Community Review

Villa Annaberta Wines Amarone della Valpolicella 2015

Veneto D.O.C.G., Italy

Community Score: 4.5/5
Community Reviews: 18

Price: $38.95

Sweetness: Dry
Alcohol: 15%

Drink: 2020-2026

Bottle size: 750 ml
Winery: Villa Annaberta Wines

Molly Amoli Shinhat reviewed this wine as follows:

Amarone is a wine that harks back to wine’s imagined origin story: someone forgets grapes in a container; eventually they ferment; someone finds and tastes the wine, adores it - and wine is born! Except in this case, the wine begins with dried grapes.

On average, they’re dried 120 days before fermentation. As they loose 30-40% of their water, all the sugars and flavours become more concentrated.

This 2015 Villa Annaberta Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG is the latest in a long line of muscle-bound, bold, fine red Italian wines. It envelops the nose in violets, roses, black and red plums, black pepper, currants, vanilla, cloves, nutmeg, fig and raisins, with a soupçon of eucalyptus.

On the palate, pronounced dark fruit (currants, black cherry, blackberry), strawberry, vanilla, cloves, nutmeg, and black pepper, are joined by raisins and dark chocolate. It’s a tannic, high acidity wine that finishes long. If you’re wondering about the 15% a.b.v., please don’t - it’s seamlessly integrated.

Along with appropriate Italian fare including pizza, this wine pairs brilliantly with rich, spicy, bold dishes, particularly meat-based, stews, or with aged, strong cheeses. In pandemic times, wine and food stand as a humbling, simple, and profound pleasure we still can appreciate every day. Why not experiment a little…or a lot?

If you’re game, this Amarone makes a great candidate: pair it with a meat-based Indian dish (think beef, chicken, goat or egg-based), but it must be something rich, spicy, and heavy. (Spicy yes, but not so hot that you can no longer taste anything at all (likely no Vindaloos please).)

Like any experiment, it may/may not work - it all depends on how the food is prepared and individual preference. If all seems lost, you can always head on back to more traditional choices (mature cheese, fruit) with the rest of the bottle. And have an extra glass! After taking a safe jaunt off the beaten path, you’ve earned it!

Read Natalie's Full Review

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