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Amarone
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Amarone della Valpolicella is an often powerful Italian dry red wine made from the partially dried grapes of the Corvina (40.0% – 70.0%), Rondinella (20.0% – 40.0%) and Molinara (5.0% – 25.0%) varieties. In Italian, amarone literally means "big bitter." The wine was awarded Denominazione di Origine Controllata status in December 1990.
From the same production zone as Valpolicella, in the province of Verona (Veneto), Amarone is made by harvesting ripe grapes and allowing them to dry, traditionally on straw mats. This concentrates the remaining sugars and flavours. Depending on weather conditions, the wine may be influenced by noble rot, although not necessarily in a positive way. The final result is a very ripe, raisiny, big-bodied wine with very little acid. Alcohol content easily surpasses 15% (the legal minimum is 14%) and the resulting wine is rarely released until five years after the vintage, even though this is not a legal requirement.
The same process can also be used to make a dessert wine called Recioto della Valpolicella.
The pomace left over from pressing off the Amarone is used in the production of ripasso Valpolicellas.
- In The Silence of the Lambs (novel), Lecter eats the census taker's liver with fava beans and a "big Amarone", rather than a Chianti as in the film version.
| Wine styles: | Red/White • Rosé/Blush • Sparkling • Dessert • Fortified • Fruit • Ice Wine | |
| Notable varietals: |
White Albariño • Chardonnay • Chenin blanc • Gewürztraminer • Muscat • Pinot blanc • Pinot gris • Riesling • Sauvignon blanc • Sémillon • Viognier |
Red Cabernet Franc • Cabernet Sauvignon • Carmenère • Durif • Gamay • Grenache • Malbec • Merlot • Petit Verdot • Pinotage • Pinot noir • Sangiovese • Syrah/Shiraz • Tempranillo • Zinfandel |
| Notable regionals: |
Amarone • Asti • Barolo • Barossa • Beaujolais • Bordeaux • Burgundy • Chablis • Champagne • Chianti • Commandaria • Dão • Egri Bikavér • Madeira • Marsala • Port • Retsina • Rhône • Rioja • Sancerre • Sauternes • Sherry • Tokaji • Valpolicella • Vermouth • Vinho Verde • Vouvray | |
| See also: | Glossary of wine terms • List of grape varieties • List of wine-producing regions • List of wine producing countries • Winemaking | |