Amarone & Valpolicella wines from 2010

Initially not especially well regarded, some wines from 2010 developed remarkably over time and remain alive in the bottle these days. Hopes were high after spring rain gave way to July heat, but a cooldown and early return of rain in August quite literally dampened expectations. Nevertheless, a brighter, drier September harvest season followed, and although the grapes didn’t ripen as much as in other years (and indeed fewer were deemed harvestable for Amarone and Recioto purposes), this was compensated for by high levels of acidity, giving much of the wine more potential for in-bottle development than previously thought. As a result, a bottle of 2010 Amarone should be approached in the knowledge that it is likely to be more elegant and less powerful than some other vintages.