A friend tasted the red Italian wine Amarone (ama·​ro·​ne) a couple of years ago and still speaks of its delicious flavor. I’m not surprised.  Amarone is an Italian wine classification for typically rich dry red wine made from the partially dried grapes of the Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella variety.

Valpolicella, the source of Amarone, is in the province of Verona, within the large Veneto region of Northern Eastern Italy. In Italian, the name Amarone literally means ‘Great Bitter’ (but it is not bitter); initially, this was to distinguish it from the Recioto wine produced in the same region but is sweeter.

There are two other wine categories from Valpolicella. Valpolicella, the wine from Valpolicella, is made like most other red wines and is a blend that usually has Covina as the dominant grape variety. And there is Ripasso, a red wine made from the refermented dried skins of grapes that were crushed for Amarone. Which brings me back to Amarone.

It is the preparation of grapes before crushing that makes Amarone unique. The preparation process is called Appassimento (Appassi’mento); you may see it used on the wine bottle. The harvested grapes were dried on bamboo racks or wooden crates for about 120 days. This drying process reduces the water in the grapes, thus concentrating flavors. After fermentation, the wine must undergo a period of aging of at least 2 years (calculated from 1 January of the year following the harvest) in oak barrels. This process gives Amarone its intense flavor and high price tag. But oh, is it delicious. Bear in mind that this process increases the amount of grape sugars fermented into alcohol, and the wine can have an alcohol percentage approaching 15%. Remember, moderation, moderation, moderation.

The unique flavors of Amarone are a blend of black cherry, blackberry, and dried fruit, accompanied by hints of dark chocolate and coffee. This flavor profile makes Amarone a match for meaty dishes containing tomato sauce or rich, savory ingredients like pasta with meat ragú or mushroom risotto. In fact, there’s a dish served in NE Italy called Risotto all’Amarone that is made with this wine. I hope one day you and I will have the chance to savor this unique dish. Cheers!