GRAPES DRIED IN OPEN AIR MAKE LUSH, ELEGANT WINE
Italy’s Amarone is the perfect companion for hearty braised-meat dishes, old cheese
This week’s column focuses on Amarone della Valpolicella, a wine not for the faint of heart — both on the palate and on the pocketbook.
These are dry red wines that are velvety smooth, robust, lush and high in alcohol. They can also be beautifully balanced and elegant — a special treat and a style that’s growing in popularity.
Amarone is produced in northeast Italy in the hilly Valpolicella area, north of Verona and not far from Venice. Several local varieties are permitted but the grapes most commonly use are Corvina Veronese, Corvinone, Rondinella, Molinara and Oseleta.
The winemaking method is unique because Amarone is made using a process called “appassimento,” in which the grapes lose about 50 per cent of their weight while drying in the open air on straw mats for two to six months before being fermented dry. If fermentation is stopped before the wine is dry, a sweet wine called Recioto is produced.
An interesting fact: After the wine is siphoned off and put into barrels to age, the remaining skins and seeds (technically referred to as “marc”) are tossed into a vat with the current harvest of youthful and fresh Valpolicella. The sugar-rich marc causes the wine to re-ferment and transforms it into Ripasso (another method is to add a small amount of Amarone wine). Ripasso is a very popular and terrific value option if Amarone isn’t in the budget for Saturday’s dinner.
Style, quality and price are determined by drying time, and the time spent fermenting on the skins. All Amarone must spend a minimum of two years in barrel (which can be a variety of types from small French oak, cherry, up to huge Slavonian tonneau) and at least six months in the bottle before being released.
These wines are best consumed with at least five years of aging, which explains why they benefit from decanting a minimum of a couple hours before serving. They are the perfect companions for hearty braised-meat dishes such as roast, game, beef, stews, short ribs and charcuterie with mature cheeses.
Amarones are velvety smooth and lush, creating instant appeal for new wine drinkers, but the laborious and lengthy winemaking process makes them pricey. The wines from iconic producers such as Quintarelli and Dal Forno fetch more than $500.
Porc Salé is a new nose-to-tail butchery on Whyte Avenue and Mark Kalynchuk is the butcher, who doubles as the head chef of Almanac. Stop by Almanac to enjoy some beautifully cured meats and cheeses which pair brilliantly with, you got it, Amarone. If you’re not in the mood for charcuterie, they make a tasty steak frites.
Here are my recommendations for a few distinctive styles of Amarone — from elegant and fruity to muscular and opulent.
MONTRESOR AMARONE $38
This winery’s story began when a French family moved to the Veneto region, near Lake Garda, more than 200 years ago. The slogan on their website is, “French blood, Italian spirit.” The bottle itself is very unique, a satin matte black bottle that was patented in 1892 (the year that Ellis Island opened to new European immigrants, Edison was awarded a patent for the telegraph and Lord Stanley donated the Stanley Cup). A blend of Corvina, Rondinella and some Molinara aged in wood for three years.
A full-bodied, concentrated and smooth wine with cherry, raspberry, bitter chocolate and violets. Pair with savoury dishes such as osso bucco and game as well as mushroom risotto, aged pecorino/Parmesan or just head to Uccelino.
TOMMASI AMARONE $58
This winery was founded in 1902 with nine members of the fourth generation now running the company. A recognizable label that is widely available in the Edmonton market with a blend of Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Oseleta. The grapes are dried for four months prior to being pressed, and then aged for 30 months in Slavonian Oak barrels of 35 hectolitres. Easy-drinking, intense, fullbodied and smooth with loads of cherry, sweet raspberry and plum.
ALDEGHERI AMARONE CLASSICO $70
This highly prestigious wine is produced exclusively from hillside vineyard sites drying only the finest grapes. The majority of the wine is transferred to large oak barrels for more than three years with about 15 per cent aged in French barriques. A robust, full-bodied wine with complex aromas and flavours of black cherries, licorice, leather and spicy oak notes.
CA RUGATE AMARONE $100
At the heart of this wine is the Tessari family, with more than 100 years and four generations of farming the soils on the Rugate hill. This is a wine with depth and complexity, adding notes of espresso and bitter chocolate to the intensity of ripe fruits, black berries, cherries and blueberries. A richly flavoured, smooth but balanced blend of Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella aged in 500-litre casks for two to three years.
GIUSTI AMARONE $121
This wine has a loyal and committed following, so much so that the 2012 vintage disappeared so quickly they had to release the 2013 sooner than anticipated. Perhaps it’s due to the story and the man behind the company, Joe Giusti. Giusti lives in Calgary (we won’t hold that against him) and tells the story of how he emigrated to Canada decades ago. His success allowed him to now own a good chunk of land in Veneto, producing wines such as Giusti Amarone. Firstly, if you would like to enjoy this vintage in the next year or two, decant for at least three hours. A blend of Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella that bursts from the glass with lush dark fruits, ripe juicy cherries, plums and rich raisined fruits. Full-bodied, warming and soft. So popular it’s on many wine lists around the city including Sorrentino’s, Buco, Bottega, Rebel, Harts and one of my favourites, Workshop Eatery.
Wine selections are available at select Alberta shops. Log onto liquorconnect.com to check availability and give them a call to verify.
Juanita Roos opened Color de Vino, a fine wine and spirits store, with her family in 2014. She has travelled to wine regions around the world and completed the prestigious WSET Diploma from London, England, the prerequisite for the Master of Wine program. Send your questions about wine to info@colordevino.ca.