To be completely honnest, I was really curious to taste such a cheap Amarone. Amarone being the top end of producers from Veneto, the usual price range most often from 35 to 80€, ex cellar (real good ones are around 50). Therefore 25€ is a real bargain. I did not expect much but it could have been a good surprise.
Amarone is a very special wine. It is made from mainly three grapes (that you find in Verrochio’s): Corvina (the main one), Molinara and Rondinella. The trick is to harvest the Corvina and then let it dry for a few month. This operation is called « appassimento ». Typically they dry 3 month. Then all the grape are blended and the wine is made in the usual way. As a result, the level of sugar is higher and you get a full bodied wine at 15% alcohol or more with 8 to 15g/l of residual sugar. It is very fruity and it can age extremely well. A good Amarone needs 5 to 10 years of cellaring to reach maturity. One example of these good ones available in Finland is Tedeschi’s Amarone Capitel Monte Olmi. Right now 2004 is drinkable but still not completely open.
Well, about this Verrocchio. Nose is fruity, jammy, on the plum and cherry side. The mouth is soft and delicate. It is really easy drinking and one does not feel the alcohol that much. This being said, in my opinion, this has nothing to do with an Amarone: it tastes much more like a Valpolicella Ripasso. It lacks the structure and the pleasant but outstanding power that Amarone should convey. To that extend, this is a disappointment because a good Ripasso is to be find around 15 to 20€. In other words, I don’t recommend at all this wine if you aim at tasting an Amarone but if your plan is to have a good Ripasso, then it will be ok (but pricey).
This issue is a real one with all Italian Ripasso/Amarone in the Veneto. It can be absolutely fantastic wine but the way it is done and regulated makes it possible to make very cheap wine (yet sold at a high price-point). Honestly, this Verrocchio’s Amarone is maybe worth 12-15€ at Alko but no more. And the lesson is the following: when buying these two type of wine (Amarone and Valpolicella Ripasso), you should be very careful. I strongly advise not to buy this one.
Wineops’ rating: 67/100 ; 0 0
Link to ALKO: HERE
Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2008 by Verrocchio