Meroni Il Velluto Amarone della Valpolicella 2012

Amarone is today one of the great Italian wines, which finds its origins after the Second World War. The name means “bitter”, which is what distinguishes it from the sweet wine Recioto. The story says that it was discovered by mistake, as a barrel of Recioto was left behind in the cellar and when it was found it came out to be great: “This is not amaro (bitter) it’s Amarone. The grapes are strictly harvested by hand exclusively on the “Maso” estate and the “Grola” area. The grapes are carefully selected to verify the quality, the right ventilation ensures that there are no harmful mold and rot during the drying period. The natural drying process lasts from late September to mid-January, to obtain a high concentration of sugar and structure, losing about 30% of its initial volume. Amarone ages in barrels for about 5 years, followed by 12 months in bottle. This method of production and aging process make Amarone a magnificent wine on the palate, with great structure and roundness given by the “velvet” tanning. A ruby red wine with an ethereal aroma and notes of cherry liqueur, red mulberry jam, violet, licorice, later on it evolves with notes of tamarind mushrooms and spices.It’s extremely elegant and it’s ideal with roasts, red meats, game and at the end of the meal with aged cheese. In traditional local cuisine, it’s used as an ingredient in the “Risotto Amarone “or in combination with large game steaks and long-aged cheeses. Wine suitable for long aging and in a bottle 15 to 20 years.