Amarone

Generous, seductive and very complex bouquet of cherries, plums, spices and other aromas. The taste of the "Vigneti Vallata di Marano" impresses above all with its elegance and length. A beautiful Amarone, in which strength and concentration go harmoniously together. SUPERIORE.DE

"Dark ruby with a fine garnet sheen. Concentrated nose with lightly cooked plums, pickled raisins and dried tomatoes. Round and balanced on the palate, finely meshed, grippy tannins, good pressure." Falstaff

"This shows real purity of fruit with dense and dark berries, coffee and bitter chocolate. Full and powerful." James Suckling

Amarone Selezione Antonio Castagnedi delivers high quality for its price every year: diverse aromas of violets, graphite, black cherries and minerals and a lively, structured, down-to-earth style. This richness and depth make it the perfect companion to winter cuisine. SUPERIORE.DE

"Deep dark garnet. Lush berry nose of wild berries, lush raspberry, a hint of strawberry candy and young rose petal. Balanced and polished on the palate, showing savory fruit, comforting flow, with juicy tension and a long finish." Falstaff

"The 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Antonio Castagnedi balances dark ripe fruits, sweet spices and rich mocha with savory herbs and violet florals. It’s a silky and energetic effort with cooling acids and minerals, coloring within the lines of refinement while still satiating the senses with masses of ripe black cherries. A bit of heat pokes out through on the finish, yet this is forgivable in my book, as the Antonio Castagnedi tapers off fresh to inner violet florals and a bitter twang of wild berries." Vinous

The youngest offspring of the Amarone family of Guerrieri Rizzardi comes from three cru sites in the commune of Negrar, including the best vineyard Calcarole. The grapes are dried for 3-5 months in Pojega's drying rooms without any technical aids. Accessible earlier than Villa Rizzardi or Calcarole, 3 Cru offers complex dark fruit aromas with a very pleasant sweet spice on the palate. Fresh and lively, it glides into a respectable finish with plenty of character. SUPERIORE.DE

"Powerful ruby garnet. Opens with notes of tobacco and licorice, ripe cherry behind. On the palate powerful, very well developed, grippy tannin, well integrated, long finish." Falstaff

"The 2015 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 3 CRU has a sweetly spiced and opulent bouquet, showing candied cherries, blueberries, clove, butter cream and milk chocolate. It’s deeply textural and soothing, enveloping the palate in ripe blackberries and plums with mineral underpinnings, feeling weighty but perfectly balanced by brisk acids, with a more tart set of wild berries coming forward toward the close. This finishes like a black hole of structure and residual primary fruit, which leads me to believe that a few more years of cellaring may reveal even further depths. It’s an Amarone of contrasts that keeps you coming back to the glass." Vinous

Impeccable Amarone from the Valpantena subzone with a promising bouquet of dark cherries, sweet spices and earthiness. At the palate continuous and complex with elegant reverberation. SUPERIORE.DE

"Sparkling medium dense ruby garnet. Very clear nose with notes of ripe plum, some blood orange, sealing wax in the background. Round and smooth on the palate, unfolds with ripe cherry, grippy tannin, good pressure on the final." Falstaff

The name says it all: Marne means marl soil, on which the vines for this wonderful Amarone grow. They are at least 20 years old and lie in an ideal 180° direction - from south-west to south-east. Rich, dense colour, compact bouquet with intense aromas of plum, green tea and tobacco, in the background a fine chocolate note. The powerful body changes at the palate into a dynamic taste experience with sweet fruit melting, taut tannin and long reverberation. SUPERIORE.DE

"Brilliant ruby with garnet glints. Opens with spicy notes of cardamom, some olive paste, lots of black cherry. Lots of grippy tannin on the palate, shows good nerve, coated with lots of ripe berry fruit, clean and long." Falstaff

"Aromas of crushed mint, rosemary, blue flowers and hazelnut are front and center. On the brawny palate, tightly knit, velvety tannins accompany prune, nutmeg and espresso." Wine Enthusiast

