Amarone

Amarone – a red wine from Valpolicella

Amarone is one of Italy's most distinctive red wines. Its defining feature begins where the harvest ends for most wines: selected grapes from the Valpolicella area are dried after picking and fermented only weeks later. This appassimento process not only concentrates their components, but continues to transform the berries during drying. It lays the foundation for the combination of richness, warmth, spice and depth that gives Amarone its unmistakable character.

Yet great Amarone cannot be explained by dried grapes alone. Between the historic Valpolicella Classico area in the west, Valpantena and the valleys east of Verona, altitude, exposure, soils and microclimate vary considerably. Grape composition, appassimento, fermentation, ageing and vintage add further layers of difference. Amarone can therefore be powerful without feeling heavy, ripe without tasting sweet, and concentrated without losing freshness.

• Origin: Amarone della Valpolicella is a DOCG from the province of Verona. "Classico" and "Valpantena" are protected geographical designations.
• Grapes: Corvina Veronese and/or Corvinone, together with Rondinella, form the core of the blend.
• Appassimento: Selected grapes are dried after harvest in suitable rooms known as "fruttai".
• Style: Amarone is a dry red wine of naturally high concentration, yet its stylistic range can be remarkably broad.
• Ageing: Amarone must mature for at least two years, while Riserva requires at least four years, calculated from the respective statutory dates.

What is Amarone della Valpolicella?

Amarone della Valpolicella is a red wine made from dried grapes and may be produced only within its defined area of origin in the province of Verona. Amarone is therefore neither a grape variety nor a generic term for particularly powerful Italian red wine.

Its identity rests on two inseparable elements: its origin in the Valpolicella area and the appassimento process. The grapes first ripen in the vineyard and are then selected for drying after harvest. Only afterwards does vinification begin.

Amarone della Valpolicella has held its own DOCG status since 2010. Amarone had already been officially recognised as a wine type within the former Valpolicella denomination in 1968. The tradition of making wine from dried grapes around Verona, however, reaches back much further.

The Valpolicella area

The Amarone production zone extends across the hills north and east of Verona and covers all or part of 19 municipalities. From the western edge near Lake Garda, it runs through Valpolicella Classico and Valpantena to the valleys of Mezzane, Illasi and Tramigna in the east.

This landscape is far less uniform than the famous name might suggest. Limestone and dolomitic formations alternate with basaltic soils as well as morainic and alluvial deposits. Altitude, slope and exposure also vary substantially. Vineyards range from lower sites to higher positions along the pre-Alpine foothills.

Lake Garda has a moderating climatic influence in the west, while the Lessini Mountains form a natural boundary to the north. Between them, a series of valleys opens southwards towards the plain of Verona.

For Amarone, this diversity is particularly important. Appassimento can only develop what the vineyard has already provided. Acidity, phenolic ripeness, berry size and aromatic potential are not created in the drying room. The quality of an Amarone therefore begins long before appassimento.

Classico and Valpantena

"Amarone della Valpolicella Classico" comes from the historic core area in the west. It comprises the five municipalities of Negrar, Marano, Fumane, Sant'Ambrogio di Valpolicella and San Pietro in Cariano. "Classico" denotes geographical origin and is not automatically a higher quality category.

"Valpantena" is likewise an officially protected geographical designation. It refers to the valley of the same name immediately north of Verona.

Beyond these areas lies the extensive remainder of the DOCG production zone, including areas around Verona and the valleys of Mezzane, Illasi and Tramigna. There is no third collective geographical designation on Amarone labels equivalent to "Classico" or "Valpantena" for these areas.

This geographical differentiation alone shows why Amarone should not be understood solely through its production method. A higher, well-ventilated vineyard provides different starting conditions from a warmer, lower-lying site. How clearly those differences emerge in the finished wine then depends on the choices of the producer.

Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella

Amarone does not follow a single fixed grape recipe. Current regulations require Corvina Veronese and/or Corvinone to account for a combined 45 to 95 percent, while Rondinella must make up 5 to 30 percent. Additional permitted red varieties may contribute up to 25 percent in total within precisely defined individual limits.

