2008 Bertani Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico

2008 Bertani Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico

2008 Bertani Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico

First there are the typical notes of plum, cherry and morello cherry on the nose, followed by a great variety of tones: nuts, tea leaves, licorice and spices. On the palate there are hints of red berry fruits, softened by plush vanilla notes, in perfect harmony with the acidity and tannins.

It pairs well with red meat, game, mature cheeses, but it is also perfect as a meditation wine at the end of a meal.

Blend: 80% Corvina Veronese, 20% Rondinella

Wine Spectator (91/100)
A subtle red, with a hint of smoky mineral underscoring the dried cherry, cocoa powder and dried thyme notes. Fresh and elegant, framed by fine tannins and offering a lingering, silky finish. Drink now through 2025.

Wine Enthusiast (91/100)
Aromas of leather, menthol, dried fruit, exotic spice and a balsamic note emerge on this full-bodied wine. On the firmly structured palate, a tannic backbone supports dried black cherry, raisin, licorice and tobacco.

Producing every style of wine and with great success, the Veneto is one of the most multi-faceted wine regions of Italy. Veneto’s appellation called Valpolicella (meaning ‘valley of cellars’ in Italian) is a series of north to south valleys and is the source of the region’s best red wine with the same name. Valpolicella the wine is juicy, spicy, tart and packed full of red cherry flavors. Corvina makes up the backbone of the blend with Rondinella, Molinara, Croatina and others playing supporting roles. Amarone, a dry red, and Recioto, a sweet wine, follow the same blending patterns but are made from grapes left to dry for a few months before pressing. The drying process results in intense, full-bodied, heady and often, quite cerebral wines.

Soave, based on the indigenous Garganega grape, is the famous white here made ultra popular in the 1970s at a time when quantity was more important than quality. Today one can find great values on whites from Soave, making it a perfect choice as an everyday sipper! But the more recent local, increased focus on low yields and high quality winemaking in the original Soave zone, now called Soave Classico, gives the real gems of the area. A fine Soave Classico will exhibit a round palate full of flavors such as ripe pear, yellow peach, melon or orange zest and have smoky and floral aromas and a sapid, fresh, mineral-driven finish.

Much of Italy’s Pinot grigio hails from the Veneto, where the crisp and refreshing style is easy to maintain; the ultra-popular sparkling wine, Prosecco, comes from here as well.