CANTINE LENOTTI AMARONE DELLA VALPOLCIELLA 2012

• Region:  Veneto
• Sub Region:  Valpolicella Classico
• Varietals: Corvina (70%), Rondinella (25%), Oseleta (5%)
• Soil:  Calcareous with glacial and alluvial deposits
• Yield: .25 tons/Ha
• Alcohol:  15.5%

Production Notes: Produced in very limited quantities in only the best years, only the top 25% of each hectare planted to Corvina, Rondinella and Oseleta is selected for the Amarone, with the remaining 75% going into the Valpolicella. A majority of the fruit is dried in wooden crates until the late winter, and vinified in January/February.  A soft pressing is followed by a slow and controlled fermentation, in some years lasting months.  After fermentation, the wine is then aged for a period of 3-5 years in French oak buttes, before bottling and an additional year of aging in bottle before release. The 2010 marks the first vintage for the DOCG Amarone qualification in the region.

Tasting Notes: Dark ruby red color and an intense bouquet with warm toast and spice notes. Rich notes of plum, cassis, rose petals and clove spice encase the palate. Velvety tannins and a persistent finish linger over wild underbrush and baking spices. Best when decanted for 1 hour.

Pairings: With the main course consisting of roasts or game, it is also excellent at the end of the meal served alongside mature cheeses.

About Amarone della Valpolicella: Considered one of Italy’s greatest wines, Amarone della Valpolicella is an intense, dry red wine whose body and Port-like flavor are a result of the dried grapes (passito) used in the fermentation.  This style of wine was developed by the winemakers of the Veneto that were searching for a way to increase the body, complexity and alcohol content of their wines produced with the lighter local varietals of Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara.  The cool growing conditions of the mountainous western Veneto region make it difficult for the red varietals to gain full ripeness, and therefore the concentration of the natural grape sugars and aromas gained in the drying process provide the base for a rich and complex finished wine. 

About Lenotti: Situated on the banks of picturesque Lake Garda in the heart of the Bardolino region, the Lenotti name was first associated with the production of Bardolino Classico in 1906.  The family was a key supplier of quality fruit to producers in the area from the 1900’s until the mid-1960’s. Gradually increasing production and quality over the years, in 1968 they began the exclusive production of estate wines, and have worked diligently since then to establish themselves in the global marketplace.  Known now for their crisp, aromatic whites from the Bardolino region as well as Amarone Classico della Valpolicella, in 2016 they celebrate 110 years producing wine in the Bardolino region, and pride themselves on their dedication to family, tradition and nature.