The Famiglie Storiche present the Amarone: tasting the latest vintages at Bottega del Vino

Despite the controversy between the association and the Consorzio Vini della Valpolicella, to have a complete idea of how the Amarone territory is moving, it is also important to taste the wineries that have contributed to the success and growth of the most famous Veronese wine in the world. Unmissable, therefore, the appointment at the Antica Bottega del Vino - historic wine shop that along via Mazzini, taken over in 2011 by the Famiglie Storiche and led by Luca Nicolis, always recognized internationally for its wide wine list - where the 13 associated wineries organized a mini-event / tasting of the latest Amarone on the market for each of them: mainly the basic vintage label 2015, but not only, all united by marked temperate heat by a remarkable flavor and balsamic component.
The wines served by the chief sommelier Alberto Bongiovanni, therefore, were decidedly intense, thanks to a year with frequent heat peaks but not dry, which allowed bringing healthy and ripe grapes to the cellar. This is the case of Allegrini’s Amarone Classico 2015, one of the oldest farms in Valpolicella, founded in the 14th century and has always been at the forefront both in the vineyard and in the cellar: with scents of flowers and cherry, with a good balsamic component, the wine develops central and warm with a peppery finish. Always very fragrant (violet) and warm, with a deep and crunchy sip of blackberry, is the classic 2015 version of Begali, which is based in San Pietro in Cariano and which has 12 hectares of vineyards, with the first bottling dated 1986. It has the grace of the rose, both on the nose and on the sip (sweet at the entrance and slightly almondy at the end) the Cesari family's Amarone Classico 2011 by Brigaldara, who acquired the villa in the 30s of the 1900s, now reaching 50 hectares divided between olive groves and vineyards.
Violet and pink, small red fruits, pomegranate, and cherry is the aromatic palette that proposes the fresh Amarone Classico 2011 by Guerrieri Rizzardi, a house born from the union of two noble families from Verona, who recognizes Negrar as the cradle of his crus, to which the 70s added the Soave estate. We return to 2015 with the Masi Amarone Classico owned by the Boscaini family, which from Veneto to Trentino to Argentina has developed a remarkable technical experience, especially on the drying of the grapes: their wine is very deep, cherry in spirit, hot spices and intense balsamic herbs, with a dry sip. The comfort of fruity sweetness on the nose and a long fresh and adherent and finally savory sip, Musella’s Amarone 2013, a company founded by Emilio Pasqua, firmly biodynamic, located south of Valpolicella surrounded by a rich and harmonious park.
Cherry and peach sweet with delicate aromatic herbs, to introduce a sip with a strong but juicy tannin: here is Speri’s Amarone Classico 2015, which can count on 7 generations of historical experience, passionately faithful to Valpolicella and its native vines. Tedeschi (led today by the brothers Antonietta, Sabrina and Riccardo, heirs of the foresight of his father Lorenzo who produced among the first cru of Amarone in 1964) presented two wines, including Amarone Marne 180 2016: decidedly balsamic and dark, it welcomes the mouth with an intense sip, sweet and fruity with a peppery and fresh finish. Tenuta Sant’Antonio: the company - managed by the 4 Castagnedi brothers, which is investing in research and technology to reduce the intervention on the vine and wine as much as possible - presented the 2015 Amarone Antonio Castagnedi, with an intense and warm impact which slowly gives way to fresh and fruity balsamic notes. Candied cherry and laurel oak, with a very adherent and finally sweet sip, is Tommasi’s Amarone Classico 2015, a winery that can count on 205 hectares of vines of which 105 in the Valpolicella Classica, in which - among the first - they introduced guyot farming.
Torre d’Orti, on the other hand, presented an Amarone 2016 with a decidedly deep sense of smell and sip of violet, black cherry and vanilla, intensely sweet on the nose and with a savory development: the company of Franco and Luciano Piona allowed the two brothers to rediscover the own roots in Valpolicella after the successes found in Custoza. The 2015 version of Venturini is a decidedly complex Amarone Classico (fragrant with violet, black cherry, blackberry, bay leaf and officinal herbs, with a tight but well-balanced sip in its hardness and softness), which has 12 hectares of vineyards in San Floriano (all bred according to the traditional simple or double pergola) managed with care for 3 generations. Finally, the label of Zenato, a cellar with a “soul in Lugana and a heart in Valpolicella”: Alberto and Nadia today took the baton from their father Sergio in continuing to enhance local varieties. Their 2015 Amarone Classico tastes of cherry and tarragon, even on the sip, which turns out to be tangy and peppery, with a pleasant sweet and warm return.