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Viinin Kuvailu
The Story
Amarone differs from Valpolicella for two simple reasons. The first concerns the duration of the drying process, which in the case of Amarone can be prolonged to three months instead of one and a half months.
The second instead refers to the age of the vines. Our company’s philosophy considers that, in order to produce Amarone, only the grapes that are harvested from vines which are older than ten years can be used. The younger vines are therefore only used in the production of Valpolicella. Not with standing these two differences and other small variations with regards to the percentage of the different grapes used, it can be said that these two wines are almost identical, in the sense that the underlying process of their production and aging are exactly the same.
In saying this, Amarone can be distinguished from its smaller brother by its strength and elegance. Undoubtedly the complexity of this wine is superior in respect to that of Valpolicella and has its place in the category of wines that are usually defined as “meditation wines”. Subtle aromatic hints, that range from black cherry, blueberry to chocolate, anticipate the opulent expression of mature fruit that flows into the mouth with inadvertent persistence. Nuances of truffle, tobacco and new leather wrap around the finish.
It is a wine with undiscovered potential, but whose depth leaves one hoping that it has a very long development ahead of it.
Vuosikerta 1996
Italy Vintage Report by Tb: 1996 was an excellent continuation of the preceding year. Temperatures exceeding 30°C at the beginning of June accelerated and balanced the start of the blooming period. The summer growing season enjoyed ideal conditions, in which the grapes were allowed to ripen slowly and evenly. The autumn rains did not present any mould problems due to the cool temperatures. Nebbiolo grapes were thick-skinned, very concentrated and ripe. The 1996 Barolos and Barbarescos are abundantly fruity, supple and robust wines, whose quality is on a par with the 1990 vintage. In Tuscany Chianti and Montalcino enjoyed extraordinary success. Montepulciano did not do quite as well, but producers in Tuscany considered 1996 to be nearly every bit as good as it was in 1995. Starting with this vintage Angelo Gaja classified his legendary single-vineyard Barbarescos and Barolos as IGTs. Gaja said that the reason for doing this was his desire to differentiate his previous modern single-vintage wines from his family’s pride, the traditional Barbaresco, whose importance he wanted to emphasise as his only DOCG wine. The venerable Chianti producer, Castello di Ama decided that from 1996 on it would focus on the production of Chianti Classico, placing less emphasis on its single-vineyard wines, the Bellavista and La Casuccia.
The wines are still maturing very nicely, even if the Chiantis should, in my opinion, be enjoyed soon due to their sheer deliciousness.