Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Acinatico (2020)
SommeliAI Insights
A rich, full-bodied red wine with complex flavors of dried fruit, vanilla, and spices.
About this wine
This Amarone della Valpolicella Classico from Stefano Accordini is a deep garnet red wine with a complex aroma of dried fruit and hints of vanilla. On the palate, it offers a warm, spicy flavor profile, characteristic of the traditional Amarone style. The wine is produced using the appassimento method, where grapes are dried for several months to concentrate their sugars and flavors, resulting in a robust and elegant wine. This meticulous process contributes to the wine's rich complexity and depth, making it a standout example of Amarone from the Valpolicella region.
About the grape
In the Valpolicella region of Italy, the 2020 Stefano Accordini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is crafted using a blend of traditional grape varieties: Corvina Veronese, Rondinella, and Molinara. Corvina Veronese, often considered the backbone of Valpolicella wines, contributes structure and flavors of sour cherry and almond. Rondinella, a high-yielding grape, adds floral notes and enhances the wine's color. Molinara, known for its high acidity, imparts freshness and was traditionally included to balance the blend, though its use has declined in recent years. These grapes are typically dried using the appassimento method, concentrating their sugars and flavors, which is essential in producing Amarone wines.
Quick facts
- 🍷 The name 'Amarone' translates to 'Great Bitter' in Italian, distinguishing it from the sweeter Recioto wine produced in the same region.
- 🍇 The production of Amarone involves a unique drying process called 'appassimento,' where grapes are dried for about 120 days to concentrate sugars and flavors.
- 🏔️ Stefano Accordini's vineyards are among the highest in the Valpolicella Classica region, situated at 550 meters above sea level, contributing to the unique characteristics of their wines.
- 🍒 The 2020 vintage of Stefano Accordini's Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is noted for its intense aromas of berries, cherry, and raspberry, with a good volume modulated by soft and elegant tannins.
- 🔥 Amarone wines are known for their high alcohol content, often surpassing 15%, due to the concentration of sugars during the drying process.
Palate profile
Producer
The Stefano Accordini winery traces its origins to the early 20th century when Gaetano Accordini, a sharecropper, began producing wine in the Valpolicella region of Italy. In the 1970s, his son Stefano purchased the family's first vineyard, "Il Fornetto," in the Negrar Valley, realizing his dream of establishing a winery. By 1982, Stefano's sons, Tiziano and Daniele, modernized the winery by planting new vineyards, updating production methods, and expanding into international markets. In the early 2000s, the family relocated their operations to Cavalo in the Fumane Valley, at an elevation of 550 meters, to enhance wine quality. Today, the fourth generation continues to manage the 25-hectare estate, focusing on organic farming and environmental sustainability.
