Montenigo Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Veneto 2017

Agricola Montenigo lies just a few kilometers outside the center of Verona, Italy, the town most famously known as the setting of Shakespeare's love story Romeo & Juliet.  Yet, while our tale today is one of adoration, our heart's desire is not a star-crossed lover but a delectable bottle of the celebrated style of the region-at-large, 2017 Amarone della Valpolicella.

Just a few years back, the family behind Montenigo embarked on their new business venture: To sell world-class olive oils and fine wines made with natural techniques from their 30-hectare property. In their words, it is a "passion for agriculture, the territory, and natural products" that is a mainstay and driving force for Montenigo.  Time-honored traditions demonstrate a deep appreciation for the family's history and the bounty of the land bequeathed to them.  Farming the vines and olive orchards biodynamically is the first of many steps in living out the commitment to the natural beauty of Veneto.

Crafting Amarone della Valpolicella could not be a more evident example of an old-world technique.  This wine is the most esteemed and well-known from Valpolicella, and for a good reason; it is a time and labor-intensive style referred to as appasimento. To start, the Montenigo Amarone is a blend of Corvina and Rondinella grapes which are indigenous to the area and farmed from the nine hectares of grapevines on the family's property.  Once perfectly ripe, they hand-harvest the whole bunches and lay them to rest above the winery in drying trays for 80 days.  The grapes shrivel and lose water for almost three months, and the natural sugars concentrate in each berry.  Then, when it's time to press, the concentrated juice undergoes native yeast fermentation over a long period at low temperatures. Making Amarone presents many opportunities for mishaps; therefore, each part of the process is often slow and methodical, requiring a keen eye for detail and passionate attention.  Daily pump-overs and punch-downs during fermentation aid in the highest concentration.  Wine must be aged in oak barrels for at least two years to meet the classification of Amarone della Valpolicella.  However, Montenigo goes the extra mile, aging an additional twelve months before bottling.

So often, Amarone is inaccessible to many wine drinkers as producers often claim a steep price to indulge in the decadent wine.  To our delight, Montenigo released their first vintage of 2017 Amarone della Valpolicella, meeting the mark on all the same quality standards but at a reasonable price point.  When describing this wine, three words come to mind:  ruby, ripe, and rich.  Red, rusty-tinged colors fill the glass, and each swirl wafts spicy aromas of fig jam, cherry pie, and sandalwood upwards.  Taught tannins embrace a vibrant acidity that surprises, refreshing the notes of dusty minerality, currant jam, and spiced chocolate on the palate.  The full-bodied and silky mouthfeel carries over into a long finish, making the 2017 Montenigo Amarone a perfect pairing with charcuterie and aged cheeses.  One might call it a match made in heaven.