Amarone 101: everything you wanted to know

Amarone 101: everything you wanted to know (but were too afraid to ask)

Amarone may be a famous wine, but it is also a complex and mysterious one, and the subject of much mystified enquiry and confused faces. Fortunately, the internet has provided us with many of your most urgent and vexed questions, and we will do our best to answer them here. So it is: everything you wanted to know about Amarone (but were too afraid to ask anyone except the internet).

What is Amarone della Valpolicella?

So, let’s start off with a big obvious one – what the hell is this stuff, anyway? Well, it’s a red produced in the Veneto region of the north of Italy, made from grapes which have undergone a special drying process to increase the body, alcohol and flavour concentration of the resultant wine. It is, justly, considered a star of both its region and the whole of Italy, and is one of the world’s most prized big reds. For more info, feel free to check out our article on how Amarone wine is made.

Is Amarone a grape or a region?

Neither! It is in fact the name given to the wine that has been made according to these specifications, made from certain grapes in the Valpolicella area of the Veneto. (For more on the method, click here!)

Is Amarone a dessert wine?

Without wanting to tell you when to drink whatever you want – no, it is not a dessert wine. However, the modern Amarone della Valpolicella was derived from a historic sweet wine that is still made in the region today: Recioto della Valpolicella.

Is Amarone a fortified wine?

No, but you can see why someone might think it is! For clarity, a fortified wine is any wine whose alcoholic level is boosted by the addition of spirit (usually some kind of brandy), the most famous of which are probably the Andalusian sherry and the Port wine of the Douro.

Sherries usually clock in at 15.5% alcohol (the lighter fino and manzanilla styles) or 17-22% (the weightier amontillado and oloroso, for instance); the former is trivially easy for Amarone to reach, while the latter, though obviously enormous, is just about touchable at the low end of the scale. That’s the level of alcoholic power we’re dealing with in Amarone, and achieved all under its own steam, without any additions.

What does DOCG mean in practical terms for Amarone?

DOCG is the highest quality classification in the Italian wine system, and for Amarone della Valpolicella it defines a very precise framework for how the wine must be made. It sets strict rules on where the grapes can come from, which varieties may be used, how the grapes are dried, minimum alcohol levels, aging time, and analytical parameters such as acidity and extract.

In practical terms, DOCG guarantees that an Amarone is produced entirely within the Valpolicella area and that it follows the traditional appassimento method, with dried grapes and a long, complete fermentation to dryness. It also ensures that the wine has reached a minimum level of structure and concentration before it can be released, as shown by required aging and chemical thresholds.

For the drinker, DOCG acts as a safeguard of authenticity and style rather than a guarantee of excellence. It confirms that the wine is recognizably Amarone and not an imitation or a simplified version of the style. However, DOCG does not rank producers or vineyards, nor does it distinguish between careful, low-yield viticulture and more industrial approaches.

This is why two Amarones with the same DOCG designation can taste very different. Vineyard exposure, grape selection, drying conditions, fermentation management, and aging choices all play a major role in defining balance, freshness, and longevity. DOCG sets the boundaries; the producer’s decisions determine the final character and quality in the glass.

What is Amarone similar to?

Beyond being a big red wine? Very little. You can say that other bold reds with relatively high acidity will necessarily have something in common with Amarone, for instance the Sagrantino of Umbria or the Madiran of southern France. However, these wines are also considerably more tannin-heavy than Amarone tends to be on balance, while Amarone also outstrips them considerably on alcoholic content.

So what about superhigh-alcohol wines? Well yes, there are certain Australian shirazes, for instance, which have topped 16,5% and even 17%, while much Châteauneuf du Pape has, especially in recent years, reached similarly eye-watering ABVs. But, to turn the tables, both of these examples, though certainly balanced in acidity terms, rarely reach the remarkable zinginess that even many monster-level Amarones reach – and, once again, we find that tannins tend to be rather more pronounced in those examples than you find in Valpolicella’s finest.

The fact is that the appassimento technique, with the grapes particular to the region, makes a pretty-much unique wine with very few correspondents. That said, it’s fair to call it a must-try if you’re a fan of big red wines, but don’t be surprised if it really isn’t like anything you’ve had before.

What is the flavour profile of Amarone?

Varied, is the one-word answer! Amarone is a style with quite a lot of range, and different winemakers will prefer different aspects of what it is possible to bring out from the wine.

However, within this variation there are certain things that are generally always true: Amarone is a big red wine, high in alcohol, and of necessity will likely be rich and powerful; it is nevertheless relatively high in acidity as well, and so much of its fruit flavour will be a little zingier than in other similarly-sized reds (think raspberries); younger wines will be more about the fruit, and more obviously powerful, while older, more aged wines will mellow out and develop in subtlety and complexity; in Amarone, those subtleties and complexities tend to take certain forms, from the prominent balsamic note in some leaner, more elegant examples to the cigarbox smokiness you often find in more powerful ones.

