Big on character: Fiordelli’s seven Amarone della Valpolicella Classico wines to try
Giuseppe Quintarelli 2012 97
£ 190 (ib)-£ 273.33 Corney & Barrow, Cru, Millésima, Noble Grape, Starling Wines, Turville Valley Wines, VinQuinn, Wineye
In Bepi Quintarelli’s winery, the old bottles are stored traditionally, wrapped in newspaper. From this collection, the estate is now releasing the 2012 vintage. Lively and pale ruby in colour, this is focused on bright, fresh black cherry embellished with raspberry and bay leaf, then coffee granules and a hint of curry powder. Dry and full, the palate expresses great balance due to the brilliant acidity, with ample velvety tannins. An extremely opulent wine of great tension, which will age for decades. 2021-2040
Drink Alcohol
16.5%
Allegrini 2016 96
£ 56.95-£75 Cambridge Wine Merchants,
Eton Vintners, Exel, Millésima, Selfridges,
Valvona & Crolla, Whole Foods Market
Despite a cool, rainy spring, the 2016 vintage is one of the best in recent years due to a warm summer that never exceeded 35°C. Full of dark-fruit intensity – plum and cassis – the wine is layered with dark chocolate, black liquorice and a toasty finish with cherry notes. Velvety and extracted, it’s thick on the palate due to its youthful character. Great potential to age, with a superb natural acidity from the higher vineyard of the estate above Villa della Torre, balancing its richness of fruit and full body. Drink 2021-2040 Alc 15.8%
Begali, Monte Ca’ Bianca Riserva 2015 95
£ 52.50 Stone Vine & Sun
From a small winery based in San Pietro in Cariano, this riserva is sourced from the Cengia and Monte Ca’ Bianca hills. After 100 days of appassimento, it is aged in French oak barrels for 40 months. Focused on balsamic notes with a mint-chocolate character and cherry fruit, the texture is grainy yet the tannins are sweet and dense over the palate, with firm acid balancing fruit concentration. Savoury and toasty, it finishes with lingering liquorice and tobacco. 2021-2040 16.5%
Drink
Villa Spinosa, Albasini 2011 95
N/A UK www.villaspinosa.com
From a terrace looking over the Marano valley, this boutique winery makes wines in a traditional style, with minimal concentration for the Amarone and instead great elegance. Based on Corvina and Corvinone, with a small proportion of Rondinella, fermented in stainless steel, andmatured for the first year in French tonneaux, then a further 48 months in big oak vessels. Pale garnet in colour, focused on fresh wild fruits, with a touch of bay leaf, black pepper and a liquorice finish. It’s full-bodied but lighter than many others, with silky tannins and refreshing acidity. Drink 2021-2035 Alc 16%
Alc
Bertani 2011 94
£90-£99.50 AG WInes, Millésima, The Drink Shop, The Fine Wine Co, The Great Wine Co,
The Salusbury Winestore, Vinvm
One of the most classic Amarones, which has never changed its elegant rather than powerful style. The 2011 vintage was challenging, with a warm and rainy summer, but overall it was very good – Bertani isn’t averse to skipping a vintage if it’s not at the top level. Bright garnet in the glass, this is dominated by leather, earthy tones and restrained raspberry fruit. The fresh character is intense, with hints of citrus, slightly oxidative flavours and a Modica salted-chocolate finish. Full and firm, with slightly rustic tannins yet outstanding balance between suppleness and structure. Drink 2021-2040 Alc 15%
Tommasi, Ca’ Florian Riserva 2012 94 £75.99-£81.50 Hedonism, Millésima, T Wright Wine, Valvona & Crolla, Village Vineyards
After a relatively mild winter, the 2012 season was one of the driest of the past few years. Rains at the end of August and a good September balanced the vintage, which was relatively low in terms of yields. Ca’ Florian shows a relatively modern style, focused on filigree precision and displaying great definition of cherry fruit combined with bay leaf, myrtle and chocolate. The elegant finish arrives after almost-silky tannins and well-integrated zesty acidity. Drink 2021-2030 Alc 15.5%
Zenato, Sergio Zenato Riserva 2015 94 £61.67-£65.83 Starling Wines, Wineye Hand-graded grapes (80% Corvina, 10% Rondinella, 10% Oseleta and Croatina) were left to dry for around four months, then fermented 15-20 days on the skins, the wine maturing for at least four years in large oak vessels before another year of ageing in bottle. Dense ruby in colour, this shows an impressively defined sense of terroir with its bright red-cherry fruit and black pepper – typical of Sant’Ambrogio Valpolicella – then the depth of dark chocolate, dried prunes and figs. Creaminess prevails on the off-dry (6g/L) palate, with elegant velvety tannins, refreshing high acidity and the final grip possibly from the Oseleta. A top example from the Classico area, this is a great example to pair with boiled meats and Italian mustard. Drink 2021-2035 Alc 16.5%
Tedeschi, La Fabriseria Riserva 2015 93 N/A UK www.tedeschiwines.com
La Fabriseria is from an outstanding vineyard located at 400m on limestone soil between Sant’Ambrogio and Fumane. Based on 40% each of Corvina and Corvinone, with 15% Rondinella and 5% Oseleta, this concentrated wine features lush dark cherry fruit and chocolate in a Port-like style, with balsamic notes and a sweet tobacco finish. Full on the palate, it is velvety and refined, off-dry in style (6.5g/L), with an opulent 17% alcohol balanced by crisp acidity. Hedonistic.
Drink 2021-2035 Alc 17%