Corvina is the central grape of the Valpolicella area. It often combines ripe cherry fruit with lively acidity and possesses characteristics that make it particularly well suited to appassimento. Corvinone is a distinct grape variety in its own right and may account for a substantial proportion of the blend. Rondinella completes the traditional core.

Some producers also work with varieties such as Oseleta, Croatina or Molinara alongside other permitted red grapes. This freedom within clearly defined limits is one reason why Amarone cannot be reduced to a single stylistic formula.

A wine with a very high proportion of Corvina may develop differently from a blend in which Corvinone or minor local varieties play a greater role. The decisive factor remains their interaction with origin, vintage and vinification.

Appassimento

After harvest, the grapes destined for Amarone are carefully selected and stored in a way that allows air to circulate between them. Traditionally they were laid out on racks; today shallow crates are frequently used. The dedicated drying rooms are known as "fruttai".

The Consorzio cites around 100 to 120 days as a typical duration for appassimento. The production regulations themselves, however, do not prescribe a general minimum number of drying days. Instead, they specify the conditions under which drying may take place and stipulate that the grapes may not normally be vinified before 1 December. In exceptional climatic circumstances, the Veneto Region may authorise an earlier start.

During appassimento, the grapes lose water, concentrating sugars, polyphenols and other constituents. At the same time, further complex changes continue within the berries. Appassimento is therefore far more than simply turning grapes into semi-dried fruit.

Temperature, humidity and air circulation all play an important role. The regulations permit technical control of the drying environment provided temperatures remain consistent with traditional drying conditions. Dehydration through the use of heat is not permitted.

The duration and conditions of appassimento are among the most important stylistic decisions in Amarone production. Longer drying is not automatically better. The essential question is how successfully a producer balances concentration, freshness and healthy fruit.

Amarone and Recioto

Amarone and Recioto della Valpolicella are closely related. Both are made from dried grapes and draw on the traditional grape varieties of the Valpolicella area.

The decisive difference lies in fermentation. In sweet Recioto, a substantial proportion of the natural grape sugar remains in the wine. In Amarone, alcoholic fermentation proceeds much further, producing a dry red wine.

This also helps explain the name: "Amarone" points to the Italian "amaro", meaning bitter, and historically marks the contrast with sweet Recioto. Numerous stories surround the supposed accidental creation of the first Amarone from a Recioto that fermented completely dry. Attractive as that anecdote may be, it does not provide a secure historical explanation for the development of the wine as a whole.

Despite being dry, Amarone can feel remarkably soft and ripe on the palate. High alcohol, concentrated fruit, extract and some residual sugar can create an impression of sweetness without making Amarone a sweet wine.

Why Amarone is not all the same

Few Italian wine classics offer as many stylistic variables during production as Amarone.

It begins with origin. Altitude, exposure, soil and microclimate determine the starting conditions of the grapes. Vintage influences ripeness, acidity and fruit health. The composition of the blend affects structure and aromatic profile.

Then comes appassimento. Grape selection, duration, airflow and the course of drying all help determine how the berries change. Fermentation, extraction and maceration follow during vinification, before ageing adds another layer of stylistic choice.

Two Amarone wines from the same DOCG can therefore differ considerably. One may show dark fruit, great density and pronounced warmth, while another is more red-fruited, firmer and more clearly driven by acidity. Some Amarone wines are accessible relatively early, while others only reveal their full complexity after extended bottle ageing.

Even high alcohol does not automatically produce heaviness. What matters is the balance between alcohol, fruit, acidity, tannin and extract.

The once common division between "traditionalists" and "modernists" is also of limited value today. Large casks, tonneaux and barriques are tools. Their mere use says little on its own about the style or quality of the finished wine.

Vineyards and vintages

Amarone does not have a comprehensive official cru system comparable with the MGA of Barolo. Individual vineyards may nevertheless appear explicitly on the label.

The regulations permit the term "vigna" together with a registered place name, provided the relevant conditions are met and the grapes, appassimento, vinification and ageing are documented separately.

A single-vineyard designation is therefore not automatically a higher quality category. Some producers use an individual parcel to express a particular site as precisely as possible. Others deliberately blend fruit from several vineyards to combine different qualities.

