Begali Monte Cà Bianca Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Reserva 2019

Begali is one of Valpolicella's reference producers in Veneto and a member of the Famiglie Storiche association formed to protect traditional Amarone. This Riserva from the Monte Ca Bianca vineyard blends Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella with a little Oseleta, an old local grape that adds colour and tannin. The wine is made by appassimento, the method that defines Amarone: healthy grapes are dried for several months, which dehydrates the berries and concentrates their sugar, colour and phenolics before a slow fermentation to a powerful dry red of 16.5% alcohol. As a Riserva it ages longer than standard Amarone, here around forty months in oak, where extended oxygen exchange resolves the dense tannin, builds savoury complexity and adds spice, walnut and leather tones. The wine is deep garnet, with concentrated dried cherry, plum and fig over dark chocolate, prune, clove and leather. The palate is full bodied and warming, with ripe, firm tannin, a touch of bittersweetness from the drying and a very long, spiced finish. Decant an hour and serve at 18C in a large glass with rich braised meats, game and aged cheese, or sip it slowly on its own.