"The 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Marne 180 boasts a fruit-forward and ripe style, yet one that’s hard to resist. Here I’m finding masses of black cherries, raisins, clove, dark chocolate and a hint of undergrowth. It’s velvety-smooth and polished, quite elegant in fact, with ripe wild berries and sweet inner spice offset by stimulating acids. A coating of rounded tannins lingers, but it never gets in the way of this showy wine's performance." Vinous

"There's a sense of finesse to this concentrated red, with the fine tannins providing a plush frame for well-knit flavors of ripe red and black currant, wild sage, red licorice and graphite-laced mineral that linger on the mouthwatering finish." Wine Spectator

"The flashy dark fruit here is impressive and captivates while running through various shades of dark licorice, dark cherries and dark plums. Hints of tee-tree and eucalyptus oil. Full-bodied and plush, yet tightly woven and rather savory. This is a delicious Amarone with a powerful, chewy backbone of tannins. Drink from 2023." James Suckling

"Referring to the marly soil and 180-degree exposure, Tedeschi's Marne 180 is crafted from the estate's hillside vineyards in eastern Valpolicella. Besides the requisite Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella, it includes a handful of lesser-known grape varieties indigenous to the zone - like Negrara, Rossignola, Forselina and Croatina. An exuberant Amarone that is youthful and clean, this has aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and mint which tumble out of the glass then give way to pure dark cherry and sandalwood. Full, rich and luscious, it has smooth, caressing tannins and bright acid to refresh, lingering with plum and dried violet. This epitomises the vibrancy of the 2016 vintage." Decanter

Zenato's Amarone is all about elegance, with ripe fruit at the heart of its inviting bouquet with light tones of aromatic herbs. On the palate, its overripe power and warm, expansive flavor are evident. SUPERIORE.DE

"Powerful, sparkling ruby. Very appealing and complex nose of plum, black cherry and a touch of leather. Good concentration on the palate, shows itself also quite juicy, plump fruit, fine-meshed tannin, in the final firm pressure." Falstaff

"Zesty, vibrant and exotic, the 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico makes a serious impression with its unique bouquet of dried roses, lime zest, cherry sauce, plums and a dusting of crushed violet candies. It’s silky and pliant in texture, motivated by juicy acids, with a mix of ripe strawberry, pomegranate and cranberry sauce, as balsamic spices and hints of almond come forward toward the close. There is so much going on here, as the 2016 resonates on wild berry fruit and sweet inner florals. This may be a more opulent expression of the vintage, but it’s built to last, and sure to win a lot of fans." Vinous

Beautiful Amarone Riserva with well proportioned aromas of ripe dark fruit and noble notes of leather, spices and sweet tobacco. Flowing dense and full-bodied with remarkable depth, breadth and purity across the palate. An opulent wine that lingers long and very harmonious. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for the Amarone classic of the house come from the vineyards of the ancestral seat in Negrar, the vast majority of them from the top location Pojega from vines that are about 35 years old. They are 100% dried in small crates in the historic rooms of Pojega. The 2013 edition offers an ideal balance between bright acidity and extract sweetness. Full-bodied and concentrated, but always fresh and lively. An Amarone that brings all the components to age superbly. SUPERIORE.DE

"Villa Rizzardi comes from the Pojega vineyard, at the heart of the Guerrieri Rizzardi estate when it was founded at the beginning of the 19th century. Here, 30-year-old vines are planted on clay and limestone soil. Winemaking is focused on long ageing, with one year in barrel and two years in large botti. The result is a crowd-pleasing wine with a precise definition of fruit alongside overt oaky notes of vanilla and a supple mouthfeel despite very high extract." Decanter

"The 2013 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Villa Rizzardi is a rich and decadent style, showing plum sauce and ripe black cherries with notes of milk chocolate and sweet tobacco. It’s velvety-smooth and glyceral in feel, mixing ripe red and black fruits with contrasting notes of cinnamon, bitter coffee, dark chocolate and licorice. Powerful, concentrated and structured, this lingers on the palate for well over a minute. While ready to please today, the Villa Rizzardi will also excel through medium-term cellaring. I must say that this is really quite enjoyable." Vinous

