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 five carefully chosen Amarones from the heart of Valpolicella Classica - from the approachable classics by Zenato and Speri to the legendary La Mattonara Riserva by Zýmē. Every one tasted by us, every one direct from the importer.
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Our Amarone Selection
🇮🇹 Speri
Speri Vigneto Monte Sant'Urbano Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
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🇮🇹 Zýmē
Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2018
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🇮🇹 Zýmē
La Mattonara Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva DOCG 2009
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🇮🇹 Zenato
Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2020
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🇮🇹 Zenato
Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva Sergio Zenato 2017
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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
Looking for the best Amarone under 50 euros? We have two excellent options. The Zenato Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2020 (€44.95) is the quintessential classic from Sant'Ambrogio: warm, full and velvety, with dried plum, fig and cocoa. The Speri Vigneto Monte Sant'Urbano 2019 (€49.50) comes from a single vineyard and is made from grapes dried for around a hundred days — ethereal, elegant and remarkably refined at this price.
Ready to step up? The Zenato Riserva Sergio Zenato 2017 (€89.95) is the house's signature wine, sourced from its oldest vineyards and aged for around five years in large casks. The Zýmē Amarone Classico 2018 (€109.95) by winemaker Celestino Gaspari earned 96 points from both Falstaff and James Suckling. And for those seeking the very finest, there is the La Mattonara Riserva DOCG 2009 (€365): a monumental Amarone made in very limited quantities, for collectors and grand occasions.
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, and every Amarone in our range has been tasted and chosen by us personally. No endless lists — just five bottles that each deliver in their price range, from the Zenato Classico to the La Mattonara.
Because you buy direct from the importer, there are no unnecessary middlemen between the winery and your glass. 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 2017 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. At NEVINI, Amarone starts at €44.95 with the Zenato Classico 2020.