Amarone Origins: The Story of Valpolicella’s Iconic Red. Accidental Discovery or Set of Events?
Discover the Amarone origins and how this iconic red wine from Valpolicella became a global legend. Is the story of Amarone a lucky mistake or the result of historical evolution?
Let’s explore the myth and the facts.
The legendary story of Amarone
The most fascinating aspect of the Amarone origins lies in its legendary birth. Many believe it was a unique blend of myth and historical fact.
In reality, we know for sure that Amarone derives from Recioto. Experts unanimously recognize this ancient sweet wine as the “father of Amarone.” Both wines use partially dried grapes (Appassimento). However, there is a key difference. In Recioto, fermentation stops early to keep the wine sweet. In contrast, for Amarone, fermentation continues until all sugars turn into alcohol.
However, how and when Amarone was created is still a subject of debate. There are infact several narratives that, rather than excluding each other, should be integrated.
Villa Mosconi Bertani (Novare) is the Amarone's birthplace.
The legend: the lucky mistake of 1936
But how did the first dry version appear? According to legend, the Amarone origins trace back to a fortunate accident in 1936. At the Negrar Cooperative Winery, the cellar master Adelino Lucchese made a famous oenological mistake.
Due to an oversight, he forgot a barrel of sweet Recioto in a corner of the cellar. Several years later, he rediscovered it. He feared the wine had turned into vinegar, so he tasted it with the director, Dr. Gaetano Dall’Ora.
To their surprise, the wine was delicious. It was structured, elegant, and no longer sweet. Adelino famously exclaimed: “This wine is not bitter (amaro), it is an Amarone!” In Italian, the suffix -one means “big,” so he literally named it the “Big Bitter.”
JUST A MISTAKE OR A SET OF EVENTS?
However, the history of Amarone is much more complex and it’s is linked to two distinct but connected events:the evolution of consumer preferences which pushed towards new winemaking experiments.
1. Consumer preferences
Legend aside, dry versions of Recioto have always existed.
In fact, in the past managing fermentation without modern technologwas very difficult. So it was not uncommon for the Recioto resulting slightly dry. The name of this wine was Recioto scapà because the fermantation had ‘run away’ (scappata, in italian). Nevertheless this dry version was not appreciated and it was often sold at a low price or used in cooking. Some traditional local recipes, such as pastissada de caval or risotto all’Amarone, could have this origin.
Until the late 19th century, consumers had a strong preference for sweet, fortified wines. This was a global trend, and even Champagne wine was almost exclusively sweet until those years.
2. New winemaking experiments
In 1834, winemaker De Rizzoni took a risk and he experimented by aging a sweet wine for 11 years. The result was Rosso Austero di Costa Calda, a dry red where the sugars had naturally turned into alcohol. French experts judged it superior to many famous Bordeaux, triggering a new trend for premium dry wines like Recioto Amaro.
In 1903, Antonio Quintarelli’s Recioto Amaro di Negrar won the Gold Medal at the Milan Wine and Gastronomy Exhibition.
In 1936, the Negrar Cooperative Winery sent a shipment of Recioto Amaro to King Vittorio Emanuele III. The accompanying letter described it as a “roast wine“—a dry, high-quality alternative to common table wines. Made from the finest Recioto grapes, it was specifically designed to pair with savory main courses during important meals.
Until 1990 Amarone has been considered the dry version of the sweet dessert wine Recioto.
THE BIRTH OF AMARONE APPELLATION
The term “Amarone” became official in the 1930s. Nevertheless, for a long time, wineries labeled it as “Recioto Amarone.”
The oldest bottle, dated 1939, is labeld as Amarone extra and it is still kept at the Negrar Cooperative Winery. Later, in 1953, the Bolla winery began selling Amarone on a large scale, launching its international success.
Finally, the wine received official recognition:
1968: Creation of the Valpolicella denomination. Its first regulations defined a production area that remains largely unchanged today. At the time, only Valpolicella (including Superiore) and Recioto were officially recognized.
1976: the ‘Recioto della Valpolicella Amarone‘ version was born
1990: It officially became “Amarone della Valpolicella DOC.”
2010: It achieved the prestigious DOCG status, after a process started in 1995
In these years Amarone built its international reputation thanks also to wine critics such as Robert Parker (Wine Advocate) and Luigi Veronelli. In just a few years, Amarone reached the same level of prestige as Barolo and Brunello. It is truly an excellent wine for bottle aging, as the best vintages can last over 20 years in your cellar your cellar.
This article is an extract from the book: “I vini di Verona. Guida completa alle doc veronesi: origini, uve e tecniche di produzione” by Serena Festini, Cierre Edizioni, Verona 2023.