Better known as simply “Amarone” (Ah-ma-ROH-nay), this is typically a powerful, high-extract Veronese (Italian) wine often showing ripe and raisined fruit, earth, and smoke. Amarone will generally consist of 50 to 70% (or sometimes even more) Corvina grapes (a cool climate red variety from the Veneto region of northern Italy), and blended with lesser percentages of Rondinella and Molinara grapes, and sometimes even Sangiovesse and Pinot Nero, all dried prior to pressing to concentrate the juices and maximize skin contact bringing tannins, color, and intense flavor to the wine. While traditionally the grapes were air dried on straw mats, today it’s typically done in controlled drying chambers to minimize handling and help prevent the onset of Botrytis cinerea (fungus or rot).
If you prefer a high alcohol dry red wine, this is a great choice easily showing 15 to 17% (with a legal minimum of 14%). However, with the labor intensive process required to produce a quality Amarone (and release dates often 4 or 5 years after harvest), you can expect to pay a worthy price ranging from $25 to $100 or more.
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| Ossobuco with Risotto |
While some prefer to drink this wine by itself after a meal (as it can be a little difficult to pair), it can still compliment strong and richly flavored foods such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or true Gorgonzola cheese, or a slow cooked beef dish or Ossobuco (cross-cut veal shanks braised with vegetables) with red wine and broth. Another great match would be slow cooked beef ribs and potatoes with Sicilian Caponata (a cooked vegetable salad consisting of chopped fried eggplant, celery, and even stewed tomatoes if you like). The idea (or suggestion) is to pair this intense wine with a strongly favored cheese or slow cooked dish from the general region of its origin to recognize its full potential.
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