Vintage is equally far from irrelevant. The harvest year must appear on an Amarone label. This also makes sense from a viticultural perspective: temperature, rainfall and the course of the growing season shape not only grape ripeness but also the condition and suitability of the fruit for the subsequent appassimento process.

Amarone Riserva

Amarone della Valpolicella must mature for at least two years, calculated from 1 January following the harvest year. Amarone Riserva requires at least four years of ageing, calculated from 1 November of the harvest year.

"Riserva" therefore refers first and foremost to a legally defined longer ageing period. It does not automatically indicate a single vineyard, particular grape varieties or a prescribed type of ageing vessel.

Many producers go considerably beyond the statutory minimum for their Riserva wines and combine the category with stricter selection or particularly long maturation. Those are individual producer choices rather than part of the general DOCG definition.

High-quality Amarone has substantial ageing potential. With time, fresh and dried fruit aromas can give way to more complex notes of spice, balsamic nuances, tobacco and earth. How long a particular wine benefits from ageing depends on vintage, producer, style and storage conditions. There is no single universally valid figure.

From the appassimento tradition to Amarone

The history of Amarone does not begin with Amarone itself. Drying grapes has been part of the wine culture of the Valpolicella area for centuries, and historical sources refer to sweet wines made from dried grapes long before modern Amarone emerged.

The dry style developed much later. The official production regulations date the first commercial bottle of Amarone della Valpolicella to 1953. Amarone was officially recognised within the denomination in 1968, and Amarone della Valpolicella received its own DOCG status in 2010.

Amarone is therefore both old and young: old in its appassimento tradition, young as a clearly defined dry wine classic.

This development also helps explain much of its contemporary diversity. Within only a few decades, a traditional regional method gave rise to one of Italy's most internationally recognised red wines. Its success changed vineyard practices, drying technology and cellar work as well. Today, the stylistic spectrum extends far beyond the old image of Amarone as a wine defined above all by sheer power and opulence.

Amarone producers at SUPERIORE.DE

The Amarone selection at SUPERIORE.DE offers an excellent view of just how differently this wine can be interpreted:

• Bertani has an exceptionally long vintage history with its Amarone Classico. Its own library stocks reach back to the 1958 vintage and provide tangible evidence of the ageing potential of this style.
• Giuseppe Quintarelli is one of the defining names of Amarone. The estate in Negrar combines rigorous selection with exceptionally long maturation and produces Amarone only in suitably successful vintages. In other years, "Rosso del Bepi" may be produced instead.
• Tedeschi has vinified Monte Olmi separately since 1964. The vineyard in Pedemonte is therefore one of the early examples of a consistent single-vineyard approach in the Valpolicella area.
• Brigaldara offers a particularly clear illustration of origin within a single estate. Alongside wines from Valpolicella Classico, Case Vecie comes from high-altitude vineyards near Grezzana at around 450 metres.
• Romano Dal Forno represents the eastern part of the Valpolicella area. The estate is located in the Illasi Valley, and its first Amarone vintage was produced in 1983. Precise vineyard work and highly controlled cellar techniques shape the house's distinctive style.
• Allegrini complements its Amarone Classico with Fieramonte, a separately interpreted vineyard in historic Valpolicella Classico that is bottled as Amarone Classico Riserva.
• Guerrieri Rizzardi owns its Valpolicella vineyards in Valpolicella Classico around Negrar and demonstrates with Calcarole how strongly an individual vineyard can establish its own identity within an Amarone range.
• Zýmè works with a broad spectrum of traditional varieties in its Amarone Classico and complements the regular bottling with La Mattonara, a Classico Riserva.

Zenato, Tenuta Sant'Antonio, Campagnola, Graziano Prà and Ca' dei Frati add further interpretations and origins to the SUPERIORE.DE range. The selection makes one thing particularly clear: the DOCG defines a common framework, but by no means a single Amarone style.

Buy Amarone online at SUPERIORE.DE

When choosing Amarone, alcohol, price or presumed power should not be the only criteria. Origin and producer can tell you at least as much about what to expect from the wine.