Beyond this, of course, there is myriad elaboration – every palate is different and, naturally, you will find different people responding with as much variagation as bottles will differ one from the other, even of the same wine from the same vintage.

But Amarone has an identity, and that identity is, broadly speaking, very noticeable and very strong. So what about superhigh-alcohol wines? Well yes, there are certain Australian shirazes, for instance, which have topped 16,5% and even 17%, while much Châteauneuf du Pape has, especially in recent years, reached similarly eye-watering ABVs. But, to turn the tables, both of these examples, though certainly balanced in acidity terms, rarely reach the remarkable zinginess that even many monster-level Amarones reach – and, once again, we find that tannins tend to be rather more pronounced in those examples than you find in Valpolicella’s finest.

The fact is that the appassimento technique, with the grapes particular to the region, makes a pretty-much unique wine with very few correspondents. That said, it’s fair to call it a must-try if you’re a fan of big red wines, but don’t be surprised if it really isn’t like anything you’ve had before.

Why do some people think Amarone tastes sweet?

Amarone is a dry wine by law, but many people perceive a soft sweetness when tasting it. This sensation does not usually come from residual sugar. Instead, it is the result of how the wine is made and how its components interact on the palate.

One key factor is appassimento, the drying of grapes after harvest. During this period, grapes lose water and become more concentrated. Sugars increase, but so do many other compounds that affect texture and aroma. When these grapes are fermented to dryness, the wine reaches high alcohol levels, while keeping very little actual sugar.

Another important element is glycerol (often called glycerine). Glycerol is produced naturally by yeast during fermentation, and its levels tend to be higher when fermenting very ripe or dried grapes. Glycerol does not taste sweet in the way sugar does, but it adds viscosity and a rounded, smooth mouthfeel. This fuller texture can easily be mistaken for sweetness.

Amarone is also rich in extract, meaning it contains a high concentration of dissolved compounds that give weight and density to the wine. This combination of alcohol, glycerol, and extract creates a plush, enveloping sensation that many people associate with sweetness, even when the wine is technically dry.

From a legal point of view, Amarone is allowed only a small amount of residual sugar, even at higher alcohol levels. In practice, most examples remain well within the dry category. When sweetness is perceived, it is far more likely coming from ripe fruit aromas, dried cherry notes, and the wine’s overall texture rather than from sugar itself.

This is why Amarone can feel powerful, smooth, and generous on the palate while still finishing dry and structured, especially when acidity and tannins are in balance.

Is Amarone high in tannins?

Basically: yes! Tannins, the bitterish chemicals found in wine skins, stalks and oak barrels (as well as in tea!) which are responsible for that famous drying-in-the-mouth sensation, are quite prominent in Amarone, and it’s important that they are. The presence of tannins is what wine people mean when they refer to ‘structure’, and it is vitally important that wines high in alcohol are ‘structured’ sufficiently, or the wine will taste and feel aimless, flabby, perhaps over the top in unbalanced fruitiness. The tannins help balance it all out, and keep it all together.

And it’s a good thing too that the appassimento process, which means such an increase in alcohol, also concentrates the tannins in the grapes. Corvina (the major grape of Valpolicella) is not naturally an enormously tannic grape, and in fact makes for wonderfully refreshing lighter reds on its own. After drying, everything is more dense, everything is in higher doses and concentrations, and so as the alcohol goes up, so do the tannins with it. Thus is Amarone capable of the same equilibrium as its fresher cousins, as well as the same tannic intensity as other famous big reds like Priorat or Chateaneuf-du-Pape.

How much is a bottle of Amarone wine?

Usually, a fair amount! Amarone isn’t cheap to make, and expensive to make right, and this is reflected in the prices. You can expect to start at about €36 at the lower end, with prestige botttles comfortably commanding prices in the hundreds.

Why is Amarone so expensive?

Well, first of all the process is expensive and risky. Specialist equipment is required to execute the drying procedure properly, and all manner of things can go wrong during it. Not to mention that Amarone can only be made with the very best fruit, which is costly to farm and costlier to buy. Finally – and perhaps most importantly – the fact that the wine is made from juice squeezed from dried grapes means essentially more grapes used per bottle. In the end, given the immense production costs involved, it’s sometimes surprising that Amarone isn’t more expensive than it is!

When should I drink Amarone?

Whenever you like! But let’s just say that, if you’re finishing the bottle, it’s better to stick to the weekend, or any other time you don’t have to be up too early the next morning…

But assuming the question is about bottle-ageing, we can refer the questioner to the answer given above. If, however, the question really is about situation and setting, well, let’s say that Amarone is rarely a casual working lunch sort of wine. It’s a wine that demands time and attention, a touch of longueur and languor and space to breathe. This writer’s best Amarone experiences have tended to be slow, drawn-out evenings when the world stood still and every nanogram of flavour and aroma could be extracted, considered, discussed (above all discussed).

