Amarone della Valpolicella – panel tasting results
See what our judges thought about Amarone in this panel tasting from the May 2017 issue of Decanter magazine...
Top Amarone – the scores:
Exceptional – 0
Outstanding – 2
Highly Recommended – 25
Recommended – 82
Commended – 46
Fair – 11
Poor – 0
Faulty – 0
The judges:
Andrea Briccarello, Michael Garner & Susan Hulme MW
View the tasting notes and scores for all 166 wines here
Quality, typicity and vintage variation
Our tasters were cheeringly upbeat after tasting their way through 166 Amarones – by definition a high-alcohol and robust style.
‘There were some excellent wines here, and the tasting was surprisingly easy to enjoy, with well-tamed alcohol and good balance in most of the wines,’ said Andrea Briccarello. ‘The quality was there, and there was typicity.’
With more than 65% of wines Recommended and above, this was a fine tasting that emphasised vintage variation and importance of producer name.
Looking to expand your wine horizons, or after great gift ideas?
Decanter Premium brings you tons of exclusive online content and over 1,000 new wine reviews every month
The top Amarone della Valpolicella wines of the tasting:
Final thoughts
Susan Hulme MW agreed that producer name is vital – pointing out that this drives pricing more than whether or not a wine is classico. ‘Amarone is about winemaking as much as anything else. Decisions around drying the grapes, length of appassimento, and time fermenting on skins make dramatic differences to style and quality.’
The top wines have amazing ageing potential, said Garner, but in general he wouldn’t advise long-term cellaring. ‘One of the great things about Amarone is its approachability. There are a few long-distance runners, but they’re more about palate roundness, ripe softness and richness. Drink them within 10 years of the vintage.’
Enjoy these wines at the end of a meal, said our tasters, or with Oriental food, where the residual sugar will contrast with and even magnify the spice.
You might also like:
Top Valpolicella Superiore: Panel tasting results
Tommasi Amarone Classico: A tasting full of surprises
Dal Forno Amarone: 1988-2010
Cà dei Maghi, Amarone della Valpolicella, Classico, Veneto, Italy, 2011
The nose here is reminiscent of lovely clean morello cherries mixed with chocolate cake. It is extremely elegant, a rich and powerful red forest fruit...
2011
Cà dei MaghiAmarone della Valpolicella
Tommasi, Ca' Florian, Amarone della Valpolicella, Classico, Veneto, Italy, 2009
Smoky, autumnal aromas and flavours float around the glass. On first impression it is super silky, with mature notes of liquorice, raisin, brown sugar and...
2009
TommasiAmarone della Valpolicella
Bottega, Prêt À Porter, Amarone della Valpolicella, Classico, Veneto, Italy, 2011
Immediately vanilla and creamy blackcurrant aromas spring at you from the glass. These are followed quickly by intense plums and chocolate in a sensual mix...
2011
BottegaAmarone della Valpolicella
Guerrieri Rizzardi, Calcarole, Amarone della Valpolicella, Classico, Veneto, Italy, 2011
Calcarole is only produced in the best years and in limited quantities. The chalky, limestone soil of the vineyard produces a fine-textured, delicate, floral wine....
2011
Guerrieri RizzardiAmarone della Valpolicella
Alpha Zeta, A, Amarone della Valpolicella, Veneto, Italy, 2013
A melange of sweet vanilla oak, plums and cherry stones are complemented by herbs and a touch of treacle. These flavours are offset by well...
2013
Alpha ZetaAmarone della Valpolicella