"Classico" and "Valpantena" provide geographical orientation. Single-vineyard wines can express a more narrowly defined sense of place. Riserva indicates a longer legally required period of maturation. Beyond these categories, grape composition, appassimento and ageing help determine whether an Amarone places greater emphasis on density and richness or on tension, freshness and long-term development.

At SUPERIORE.DE you will find Amarone from long-established estates and distinctive younger producers, from Valpolicella Classico as well as Valpantena and the eastern parts of the Valpolicella area.

Discover Amarone della Valpolicella and find the style that best matches your idea of this exceptional Italian red wine.

For anyone wishing to explore Amarone in greater depth, the following answers cover the most important questions about origin, grape varieties, appassimento, Riserva and ageing potential.

Questions and answers about Amarone

What is Amarone?

Amarone della Valpolicella is a dry red wine made from dried grapes grown within a defined area in the province of Verona. It has held DOCG status since 2010. Its distinctive production method is known as appassimento.

Which grape varieties are used for Amarone?

Corvina Veronese and/or Corvinone must together account for 45 to 95 percent, while Rondinella must make up 5 to 30 percent. Other permitted red varieties may be included within defined limits. Amarone therefore does not have one universally fixed grape blend.

Is Amarone dry or sweet?

Amarone is a dry red wine. Because it is made from dried, very ripe grapes and generally has high levels of alcohol and extract, it may nevertheless feel soft and slightly sweet on the palate. This distinguishes it from Recioto della Valpolicella, which is produced as a sweet wine.

What does appassimento mean?

Appassimento is the process of drying selected grapes after harvest. For Amarone, the grapes are kept in well-ventilated drying rooms known as "fruttai" before vinification. They lose water while their composition continues to change, increasing concentration and influencing the structure and aromatic character of the finished wine.

How long are Amarone grapes dried?

The Consorzio describes around 100 to 120 days as typical. The production regulations do not, however, prescribe a general minimum number of drying days. As a rule, the grapes may not be vinified before 1 December unless an earlier start is authorised because of exceptional climatic conditions.

What does Amarone Classico mean?

"Classico" refers to the historic core of the Valpolicella area comprising the municipalities of Negrar, Marano, Fumane, Sant'Ambrogio di Valpolicella and San Pietro in Cariano. It is a geographical designation, not automatically a higher quality category.

What is Amarone Valpantena?

Amarone della Valpolicella Valpantena comes from the defined Valpantena valley north of Verona. Alongside "Classico", "Valpantena" is the second geographical designation officially permitted for Amarone.

What is the difference between Amarone and Valpolicella Ripasso?

Amarone is made directly from dried grapes. Valpolicella Ripasso is a separate DOC wine: an already fermented Valpolicella undergoes a second fermentation on the remaining grape skins and solids from Amarone or Recioto. This typically gives Ripasso more alcohol, extract and structure, without it being made from dried grapes in the same way as Amarone.

What does Riserva mean for Amarone?

Amarone Riserva must mature for at least four years, calculated from 1 November of the harvest year. Regular Amarone requires at least two years from 1 January following the harvest year. Riserva therefore refers primarily to the legally required ageing period and does not automatically indicate a vineyard, grape composition or type of ageing vessel.

Why is Amarone so high in alcohol?

During appassimento the grapes lose water, concentrating sugar and other constituents. When much of this concentrated sugar is subsequently fermented, a correspondingly high level of alcohol is produced. The required minimum actual alcohol content of finished Amarone is 14 percent by volume.

Can Amarone age well?

Yes. High-quality Amarone can develop for many years and, in suitable cases, for decades. Vintage, producer, balance, structure and storage conditions are decisive. With bottle age, more complex spicy, balsamic and tertiary aromas often become increasingly prominent.

What food goes with Amarone?

Amarone works particularly well with richly flavoured meat dishes, braised meats, game and mature cheeses. The style of the individual wine matters, however: firmer, fresher Amarone can be remarkably versatile at the table, while very concentrated and mature examples generally call for dishes of comparable intensity.

Amarone is far more than a concentrated red wine made from dried grapes. Only the interaction of origin, grape varieties, appassimento, vintage and producer choices reveals its true diversity. Understanding these factors means discovering not one single style behind one of Italy's most famous wine names, but an entire wine landscape. SUPERIORE.DE