A detailed guide to discover how Amarone, the famous Valpolicella red wine, is made.
Amarone is definitely one of the most famous Italian red wines in the world. It is produced in Valpolicella, a wine region located few kilometers from Verona, in Veneto region (Italy). Today it is considered one of the great Italian reds, an iconic wine as well as Barolo, Brunello (and Chianti) and Supertuscans.
Even though many people already know its name and maybe even drank it, only a few are aware about what makes Amarone so unique. In this article you will discover, step by step, how the king of Valpolicella, Amarone is made.
THE GRAPES
First of all, Amarone is not a single-varietal wine but the result of a specific blend of indigenous red varieties. These grapes historically grow only in Valpolicella. As a DOCG wine, its production follows strict regulations, starting with the choice of grapes. Some varieties are mandatory, while others are optional.
The Mandatory Grapes:
• Corvina + Corvinone (45-95%): Corvina is the signature grape of Amarone, providing ruby red color, longevity, and typical hints of cherry. Its partner, Corvinone, has larger berries and provides structure and the much-appreciated spicy notes, such as black pepper.
• Rondinella (5-30%): With its thick skin and high sugar content, Rondinella adds aromatic floral scents and red fruit notes. It is also the essential grape for producing Recioto, the sweet version of Amarone.
Corvina, Corvinone, and Rondinella form the backbone of all Valpolicella appellation wines: from the light Valpolicella to Ripasso, Amarone and Recioto.
Optional and Minor Grapes: Producers can also include up to 25% of other varieties to add a personal touch to their wine:
• Indigenous Varieties: These include Molinara (mandatory until 2003, now used for its fresh and mineral notes), Negrara, Forsellina, Pelara, Oseleta, and Rossignola.
• International Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot can be used in small percentages to add an “international touch” to the final blend.
Deep Dive: Want to know more about the legends behind these names and the unique characteristics of each variety? Read our [Full Guide to Amarone Grapes here].
HAND HARVESTING
Manual harvest is another fundamental step to understand how Amarone is made.
There are essentially two reasons for this. The first is the selection of the bunches which only a human (and skilled) eye can do. In fact, not all bunches are suitable for the next step, the drying process. Amarone grapes must be perfectly healthy, with not damaged skin. The bunch must not be compact but scattered, in order to ensure air circulation among berries and therefore avoiding the risk of mold and fungus. Secondly, grapes must be handled with delicacy and care in order not to break skins, not to release must and not start fermentation.
Amarone bunches are laid in wooden or plastic crates, in which they will spend the drying period. It is important to load only a single layer of grapes per case. In this way in fact no grape will be crushed under the weight of the others and the air will be in contact with all grapes.
Valpolicella is one of the few regions in the world where harvesting is still done with traditional methods, which have remained almost unchanged over the centuries. Visiting the cellars in September during the harvest is an unique experience that gives the feeling of taking a step back in time.
APPASSIMENTO
It is impossible to understand how Amarone is made without knowing the “appassimento” method. This is the signature characteristic of Amarone della Valpolicella, its real trademark.
Amarone is not made with fresh grapes but with partially dehydrated grapes. This is tecnique in Italy (and in the world) to naturally concentrate grape sugars to make sweet wines. Amarone instead is a dry wine, ( Amaro in Italian means “bitter” in fact). For this reason Amarone is almost an unique wine. Only one other Italian wine uses this technique, Sforzato wine from Valtellina, obtained by dried Nebbiolo grapes.
In Valpolicella Appassimento is an ancient method, which has its roots 2000 years ago. The Romans more than 2000 years ago, discovered that, with the right cares, it was much easier to preserve grapes instead of wine. Grapes simply dried while wine, after some months, was practically undrinkable.
How does Appassimento process work in practice?
The grape crates are stacked and stored in proper rooms called “fruttai”. These rooms are large lofts with high ceilings and big windows which allow maximum ventilation. Grapes stay here for a variable period (about 100-120 days) during which air circulates and dries the berries. Today, as in the past, the process occurs in as natural way as possible. It is in fact possible to use large fans and dehumidifiers (powered in the most humid days) but not heat pumps. It’s very important, especially in the first days of drying, to check the grape frequently and quickly remove the bunches which show the first signs of mold.
Few producers still dry grapes on “arele“, the traditional bamboo canes racks. In the past the arele were the tool to breed silkworms to produce silk to become the tool to dry grapes in autumn. Over the years, this system was abandoned since it implies two steps: to collect the grapes into crates (in the vineyard) and move the bunches to the arele (in the winery). A labor intensive method but still practiced by few producers who are particularly faithful to tradition.
During the Appassimento, natural sugars of grapes (fructose and glucose) increase because of the evaporation of water. Chemical transformations occur in the berries, which lead to a concentration of glycerine (responsible for the smoothness of wine) and polyphenolic substances in the skin (aromatic). Depending on the vintage a beneficial form of a grey fungus, can affect some grapes. The so called noble rot gives the wine a rounder body and distinct spicy notes.
After 3 months and a half of drying, the grapes lost about 40% of their weight. The production of a bottle of Amarone requires about twice the quantity of grapes needed for other wines.