In short, you should drink it when you have a moment to stretch as wide as it will go. Those are the unforgettable Amarone evenings.

How do they make Amarone wine?

As mentioned, first the grapes are dried for a good long time, then fermented for a really long time to maximise all that alcoholic content. If you want to learn more, check out our post on how Amarone Wine is Made.

What grape makes Amarone?

Amarone della Valpolicella, like all the wines of the region, is generally a blend, of which by far the most important is the grape corvina, responsible for the characteristic bitter cherries flavour, as well as the majority of tertiary flavours such as smoke and leafiness. Rondinella and molinara are also usually present, generally adding acidity and perfume, and corvinone (a grape similar to corvina) is allowed to substitute the main grape to a certain degree. It is, however, corvina, the undisputed star of the region, on which the wine’s reputation rests.

Who invented Amarone?

Surely nobody could have invented this most classic, most antique of wines, passed down from generation to generation, each drop imbued with the wisdom of the ancients?

Well, actually, they could have and indeed did, and more’s the point remarkably recently. Recioto is ancient, sure, sweet wine derived from dried grapes being among the oldest vinifying techniques, but it wasn’t until the 1930s that, as tastes changed towards the dry end of the spectrum, a man called Adelino Lucchese at Cantina Negrar had the bright idea to not throw out fully-fermented Recioto, but instead try and make it drinkable. The rest is history.

What does appassimento mean?

It is simply the name of the drying process. Wines made from it are known as passito, sweet or dry (not to be confused with ripasso, of course!).

For how many months are the grapes dried for Amarone?

Amarone della Valpolicella is defined by appassimento: the wine must be produced from grapes that are dried after harvest. The DOCG Disciplinare sets specific constraints on this phase. In particular, appassimento must take place within the production area (with additional territorial provisions for Classico and Valpantena), and it must occur in suitable environments. The regulation allows the use of environmental conditioning systems only if they operate at temperatures comparable to traditional drying, and it explicitly excludes any dehumidification system that uses heat. The Disciplinare also imposes a clear timing requirement: grapes placed for appassimento for Amarone cannot be vinified before 1 December, unless the Veneto Region authorizes an earlier start in exceptional climatic conditions.

Rather than stating a fixed minimum number of drying days, the Disciplinare frames timing through that no vinification before 1 December rule, while also describing the traditional practice in which the grapes remain in the fruttai for about 100 to 120 days, undergoing careful daily monitoring and handling. Fruttai are well ventilated drying rooms or lofts, traditionally located above or near the cellar, where harvested grapes are laid out to slowly dehydrate under controlled natural conditions. Extending the drying period is a demanding choice. It’s a risky option, as the longer you expose your fruit the greater the chance it has of developing ruinous faults, especially from fungus. But for the skilled appassitore, who knows their way around a fruttaio, the rewards are well worth the hazards.

What is a “Fruttaio” in Valpolicella?

A fruttaio (plural fruttai) is a well ventilated drying room or loft where freshly harvested grapes are laid out and carefully watched while they slowly lose water. This process is called appassimento, and its goal is to concentrate sugars, flavours, and structure before the grapes are pressed.

The idea of drying grapes before making wine is very old in Italy and likely dates back to Roman times, when drying fruit was a common way to preserve it through the winter. Over the centuries, this practice spread across many regions, from the north to the south of the country, becoming especially linked to the production of sweet wines. Famous examples include Recioto in Veneto, Vin Santo in Tuscany, Passito di Pantelleria in Sicily, and many other local styles.

In most of these cases, appassimento is used so that some natural grape sugar remains after fermentation, giving wines their sweetness. Grapes are dried in simple, airy spaces, often attics, barns, or purpose built rooms, where air circulation helps prevent rot while allowing gradual dehydration.

Valpolicella is unusual because the same drying tradition was eventually pushed in a different direction. Here, grapes dried in the fruttaio were fermented until almost all the sugar was converted into alcohol, creating a powerful dry wine. This is how Amarone developed, historically linked to what was originally a sweet wine similar to today’s Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG.

Inside a fruttaio, grapes are placed in a single layer on racks or in crates so air can move freely around each bunch. They are checked frequently, and any damaged berries are removed by hand. This slow, careful drying is demanding and risky, because longer drying times increase the chance of spoilage. But when managed well, the fruttaio allows grapes to reach a level of concentration that defines the character of Amarone.

What yeast is used to ferment Amarone?

