Cesari Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2016 |
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A long time ago, I was listening to Hugh Johnson speak at a wine tasting, and he described Amarone as part of the Holy Trinity of wines along with Champagne and Port. He explained that these wines are defined by the unusual way they are made. Champagne has its process of second fermentation in the bottle to create bubbles, Port to add brandy to half fermented wines making a lush, naturally sweet wine. For Amarone's, after the grapes are harvested and carefully dried for months. That process of slow extraction of moisture results in the concentration of sugar and flavor. The resulting wine is high in alcohol, lush with flavors of ripe dark cherries, smoke, figs, and dried herbs; potent and one of Italy's most important and greatest wines. |
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Amarone is made in the Valpolicella zone, located just west of Verona, using several local red grape varieties, most importantly, Corvina and Rondinella, which must be included in the blend. These are the same varietals used to craft a Valpolicella, a medium-bodied wine with moderate tannins and is usually consumed young. Amarone, on the other hand, is a special type of Valpolicella. The grapes for the production of Amarone are harvested later and then, before traditional fermentation, dried on wooden racks or in plastic boxes for three to four months, losing 30 to 40% of their water weight. This process of drying the grapes (usually in a temperature and humidity-controlled room) is known as appassimento. The grapes are dried till the beginning of December following the vintage, fermented to a minimum of 14% alcohol, and aged for a minimum of two years. Wines aged for a minimum of four years are labeled Riserva. |
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Also important to Amarone production is where the grapes are sourced. There are three geographical sub-zones; Classico, Valpantena, and 'Est,' the extended zone. Michael Garner of Decanter explains, "In broad strokes: Amarone from Classico tends to be the most elegant and aromatic, versions from the Valpantena are generally lighter and fruitier, while the so-called 'extended' zone (beyond Classico and Valpantena, bordering on the Soave) tends to produce richer, more muscular wines with a higher alcohol level." |
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Although Valpolicella wines have been made since the time of ancient Greeks, Amarone wines, on the other hand, can only trace their history back to 1936 as local wine. It was not marketed till 1953, partly due to the efforts of Gerardo Cesari, who founded Cesari in 1936, intending to compete with the world's great red wines. Joined by his son Franco in the early 1960s, operations were expanded to conquer the export market. As one of the first Italian wines to be exported to all five continents, the Cesari name quickly became synonymous with Amarone. |
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Still, a family-run business, Franco's children, Gerardo and Deborah, have joined their father in upholding traditional winemaking while introducing innovative technology to their two state-of-the-art cellars. Today their estate holdings include more than 250 acres of prime hillside vineyards, primarily in the historic Classico area, including three single vineyards. An additional 25 acres of 100% estate-managed vineyards under a long-term lease are located throughout the Veneto region. Cesari has adopted environmentally sustainable growing practices. Focused on quality, Cesari extensively ages their wines beyond the DOCG regulations.
The 2016 vintage for Amarone wines was excellent, as good as 2015, and you would have to go back to 2010 to find better-growing conditions.
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"Winter was characterized by higher than average temperatures with almost no precipitation. At the beginning of April, a cold and rainy period started with temperatures that were lower than average and lasted until mid-May. Budbreak started early during the first part of April, while flowering started at the usual time in mid-late May. Veraison took place from the end of July through the first week to ten days in August. There was substantial rain in September, but the combination of higher temperatures and ideal ventilation reduced humidity, assuring excellent ripeness. 2016 then was a classic vintage for Amarone, with the best examples displaying excellent ripeness and extract, good acidity, and fine tannic structure; look for 20-30 years of cellar potential for these wines." Wine Scholar Guild
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On the nose, the typical notes of raisined fruit and cherry flavors are dominant. Mild hints of vanilla and spice are present as well. Elegant and warm with a velvety mouthfeel. Incredibly long, persistent finish that lingers on the palate.
ο»ΏCesari Amarone is extensively aged in a combination of French and Slavonian oak barrels for a total of 3 years following fermentation in stainless steel tanks.
Blend: 75% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, 5% Molinara
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New leather, truffle, menthol, and baked plum aromas slowly emerge on this inviting, full-bodied red. Smooth and savory, the velvety palate doles out fleshy black cherry, fig, tobacco, and licorice alongside polished, enveloping tannins. "Editors Choice" Wine Enthusiast 93 pts
A slightly more accessible wine from a terrific vintage, the Cesari 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico has lifted or volatile aromas of dried cherry skin and red apple. This wine is released with an ample 280,000 frost-coated bottles produced. The blend is 75% Corvina Veronese, 20% Rondinella, and 5% of two unknown grapes called Rossignola and Negrara. There is some heaviness to the bouquet with baked fruit and dark spice. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 91 pts
A harmonious red that's subtle and creamy at first but then offers a charming range of pureed cherry and fig cake, cured tobacco, smoky mineral, dark chocolate, and spice notes that unfold and expand on the palate. Fine tannins firm the fresh, fragrant finish. Wine Spectator 91 pts
The nose offers a fine intensity, a small power as well as a fine grain. It reveals notes of crushed blackberry, small pulpy/bright blackberries, small notes of black plum associated with touches of chocolate, caramelization, and cedar wood, as well as fine hints of cherry blossom, violet, sweet spices, and a discreet hint of vanilla. The palate is fruity and offers juiciness, an acidulous frame, a small freshness, dynamism, a certain verticality as well as a small sauvtity. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy cassis, small crushed wild blackberries, small notes of bright raspberry associated with a touch of cherry, fresh/juicy fig, toasted chocolate, a discreet hint of toasted almond, and toasted hazelnut. Good length. Tannins are well-built and structuring. Vertdevin 91 pts
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Cesari Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2016
We really like Amarone's here at Yankee Spirits. The problem many casual drinkers have is that the cost of the wine can be high. The cost is justifiable when you realize that the drying process takes twice as many premium grapes to produce a bottle of wine, along with the cost of labor and extra aging involved. All our Amarones range from $40 to over $100, so it is a real treat to find a very good, if not great, Amarone for under $40. Impossible to find one for $30 until now. We tasted this wine and were blown away. Done in a modern style, it has big silky fruit, blackberries and fig, spice and tobacco, and a little mocha. Balanced acids and fine tannins. The finish was incredibly long. $30 for a wine of this pedigree is a no-brainer if you love Amarone wines as much as I do. Of course, I have never been accused of being very brainy.
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*Sale price is on 3 or more bottles, wine is packed in a 6 bottle case. |
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Orders must be done by replying to this email. The reason is that I need to keep control of the inventory in one central spot. Emailing or calling your favorite wine geek at one of our four stores may not get your orders in on time to be counted or processed and creates a helter-skelter for us to get you the wine. For the same reason, ordering on our online Web Store is linked to our regular price, and this sale price is only offered on the email platform. It is also why it takes me some time to respond due to the deluge of orders that I sometimes get. We haven't reached the efficiency or volume of Amazon yet, and in this pandemic environment, simply operations sometimes prove difficult. Thank you in advance for your patience. |
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Let me know your preferred store for pickup: Attleboro, Norwood, Sturbridge, or Swansea. If you don't state the store, I will assume you are picking up in Sturbridge.
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βJohn Hannum, Fine & Rare Wine Specialist
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