Vallena, Amarone Della Valpolicella, Veneto, Italy 2017

Description

Grapes: 55% Corvina, 25% Corvinone and 20% Rondinella

A rich, dry Italian red wine characterized by its complexity and intense flavors. Amarone della Valpolicella, Vallena is a robust and full-bodied red wine from the Veneto region, primarily made from the Corvina grape. It offers a deep, dry, and complex flavor profile.

Bright red. The clean aromas of red cherry and berries are enhanced by a floral touch. Initially sweet with a nice glycerine sensation in the mouth, it follows a slightly bitter note with a noticeable tannic bite on the lively flavors of red fruits. Classically dry finishes with a hint of heat derived from the significant alcoholic content.

Lots of contradictions here, starting with a Vento estate with more than 200 years of history that just started making Amarone in vintage 2010.  And that has still yet to be reviewed by any major wine critic, even though they make one of the finest “traditional” styled Amarone we’ve tasted in years. This is 55% Corvina, 25% Corvinone and 20% Rondinella from vines planted between 1969 and 2000. After 90+ days of drying the wine ferments to dryness and then ages two years in small casks and two years more in larger Slavonian oak barrels.

As you’d expect, it’s big (15%) and dark, with powerful aromas and flavors of dried plum, black cherry, dark chocolate, spice and cured tobacco. There’s a pleasing sweetness and density to the fruit, but the finish turns dry, savory and very complex.  Delicious now and even better over the next 8-10 years. And excellent value.