Buy Amarone della Valpolicella | Direct from the Winemaker

What is Amarone della Valpolicella?

Amarone della Valpolicella is one of the great red wines of Italy, made in the Valpolicella hills north of Verona. The name loosely translates as "the great bitter one", a reference to the dry character that sets it apart from the sweet Recioto. An Amarone is full, powerful and complex, with aromas of dried cherries, plums, spices and chocolate, an alcohol level of 15 to 17 percent and an ageing potential of 15 to 20 years.

The appassimento method: dried grapes

The secret of Amarone is the appassimento method. After the hand harvest, the grapes, at least 45 percent Corvina complemented by Rondinella and other local varieties, dry for three to four months on wooden racks in well-ventilated drying rooms. The grapes lose about a third of their weight: sugars, colour and aromas concentrate. After vinification the wine matures for at least two years in barrel, a Riserva at least four. The result is a concentrated, velvety wine made nowhere else in the world quite like this.

Amarone styles at a glance

Style	Ageing	Character	Best with
Amarone Classico DOCG	Min. 2 years	Full, velvety, dried fruit	Beef, game, braised dishes
Amarone Riserva DOCG	Min. 4 years	Even deeper, tobacco, leather	Mature cheese, special occasions
Recioto della Valpolicella	Like Amarone, sweet	Sweet, concentrated, cherry jam	Chocolate desserts, blue cheese

How long can you age Amarone?

Amarone is an excellent wine to cellar. Drunk young (under 5 years) it shows dried fruit, chocolate and spices. Between 5 and 15 years, notes of tobacco, leather and earth develop, for many lovers the high point. Top Amarones and Riservas age effortlessly for 20 years. Store the bottles lying down, in the dark, at a constant 12 to 16 degrees.

Serving Amarone

Serve Amarone at 16 to 18 degrees in a large Burgundy glass and open the bottle one to two hours in advance; young Amarones benefit from a carafe. A tip from Veneto: risotto all'Amarone, in which the wine cooks along in the risotto, is one of the most famous dishes of the region.

What to eat with Amarone?

Dish	Recommended style
Braised beef, ossobuco, game	Amarone Classico
Risotto all'Amarone, truffle dishes	Amarone Classico
Mature Parmesan, pecorino	Amarone Riserva
Chocolate desserts, blue cheese	Recioto

Buy Amarone at ONWINE

At ONWINE you buy Amarone della Valpolicella directly from the winemaker, including the family estates Cottini Marco and Ca Matta from the hills of Veneto. The winemaker sets the price and the range, without middlemen: you pay a fair price and more of your purchase goes to the people who actually make the wine. Prefer to taste Amarone first? Choose a Valpolicella tasting pack or visit our wine store in Utrecht.

Amarone della Valpolicella

25 Products

'I Monti' Recioto della Valpolicella Classico DOCG

The winemaker determines price and supply

Order wine easily, directly from the local farmer