Amarone is a typical Italian wine style. Amarone wines are very popular in the Vietnamese market and suit the taste of Vietnamese wine drinkers – rich, high in alcohol but very smooth, excellent quality. Let’s explore 10 secrets behind the quintessential Italian wine – Amarone.
1. Amarone was born unexpectedly
The first Amarone wine was produced accidentally when the winery wanted to make sweet Recioto wines. Recioto is a sweet wine produced from grapes that are dried, with concentrated sugar. Fermentation takes place during the conversion of sugar into alcohol. With Recioto, the fermentation stops before the sugar is fully converted, resulting in a sweet wine. However, the winemaker forgot to stop this process, causing fermentation to take place, and all the sugar was converted to alcohol, resulting in a richer, higher alcohol wine. The name Amarone means amara – Bitter. This failure turned into an unexpected success. Later Amarone became more famous and more expensive than Recioto.
2. The father of Amarone
Bertani is the leading winery in Veneto and has an important influence on the wine development of the region. Bertani was considered “The father of Amarone” with a “dry” style at first – not as sweet as it is today. The first Bertani Amarone was released in 1958.
Currently, Amarone Bertani wines are available at WeWine stores nationwide. Call 1900 636 749 or inbox Fanpage for best support and order.
3. Amarone wine making method – Appasimento
Amarone is the wine of patience. The grapes selected at harvest are of the best, perfectly ripe, and left to dry on racks for 150-180 days in an area where temperature and humidity are standard.
After this first stage, the grapes will lose water and condense the sugars. This is followed by a second grinding and fermentation where the temperature is controlled.
After 45 days of fermentation, the contact of the grape skins with the wine gives the color of Amarone. Next, the wine is aged in oak barrels to create distinct personalities for the wine. The minimum period is 2 years for Amarone and 4 years for Amarone Riserva. Depending on the manufacturer, it may take longer to brew. For example, Bertani’s Amarone Riserva will be aged for 6 years instead of 4 years.
4. Amarone is made of Corvina local grape variety
Amarone is made from local grape varieties, mainly Corvina and blended with other grape varieties such as Corvinone and Rondinella; and possibly some other local grape varieties.
The properties of Amarone are mainly influenced by the Corvina grape variety. Corvina is a very thick-skinned grape variety, with a lot of ripe red fruit aromas, high acidity, pungent taste while Corvinone has a deeper red color, more tannins and added tobacco aromas.
5. High alcohol content but you will never feel it
Amarone usually has a higher alcohol content than regular wines, ranging from 15 degrees to 17 degrees. However, when drinking Amarone, the alcohol is not felt because the structure of the wine makes the acidity and alcohol balance become balanced. During fermentation, the acidity concentrates. Therefore, creating wines with very good acidity.
Amarone is not an everyday wine. It is a wine used for special occasions. There are many who refer to it as a “Mediation” wine – enjoyed alone. However, because of its complex flavor, many people prefer it to be paired with main dishes, which are rich and rich in flavor.
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6. Amarone grows with time and live forever
Because of the characteristics of the Corvina grape variety and the winemaking method, Amarone is a wine that has lived with time. The average Amarone can grow well within 20 years and even up to 40 years if it is made by traditional methods. The longer the time, the more mature the wine and the fuller the taste.
7. Ripasso Baby Amarone
The whole grape residue, after being separated for water to make Amarone wine, will be used to soak with Valpolicella, creating a wine called Ripasso. This wine is richer and more complex than Valpolicella but lighter than Amarone. That’s why Ripasso is also known as “Baby Amarone”.
8. Amarone được làm tại Valpolicella – Thung lũng có nhiều nhà rượu
Verona – the city associated with the love story of the century Romeo and Juliet, is also the jewel of the northeastern Italian city, an hour and a half to the east of Venice by car. This town is home to historical images of the Middle Ages, and one of the foremost theaters of ancient Rome, where concerts and events are still held.
Just outside the historic city center, north and west of Lake Garda, you’ll come to the hills of Valpolicella, which in Greek means “Valley of many cellars”. It is Italy’s second-largest DOC-standard wine region. This is where Amarone is made.
9. DOCG regulations
From 2010 onwards, Amarone was upgraded from DOC to DOCG. That means from this vintage onwards there will be a DOCG stamp on the bottles. The vineyards that make Amarone are subject to extremely strict regulations with rules about limiting the yield of the vineyard, regulating the production quantity, aging time in oak barrels,…
10. Amarone is never cheap
The grapes used to make Amarone come from low-yielding vineyards and carefully selected grapes. The amount of grape juice after the grapes are dried is only half that of normal wine. Besides, the effort and time to make Amarone takes many times more than normal wines. Therefore, the price of Amarone bottles has never been cheap. A typical bottle of Amarone costs about 1-2 million VND or more. However, its value is totally worth it.
You can try Amarone wines from top wineries – Bertani, Alleglini and Buglioni at WeWine stores nationwide.
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