WHAT IS?...

Amarone

Made with partially dried grapes (usually Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella) in Veneto, Amarone della Valpolicella is one of Italy’s most famous styles of wine.

Appassimento is the method of drying out the grapes, which are then slowly pressed and slowly fermented. The grapes are spread on racks (often wooden) in specially designed lofts or storage rooms, and dried until at least 1 December following the vintage, then fermented to a minimum of 14% alcohol. ‘Amarone spends a minimum of two years in wood, though it can remain there for up to nine or 10 years in rare cases,’ says Michael Garner, Decanter World Wine Awards Regional Chair for northern Italy. ‘Barrels vary from French and Slavonian oak through to chestnut, cherry and even acacia,’ he says.

Not only does the type – and size – of oak vary widely, so does the approach in the cellar, which has led to three schools of thought. Many producers have gone back to the drawing board: the rediscovery of long-forgotten grape varieties; drier styles; experiments with different-sized barrels and wood types; while others remain faithful to the time-honoured ways. Indeed, some continue to accept the presence of a small proportion of noble rot and its associated aromas. Finally, the more modernist interpretation of Amarone embraces a more concentrated and controlled style, using mainly smaller new oak barrels. Many, however, believe that Amarone is best drunk by its 10th birthday, when the wine is still all about roundness, softness and harmony.