I have never really warmed up to this classic winter warmer wine before. The ones available here have usually been sweet and raisiny and oaky - simply dull and clunky. I used to think this was due to the method by which these are produced, but tonight we had a bottle that made me suspect this might not be the case and that once again our monopoly just has not had a fair sample of the styles made.
Bixio Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOC 2006 - 15% abv; 29,90€; Corvina Veronese 70%, Rondinella 15% & Molinara 15%; label
I have no idea if this good within its style, since I have so little experience of young Amarone (and absolutely no experience with aged!), but tonight at least that wasn't important, since it brought pleasure to me. It had lots of dark and dried fruit aromas, but is also very savoury and herbaceous - unlike the other Amarones we have had, this isn't simply sweet and raisiny. Though it only sees botti, there is a bit of vanilla and coffee as if from new oak, but these aren't dominant aromas. Pleasantly rigid tannins and good acidity, too: nothing soft about this Amarone. And crucially, this leaves a fresh, rather than cloying taste in the mouth.
I liked this, but is this a good Amarone? I certainly hope this is the style they should be instead of the raisin-soup the others have been...
