Amarone della Valpolicella D.O.C.G. 2015 – Terre di Valgrande

Description

Amarone della Valpolicella D.O.C.G. is actually an ancient wine, even though, the first label citing “Amarone” goes back just to the 50’s. Since then, year after year, this fabulous red wine kept itself “updated”, and from the subproduct of Recioto, it became the nowadays great wine we all know.

The harvesting is gentle, the grapes are put into small basket, in order not to crush the berries. A severe selection of grapes is hand made, and then are let dried on the so called arele (wooden tables) for at least 3 months. The weight loss reaches the 50%, and the result is a concentrated juice, full of sugar, often enrich by the attack of Noble Rot. The maceration is long, and the crushing starts often without de-stemming. The fermentation takes another 3 months, at least, thanks to Saccharomyces bayanus. An alcohol resistant yeast, able to bring the wine to 16% Vol.
After a period of 2 years in oak barrels or barriques, an extraordinary ruby red wine with garnet red shades is bottled. However, another year of refinement in bottle must be awaited for the tasting.

• Grapevine: Corvina Veronese, Corvinone, Rondinella.
• Winemaking: It is born from selected grapes that are let dried until late winter in a ventilated room. After the harvesting, these grapes are dried for 4 months in which they have a weight loss of 50%. Check fermentation between 18°C – 22°C.
• Average maceration time: around 20 days – Malolactic fermentation barriques/tonneau.
• Refinement: Aged in wood and refined in bottle for at least 3 years before entering in the market.
• Characteristics of wine: It is made in small quantity from a homemade method that has stayed the same during the centuries and is characterized by a focus selection of grapes and their drying, which precedes the winemaking; is during the ageing and the refining, inside special barriques, that the wine takes its organoleptic characteristics and is enriched. Strong due to the high presence of alcohol and glycerin, full-bodied and intense, nevertheless elegant. It can be preserved for more than 20 years. Its color is intense garnet red, with rich scents of hull of walnut, currant jam; dry taste, full-bodied and smooth.
• Serving Temperature: between 18°C – 20°C.
• Pairings: Grilled red meat, braised, aged cheese.