso Bussola Amarone della Valpolicella Vigneto Alto (3-Liter)
Price: $717.00    Sale $630.96
Quantity in Stock: 1

This wine is a blend of Corvinone, Corvina Grossa and Rondinella.  It is sourced from the Vigneto Alto vineyard which was planted in 1970 at an elevation of 260 meters and has a southeast orientation with Toar (basalt) & chalky gravel soils.

Work in the vineyard is measured by the months and the seasons. In order to avoid excessive impoverishment of the lands, the various soils are periodically analysed and a programme of interventions with organic fertilizers is drawn up.

Left to dry from mid-September 2000 till mid-January 2001, they achieved a advanced degree of “appassimento” (drying), arriving at a degree “Babo” of 27/28 (almost 300 g/l of residual sugar). Fermentation lasted 55 days with frequent pumpings over.

The wine was then racked and transferred to stainless steel vats for 10 days, after which – still with a residual sugar of 40 g/l – it was racked again and put into new 12-25 hectolitre barrels of Slavonian and French oak. Here the wine remained for 30 months, on its own fine deposit, while very slowly it completed its alcoholic and malo-lactic fermentation. It was racked again and “assembled”, then bottled. Normally it is aged for four months in bottle before release onto the market.

There is only 5,000 bottles produced in any vintage and Tommaso Bussola began working at his uncle Giuseppe's estate in 1977. His uncle Giuseppe still works the vineyards.

 

2009 Zenato Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico
Price: $75.00    Sale $66.00
Quantity in Stock: 3

This wine is a blend of 80% Corvina aged in large barrel for 36 months and then 1 year in bottle a very thick and fruity wine dark cherry liqueur like fruit with sweet tobacco spice chai tea, dark spices and dried meats, nice complexity on the nose. Sweet berry fruit very rich and ripe with a nice hand of spice and dark coco with exotic dried floral notes. Finish 45+ Excellent +

 

2003 Zyme Amarone della Valpolicella
Price: $198.00    Sale $174.24
Quantity in Stock: 4

(92 Points) The 2003 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico reveals gorgeous density and purity in its fruit. Sweet menthol, flowers and minerals emerge with air, adding considerable complexity to the dark fruit. The wine boasts superb balance and the French oak is integrated very nicely, even if the tannins dry out slightly on the finish. This medium-bodied yet sumptuous Amarone is all about clarity and precision. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2021.

 

Proprietor Celestino Gaspari boasts one of the most extensive resumes in Valpolicella. Once widely considered the heir-apparent at Quintarelli, where he worked for a number of years, Gaspari subsequently consulted for a number of local wineries, helping launch some of the most exciting young properties on the scene. More recently Gaspari has scaled back his consulting activities to focus on his own project. The dramatic Zyme cellars are carved out of rock and hold some of the most dramatic wines being made in Veneto today. Zyme is still a young property, and I am curious to see what happens here over the coming years. Gaspari is highly ambitious and technically very proficient, as these wines clearly show. The open question is whether he will allow the wines to express more personality over the coming years. Given his track record elsewhere, there is every reason to think that will indeed be the case. There is a very clear struggle here in trying to acknowledge tradition on one hand, while not being excessively bound by convention on the other hand. As a result, the top wine here is not Amarone, but Harlequin, a blend of various grapes given a short time of air-drying and aged in 100% new French oak. All of these wines required considerable aeration for some of the SO2 to blow off. eRobertParker.com #185, Oct 2009