Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella 2018

Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella comes from the most revered address in the Veneto, a winery whose handwritten labels and long cellar ageing have set the standard for the region. Amarone is made by appassimento: bunches of Corvina, Molinara and Rondinella are laid out to dry for several months after harvest, losing water and concentrating their sugar, acid and phenolics. The raisined grapes are then slowly fermented to full dryness, which is what gives Amarone its high alcohol, here 16.5 percent, and its dense, savoury depth. Long ageing in large oak casks adds slow oxidation, building dried-fruit and spice complexity while keeping the tannins fine. The wine is deep garnet, almost opaque, with dried fig, prune, black cherry and plum on the nose, deepened by cocoa, tobacco, leather and sweet spice. The palate is full and concentrated, warming but balanced, with firm structure and a very long finish. This is grown under respectful farming. Serve at 18 degrees Celsius and decant well ahead. It suits braised beef, game and hard mountain cheese.