Bertani Amarone Valpantena 2018 750ml
Southern Glazer Wine & Spirits
$68.00
GRAPE VARIETIES
80% Corvina Veronese, 20% Rondinella BACKGROUND
Bertani’s impact on Veneto wine making, particularly in Amarone production, is so considerable that ‘Bertani’ and ‘Amarone’ are nearly synonymous. Their 150+ year history is dotted with groundbreaking initiatives and royal accreditation. While respectful of their past, Bertani strives towards innovation, using progressive techniques and equipment allied with extensive experience and a deeply felt respect for tradition to provide wines of uncompromising quality.
TERROIR & VINTAGE NOTES
This amarone is produced in the Valpantena hills, north of Verona. Valpolicella is a continental climate with a strong Mediterranean influence due to the proximity of Lake Garda. In Summer, days are hot and humid and fresh and windy at night. The night weather contributes to the development of a typical peppery character in the wines from Valpolicella.
Vineyard soils in Valpolicella consist of white limestone (calcium carbonate) and red limestone soils (Iron + Manganese), which create salty (not mineral) wines.
The vines are vertical-trellised and Guyot-trained, with a planting density of 2,024 plants per acre. Hand harvest is carried out in the middle of September.
WINEMAKING & AGEING
The best grapes are selected so that only the healthiest and ripest bunches are sent to the drying rooms in the historic winery at Grezzana, where they are laid out in single-layer crates. The drying process is semi-automated with controlled humidity and ventilation conditions (not temperature).
The tradition of drying grapes in Valpolicella is due to the fact that because of the very cool climate, grapes would not reach maturity and proper sugar concentration to produce dry wines. If left alone, wines would only reach 9-10% alcohol content.
In mid-January, the grapes are destemmed and crushed, then fermentation starts, at first at a temperature of 39°F- 41°F, which then reaches 72°F in the final stages.
The wine is aged for two years in Slavonian oak casks. Bottling is followed by at least six months of maturation.
TASTING NOTES
On the nose, marked and intense aromas of very ripe cherries, sour cherries, spicy and nutty notes typical of the Valpantena. Typical notes of violet and pepper in the wine, with less concentration. Good follow-through of red fruits on the palate, with supple tannins to give depth. This full bodied wine pairs well with rich dishes, mature cheeses and strong-flavored meats.
