About the Wine

We're pleased to have this food-friendly Amarone available just in time for the Holiday season. This Amarone is perfectly suited to transform any family dinner into a gastronomic paradise! When paired alongside grilled red meats and hearty soups the 2012 Montecariano Amarone will transport you to a dining paradise perfectly situated along the canals of Venice. It's time to impress your in-laws with your culinary expertise.

This outstanding Amarone is one of the best expressions of the meticulous work and patience of the Galtarossa Family, situated in the heart of the Valpolicella Classica area (San Pietro in Cariano). This wine is an extraordinary blend of different native grape varieties from the Valpolicella area, mostly Corvina and Corvinone, then Rondinella, Molinara, and Pelara. The particularity of Montecariano’s Amarone that distinguishes it from other Amarone wines in the Valpolicella region is its elegant and soft minerality, due to ancient marine fossils that characterize the soil of Montecariano’s vineyards.

The Montecariano Estate is owned by Mariella Gini, along with her 2 sons Marco and Matteo. The Galtarossa brothers, who continue in a family tradition that dates back into the last century, are a dynamic and vibrant duo that brought Montecariano wines to higher standards of quality. Marco is the arm—the winemaker—who takes care of all the production processes, from the vineyards to the cellars. Matteo is the mind and is more involved in sales, communication, and business marketing. They are very meticulous and respectful of the land, growing all their grapes in a natural way. This allows low yields and the best selection of grapes in the vineyards. They believe that the only way to protect the Valpolicella’s land and its native grape varieties is to make wines that are the purest expression of their terroir and climate—a  mix of sensations, emotions, and memories.

For this Amarone blend, the vineyard sources are located near the town of San Pietro in Cariano, in the heart of the Valpolicella appellation. The vineyards are sustainably farmed with low-impact practices. The goal of the 2 brothers is to preserve some natural and native grape varieties, such as Pelara, Oseleta, Molinara, Teroldego, Croatina, in addition to the traditional ones, Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella.

The grapes are fermented for about 50 days in stainless steel tanks, within skin contact and frequent delestage (rack and return process), and several remontage (Pump-Overs). It is aged sur lies for 39 Months between tonneaux and french oak barriques. This valley is the epitome of unique terroir in the Valpolicella region, characterized by a mix of clay, limestone, and, most importantly, ancient marine fossils. These ancient marine fossils give an incredibly charming, salty minerality persona to this Amarone. This minerality is considered the trademark of Montecariano’s Amarone.

The region of Valpolicella has been inhabited uninterruptedly from prehistory until today. Thanks to the protection of the Lessini mountains and natural exposure from the southern sun, Valpolicella is a unique location and climate for growing ultra-high quality grapes and making elegant and complex wines, one of which is Montecariano’s Amarone. Valpolicella’s most precious gift is its grapes: the vines extend over the whole territory, blending and integrating with the landscape. Over time the grapes have created tradition and history, weaving their tendrils with the life of the growers and populations who chose this land as their home, inspiring the art of many artists and academics. Valpolicella, which is known worldwide as the cradle of Amarone, is a region that is full of history inserted in a unique context, just like the wines it produces.

Tasting notes: Red wine. This Amarone shows an intense ruby red color with garnet highlights. The bouquet is catchy and complex, full of ripe red, sour cherry, with balsamic, spicy hints. The wine itself is structured and silky, enveloped in spices such as black pepper, cloves, and cinnamon. It has an excellent balance between acidity and tannins that join the more sophisticated scents of chocolate and hazelnut.

Reviews

“Here’s a full-bodied red wine with the power and density to pair with wintery foods. The 2012 Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico is a steady and layered wine that peels back to reveal generous tones of black fruit, spice, leather, and dried coriander or cardamom seed. This vintage was very hot, and the fruit feels extra dried out here as a result. The grapes, 65% Corvina and Corvinone, 20% Rondinella, and 15% Molinara, Croatina, and Pelara, are air-dried for 90 days. You feel that 16% alcohol on the close. Some 9,500 bottles were made.” ~92 Robert Parker

“A well-knit, silky red, offering sleek tannins and flavors of dried strawberry and cherry fruit, layered with hints of date, smoke, and mandarin orange peel. Medium- to full-bodied, with a fresh, chewy finish. Drink now through 2022.” ~91 Wine Spectator 

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