Characteristics: The Amarone della Valpolicella wine has a bright red color, with garnet notes and intense aromas of dried fruit, tobacco and spices. At the palate it recalls notes of fruit, accompanied by a strong fragrance. It has a dry and at the same time soft, full-bodied character and a warm and strong personality. Historical-cultural information and curiosities: This wine has a relatively recent history, since it was marketed for the first time in 1953. The DOC was achieved in 1963 and, finally, the DOCG in 2010. However, the origin of this wine is curious: before the First World War, Recioto was sold young, but sometimes happened that some items remained unsold and aged for several years, thus giving time to the sugars to ferment, making the wine more alcoholic and less sweet. It seems it was Adelino Lucchese, head of the Cantina Sociale in Valpolicella who, in 1936, tasting a sip of aged Recioto, used for the first time the word "Amarone", indicating the main organoleptic characteristic of the liquid he was drinking. Two years after, the Cantina Sociale in Negrar labelled the first bottle with the name of Recioto Amarone. The inclusion of this wine among the greatest Italian red wines, however, dates back only to the nineties, when the new market trends led to prefer more and more the Amarone wines to Recioto. The long period of drying of the grapes (more than 100 days, but linked to the cycle of the seasons) makes this wine unique in the World. Serving suggestions: It goes well with roast meats and with fur fowl, noble feather game or seasoned cheese. Excellent to drink alone after a meal. Production area: Valpolicella, near Verona, consisting of 19 municipalities in the hilly area between Verona westerly and Lake Garda easterly. Grape varieties allowed for its production: According to the regulations, this DOCG must be produced with Corvina Veronese (in a variable percentage between 45% and 95%). Alternatively the Corvinone vine (up to a maximum of 50%) can be employed and, for the remaining percentages, Rondinella grapes (up to a maximum of 30%) and Molinara grapes (maximum 25%) must be used.
