History of Amarone
It is said that Amarone came about by chance from Recioto, a sweet raisin wine with a long tradition in Veneto. Apparently, this premium red was in fact produced as a result of an error made by the Cantina Sociale Valpolicella when processing sweet Recioto wine, probably because of a fermentation that had gone on for too long. According to the story, when Adelino Lucchese tasted a sample of wine, which was expected to be sweet like Recioto, he was taken aback and coined the term “Amarone”, precisely because it was dry, and no longer contained any sugar. The first labels were produced in 1938, but it was not until 1953 that it was properly released on the market.
Production of Amarone
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) is a dry red from partially dried grapes, an extraordinary wine which is produced by partially drying healthy and perfectly ripe grapes on racks, selected right at the time of harvesting. The drying lofts must be ventilated to prevent the growth of mould, which can attack and ruin the harvest. On average, partial drying of the grapes takes around 120 days, but based on the growing year and on their own style, it is up to the individual winemaker to decide whether to extend or shorten the length of time. Once the correct drying has been achieved, the next step is normal vinification into red wine, with maceration on the skins. Amarone DOCG needs to be aged for at least three years before being released for sale, and four years for the Riserva version.
The grapes and zones of Amarone
Amarone is produced with the same grapes used for Recioto: Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara. Corvina Veronese, which often imparts Amarone with the typical aromas of cherry, accounts for 40-70%; Rondinella which gives tannins, aromas and colour ranges from 20% to 40%, while Molinara, which gives freshness and spiced aromas, accounts for 5-25%. These grape varieties may be complemented by others from the region, such as Corvinone. The production areas cover 19 municipalities overall on the northern side of the province of Verona. There are sometimes special designations mentioned on the label: “Valpantena” reserved exclusively for the area with the same name, and “Classico”, given to the oldest production area corresponding to the municipalities of Negrar, Marano, Fumane, S. Ambrogio and S. Pietro in Cariano. Every area imparts different characteristics to the wine, thanks to the various soils, exposure and microclimates. You just have to try them all!
Pairings with Amarone
Amarone is an extremely complex wine, with an intense ruby red hue, tending towards garnet, aromas of ripe red fruit such as plum, black cherry and intense hints of spice. It is broad on the palate, with good softness and firm structure. Such a muscular wine of this proportion with great ageing potential calls for equally strong dishes. In other words, roasts, stews, game and traditional cheeses. Want some examples? An Emilian stew, which also tastes fantastic the day after, flavoured with cloves and nutmeg, is perfect with Amarone. However, that does not mean that this wine should only be enjoyed with long, relaxed meals. On the contrary. Amarone, especially if young, is also perfect with a simple fillet steak with green pepper.