Amarone & Valpolicella wines from 2000

The first year of the new milennium was a legendary one, as well as one which shows that the rules outlined above aren’t always a perfect guideline! The summer was in fact remarkably uneven, with an unusually warm spring followed by an alarmingly cool July, with a highs more like 15°C than a more usual 30, before picking up again in August to hit above average heights once more. This late heat fortunately allowed an early harvest, given that the rains came and stayed for all of the autumn. Wines from this vintage, probably owing to this sharp late-season ripening, are renowned for their extraordinary depth and darkness, which has allowed them extraordinary longevity and development in the bottle. Not just a star – a possibly unique one.