Amarone della Valpolicella DOP Classico 2000 by Quintarelli
Valpolicella celebrated the turn of the millennium with a real vintage to remember, and its late-season warm weather, an unusual ripening schedule, suited the slow, careful, profound approach of Quintarelli perfectly. This wine, truly powerful on release, is now showing all the promise of its early years, really extraordinary tertiary characteristics which only a truly masterful winemaker can produce. An absolutely exceptional wine.
Winemaking: Famously an unusually late ripening season for the meticulously-selected grapes, which then as ever underwent Quintarelli’s exactingly long maceration (two months) then fermentation, spontaneous with indigenous yeasts. Seven years in traditional Slavonian oak follows, for a slow and gentle refinement which showcases the wine’s perfect harmonic balance rather than obscuring it.
Assemblage: Corvina and corvinone 55%, rondinella 30%, cabernet sauvignon, nebbiolo, croatina, molinara and sangiovese 15%.
Soil: Calcareous with volcanic streaks.
Alcohol: 16,5%
Colour: Characteristic garnet, starting to show hints of translucence and brick.
Aroma: Astonishingly complex. The trademark cherries and spice linger yet, but are complemented now by depths of autumn leaves, fine cigars, hints of aniseed and leather as well as balsamic, coffee and violets.
Palate: Its power is there but refined, its tannins too perfectly integrated, and the refreshing acidity that was key to its ageability remains to balance out the body without any sharpness or jarringness.
Ageability: Probably peaking over the next 15 years.
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