As someone who once was a server in fine dining I am accustomed to admiring or scoffing over a guest’s choice of wine. Those days have passed, but my interest in wine persists. For this reason I was pretty pumped to be invited to a wine pairing for Cesari Amarone. I knew Amarone well enough to know that I was in for an experience that would make my old server colleagues jealous. (Shoutout to Danica & Mark at PUBLIC PR)
….So what is Amarone?
Cesari Amarone della Valpolicella, unlike most wine, is made from dried grapes, which results in needing about 7x as many grapes as most wine. The wine comes from 4 main grapes; the Corvina, Corivnone, Rondinella, and Molinara. These grapes are subjected to a long fermentation process of 35 to 50 days, which gives it a higher alcohol content (the best part IMO.) Traditionally the wine is aged in oak or chestnut barrels, but to account for the understandably high demand for this delicious wine faster methods were developed. The grapes are dried in temperature and humidity controlled rooms, then aged in new oak barrels. The newer method has a shorter shelf-life from the traditional method, (~10 compared to 40 years) but the quality and taste is not sacrificed.
To simplify….
I’m a red meat guy. I love things that go with steak, so naturally I love red wine. I usually find myself steering more towards cabernet and barolo, wines on the more heavy full bodied side. Amarone offers everything I want in a bottle of wine; it’s tannic but not overpowering like a strong barolo, and just the right amount of fruit forward. The exceptionally high alcohol content is not a downside.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have gone go to two separate tastings for Amarone this fall, and I can confidently name it as my favorite wine. I’m no sommelier, but I’m making progress. Mackenzie and I certainly don’t drink Amorone on a nightly basis, but it’s our wine choice for a romantic night in. I can promise you, your girlfriend will be into it. Cesari Amarone is sure to impress a wine snob and always makes the dinner party conversation interesting. Highly recommended.
(Mackenzie on her 4th or 5th glass…?)