The star from Tenuta Sant'Antonio: A rich dark ruby red, its scent of wild fruits, black pepper, tobacco and spices is a delight for the nose. Fruity and full-bodied, yet velvety and very sophisticated in its character - an austere, elegant Amarone, whose terrificfinish is accompanied by noble tannins. SUPERIORE.DE

"Aged three years in tonneaux and produced with a minimum of added sulphur - and that's an achievement in Amarone: clean-bodied nose, warm-scented black cherries, herbs and dark chocolate; pithy construction with robust, crisp tannins, shows character through to the final." Vinum

"This is quite an unusual Amarone with plenty of black pepper, blackberry bush and eucalyptus, punctuating an otherwise blackberry-focused nose. peppery and spicy. Full-bodied, open-knit and fruit-forward. Juicy on the finish." James Suckling

"The 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Campo dei Gigli is youthfully inward and understated with a display of mineral-tinged blackberries, dried flowers and hints of animal musk. The textures are silky, ushering in a balanced mix of savory red fruits, wild herbs and inner florals that amass toward the close. Cooling acids linger, adding freshness as notes of hard red candies and a hint of licorice slowly taper off." Vinous

Pietro dal Cero thrives on the extensive and sunny Luxinum vineyard at the foot of the Monti Lessini. A magnificent dark ruby red Amarone. Its lush aromas range from sweet floral nuances, fruity sour cherry and blackberry to balsamic notes such as star anise and merge in the complex bouquet. On the palate there are hints of dark chocolate, memories of tobacco, coffee and cardamom, as well as a hint of mint. A full-bodied, complex wine, the pronounced tannin caresses the palate velvety, a fresh lively acidity brings lightness and freshness to the long finish, which benefits from nutty accents. SUPERIORE.DE

"A blue-fruit-tinged Amarone, this shows lots of dark cherries, treacle tart, Chinese plum liqueur and Christmas pudding, as well as hints of tar. Full body, ripe and round tannins, pretty acidity and a full-throttle finish." James Suckling

"Dense sweet chocolate, sultana and sweet spice nose. Big, round, intense and deep palate of sweet ripe fruit and spice; long, fresh finish." Decanter

Strong garnet red colour, the bouquet reminds of dried fruits, in addition liquorice and discreet spices. In the taste the wine is full and velvety with a breath of cherry and vanilla. Polished tannins, a fine salt note and a well-dosed acidity lead this extremely elegant Amarone into a brilliant finish. SUPERIORE.DE

"Dark, rich ruby garnet. Noble spice tones on the nose, of fruit tea, dried rose hips and a hint of blood orange, reverberating with mint and dark chocolate. Rich and lush on the palate, spreads out with great compactness and fruit sweetness, tautly drawn, juicy finish." Falstaff

"Very attractive dried fruit, such as plums, with fig and walnut undertones. Full-bodied with round, polished tannins that are chewy, but very smooth. Flavorful finish." James Suckling

"There’s a dark, mineral-driven complexity to the 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico that keeps you coming back to the glass over and over again. Sometimes it’s licorice, sometimes blackberry or maraschino cherry, but always backed by a mix of autumnal spice, sour citrus and hints of animal musk that intrigue the senses. Velvety-smooth and almost creamy in weight, as sweet red fruits flesh out, taking on nuances of violet candies and cloves toward the close. This is pure elegance, dense yet balanced, and delivering a layer of fine tannins that linger long, as hints of bitter coffee and dark chocolate slowly fade. All of this, and at an amazingly respectable 15.5% abv. Bravo." Vinous

Intense, bright colour, very clear scent of ripe cherries, a bit of plums, cloves and white pepper in the background. Grandiose fruit on the palate, much grippy tannin, long. An exciting, still quite young wine with enormous potential for many, many years. SUPERIORE.DE

"An Amarone that shows balance, depth and beauty. Full-bodied yet showing a refined and ultra-fine texture. Intense finish of light chocolate, nuts and ripe berries. Goes on for minutes on the finish. A triumph." James Suckling