Well, this is a thorny one. Yeast (in case you don’t know) is the name given to an unbelievably enormous range of microscopic fungi, whose interactions with humans range from life-threatening infections to astonishingly useful applications in medicine, food (i.e. to make bread rise) and drink, where they are responsible for converting sugar into carbon dioxide and – most importantly – alcohol.

So much most people know. However, it perhaps isn’t appreciated just how stupefyingly various yeast types (or ‘strains’) are. As of yet about 1,500 individual yeasts have been identified, belonging to a wide variety of subspecies – the most important of which for our purposes is the genus known as Saccharomyces. This group of yeasts also known as ‘sugar moulds’ are, as the names suggest, most closely associated with sugars, and interact with wine in a variety of interesting ways (in addition to the fermenters, the infamously finicky Brettanomyces yeasts, with their capacity to enrich or spoil, are members of this family). The most commonly used in fermentation is the yeast known as Saccharomyces cerivisiae, but others contribute too.
However, there’s another complication here, in the form of the choice open to winemakers: to choose yeast or to go natural? Because we’ve only known about yeast for under two centuries thanks to Louis Pasteur; before that, wine occurred semi-naturally, given that these yeasts form on the surface of the grape skins in the wild. As a result, many winemakers feel that the local types of yeast have a particular affinity with the grapes that grow there; others take the view that being the most chemically precise yields the most perfect results.

So what difference does a yeast make? Well let’s look at Amarone. Research has suggested that a succession of yeasts are collectively responsible for fermenting the jewel of Valpolicella, each of which contributing something different. First, a strain of Saccharomyces uvarum which, although dying off at a certain alcohol level, is responsible for the presence of a remarkable amount of glycerol chemicals, which contribute a smooth sweetness that masks the so-called ‘alcohol burn’ effect; and just as well, because it’s after that that the Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains kick in, and it’s those which carry Amarone all the way up to its famed alcoholic power. Both, furthermore, contribute to the low volatile acidity and intense floral and fruity aromas of the resulting wine. For this reason, most great Amarone producers favour this spontaneous (albeit temperature-controlled) fermentation.

What is Ripasso?

Another method employed for making red wine, this one almost unique to Valpolicella! The Amarone process leaves a lot of leftovers – grape skins, stems etc – and, keen to waste nothing, producers in Valpolicella will take some especially good regular wine and ‘repass’ it (i.e. macerate) over them. This gives the wine more body, more structure, more concentration, more oomph. For more, check out our post on how the Valpolicella Ripasso is made.

Is Ripasso a ‘baby Amarone’?

Over the years, Ripasso has had a lot of nicknames due to its status as Amarone’s little brother (there’s another one!): ‘baby Amarone’, ‘little Amarone’, ‘amarino’ (i.e. ‘little bitter’, an inversion of the more famous name) even ‘poor man’s Amarone’, referring to the notorious price differential. As a rule, winemakers don’t really like these; they imply that Ripasso is some sort of second rate version of something else, almost like a failure, whereas it is in fact a noble and extremely superior, elite, and indeed unique style of wine, of which the region of Valpolicella is immensely – and justly – proud.

Is Amarone changing today?

In recent years, a third direction has begun to emerge alongside the traditional and modern schools. A growing number of producers are exploring leaner, more drinkable expressions of Amarone, often aiming for alcohol levels closer to 15 percent, greater tension, and lower residual sugar. The intention is to make Amarone that remains faithful to the appassimento technique while being more food friendly and less dominated by power alone.

At the more committed end of this spectrum are producers associated with movements such as ReValpo, a group of Valpolicella growers who question highly commercial interpretations of the denomination. These producers promote a vision that focuses on terroir identity, minimal intervention, and the rediscovery of native grape varieties that had been pushed aside over time, including Molinara. Their approach rejects both excessive extraction and sweetness driven by residual sugar, instead favouring wines with clarity, acidity, and a stronger link to place. They also commit to farming without synthetic chemicals and adopt broadly sustainable practices in the vineyard.

Whether this represents a lasting shift or remains a niche within Amarone is still an open question. What is clear is that it reflects a wider conversation within Valpolicella about balance, longevity, and how Amarone fits at the table rather than standing apart from it.

Interestingly, the move toward leaner Amarone is not limited to producers aligned with natural or low intervention philosophies. Several well established wineries that do not necessarily define themselves as natural have long pursued a similar stylistic direction. Producers such as Speri, Terre d’Orti, and Musella consistently aim for Amarone with greater freshness, moderated alcohol, and restrained sweetness, even when working within the full framework of the DOCG. Musella, while certified biodynamic, shares this focus on balance rather than excess, and all three are part of the Famiglie Storiche group based in Valpolicella.

Their work shows that a more measured style of Amarone is not a recent invention, nor does it require abandoning technical precision. Instead, it represents another valid interpretation of appassimento, one that places emphasis on structure, acidity, and drinkability, and further expands the stylistic range of Amarone today.