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Amarone della Valpolicella

Amarone is not a wine you buy on a whim: this is a bottle for the moments that matter. At NEVINI you'll find 7 carefully selected Amarones from Valpolicella - from the approachable classics by Zenato and Speri to the legendary La Mattonara Riserva by Zýmē. Still choosing? Read our comparison of five Amarone wines.

Amarone is not a wine you buy on a whim: this is a bottle for the moments that matter. At NEVINI you'll find 7 carefully selected Amarones from Valpolicella - from the approachable classics by Zenato and Speri to the legendary La Mattonara Riserva by Zýmē. Still choosing? Read our comparison of five Amarone wines.

Our Amarone selection

7 wines, from €36.85

Ships from Maastricht to NL, BE, DE, LU, AT, FR, ES, IT, PT, CH, AD, MC. Free standard shipping from €250 in NL and BE.

Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2018

Zýmē, Veneto

Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2018

4.5/55 sources
Region
Veneto
Grapes
Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella
Alcohol
15.5%

Taste profile: Candied cherries, plums, dark chocolate

€108.95

incl. VAT

Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2020
Great value

Zenato, Veneto

Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2020

4.3/52 sources
Region
Veneto
Grapes
Corvina Veronese, Rondinella, Oseleta
Alcohol
16.5%

Taste profile: Marasca cherry, dried plums, fig

€44.95

incl. VAT

What is Amarone? The secret of appassimento

Amarone della Valpolicella is one of Italy's great red wines, made in the hills northwest of Verona, in Veneto. The blend is built on local grapes such as Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella, often joined by Oseleta and Croatina. What makes Amarone unique is the appassimento process: after the harvest, the grapes are dried on wooden racks in ventilated lofts for three to four months. They lose around forty percent of their weight, concentrating sugars, aromas and colour.

Only then are the grapes pressed and slowly fermented. The result is a full-bodied, dry red wine of 15 to 17 percent alcohol, with flavours of dried fruit, cherries, dark chocolate, tobacco and spice. Years of ageing in large Slavonian oak casks give the wine its signature smoothness and complexity.

How to choose a good Amarone

Start with your taste and the occasion. Zenato Amarone Classico is a classic introduction: warm, full and velvety. Speri Monte Sant'Urbano puts more emphasis on elegance. For rich fruit and spice, also compare Cà dei Frati Pietro Dal Cero.

For a special occasion, explore Sergio Zenato Riserva, Zýmē Amarone Classico and La Mattonara Riserva. Read our Amarone buying guide for the differences between five of these bottles. The product pages show current prices, vintages and availability.

Amarone and food: game, stews and aged cheese

Amarone calls for powerful food — or no food at all. Classic pairings include game dishes such as venison stew, wild boar or roasted duck, and slow-cooked braises like ossobuco, brasato or beef stewed in red wine. Aged cheeses are wonderful too: Parmigiano Reggiano, mature Gouda or a sharp pecorino. The rich texture and gentle sweetness of dried fruit stand up effortlessly to intense flavours.

Serve Amarone at 16-18 °C and give a young bottle an hour or two in a decanter. A beautifully matured Amarone, like the Sergio Zenato or the La Mattonara, is also magnificent on its own: in Italy it's known as a 'vino da meditazione' for good reason — a wine to sit back and dream with.

Why buy Amarone from NEVINI?

NEVINI is not an anonymous webshop, but a small, curated wine importer based in Maastricht. We are two cousins with a shared love of wine. We carefully taste our collection and select for flavour, provenance and character. No endless lists, just a focused selection — from the Zenato Classico to the La Mattonara.

Not sure which Amarone suits you, or looking for a bottle as a gift? Send us a message on WhatsApp (+31 6 21 14 94 89) — we're happy to help you choose.

Want to dive deeper into the region behind this wine? Read our blog: Amarone & Veneto: Italy's drying lofts

Frequently asked questions

What does Amarone taste like?

Amarone is a full-bodied, dry red wine with flavours of dried fruit, cherries, plums, dark chocolate, tobacco and spice. Thanks to the appassimento process it is richer and more powerful than most red wines, with a velvety texture and an alcohol level of 15 to 17 percent.

How long can you keep Amarone?

A good Amarone will easily keep for ten to twenty years; Riservas such as the Sergio Zenato 2018 or the La Mattonara 2009 are built for long ageing. Store the bottle lying down, in the dark, at a constant temperature of around 12-14 degrees.

At what temperature should you serve Amarone?

Serve Amarone at 16 to 18 degrees, just below room temperature. Give a young Amarone one to two hours in a decanter so the aromas can fully open up. A mature bottle usually needs less air.

What is the difference between Amarone and Ripasso?

Amarone is made entirely from dried grapes, resulting in a concentrated, powerful wine. For Ripasso, a regular Valpolicella is refermented on the leftover grape skins from Amarone production. This makes Ripasso lighter, softer and more affordable — a lovely stepping stone, but not a substitute.

Why is Amarone so expensive?

During appassimento the grapes lose around forty percent of their weight, so far more grapes are needed per bottle. Add months of drying — with the risk of losses — and years of ageing in oak casks and bottle. You can taste that time and craftsmanship. See the Amarone selection and product pages for current prices.

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