The numbers of Amarone
FOCUS ON THE BEAUTIFUL 2015 VINTAGE
The Amarone denomination is without any doubts one of the best Italian masterpiece, able to communicate the difference of the soil, to create a different experience of taste: so addictive, so glamour and lasting.
From 2nd to 4th of February 2019 the city of Verona, the romantic city of Romeo and Juliet hosted the annual preview of Amarone organized as usual by the Consortium of Valpolicella in the historical Palazzo of Gran Guardia. The focus of the event was eventually dedicated on the 2015 vintage.
This harvest just bottled is an unbelievable one, to keep for a long time in the heart, a vintage that deserve to be stored in the memory and cellars because the grapes picked bordered the perfection thanks the large accumulation of phenolics and dyes, elements all necessary if you want a lasting Amarone. Furthermore, the very low percentages of humidity recorded have prevented the attacks of vulgar botrytis stimulating so the formation of noble botrytis, a condition that gives uniqueness to Amarone. Actually these wines are even more, because of the youngness of the denomination are coming from, compared to others Italians iconic wines ones, growing up by the good brand positioning on the world market, a smart work done in the last decade passing on the comprehension of the italian value of the tipicity. Now the efforts must to be concentrated on the tourism, on a lasting aging and on the valorization of the terroir where most of the wineries are working following the tradition listening the trend markets. What about the sustainability and the price? Amarone area is now working in team also to avoid a price lowering keeping on high value of the brand, averted luckly with the excellent quality of the 2015 vintage well interpreted by the wineries, which labels are now easily tracked on the market on side the 2013 and 2012. The environment, the organic methods and the climate change are the most concerning themes worries the most wine producers, the soul of the big Valpolicella zone, set on three different areas: the classic one (Sant’Ambrogio Valpolicella, San Pietro in Cariano, Fumane, Marano and Negrar); the area of Valpantena and the Valpolicella with Verona, Illasi, Tramigna and Mezzane. According to the disciplinary the autochthonous grapes varieties used are: Corvinone, Rondinella, Molinara and Corvina (this last one increased due to the climate change, in favor of an enjoyable freshness in the wines). In terms of numbers the 80% of the production is exported worldwide for a 600 million euros as turnover in favor of the brand Amarone liked in five continents; scanning the percentages (source: Siquria) the vine planted surface is estimated around 7.596 for a 362.194 quintals of grapes (priced like 24 thousand euros per hectars).
Looking to the future, the terroir is made by a nice number of young entrepreneurs under 40 year old (329) for a percentages well over the Italia average, numbers confirming the good vision and the faster changing of Amarone denomination willing to keep the proper market quotes faithfully to the original taste through the program ”reduce, save, respect” involving already 1.000 hectars out of the total 8.000.
In the 2015 the wines are in general rich of flavors, with a soften and fresh body, elegance and deep fruit. The best wines tasted on this preview are the ones made by: Secondo Marco, Tenuta Santa Maria, Gamba, Zyme, Corteforte, Bertani, Massimago, Degani, Cà dei Frati, Capurso and Cà dei Maghi.