2009 Amarone Classico della Valpolicella Corte Vaona, Novaia, Marano, Veneto

2009 Amarone Classico della Valpolicella Corte Vaona, Novaia, Marano, Veneto

Product: 20098129567
 
2009 Amarone Classico della Valpolicella Corte Vaona, Novaia, Marano, Veneto

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Description

Reflecting the cool spring and hot summer, one conveniently pitted with rain drops, Marcello's 2009 Amarone Classico is elegantly aromatic with notes of wild cherries ('visciole') under spirit, and of orange marmalade. To the taste it's suave, full and pulpy, richly generous while at the same time, tempered with volcanic minerality that underpins the Valpolicella valley of Marano.
David Berry Green

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About this WINE

Novaia, Veneto

Novaia, Veneto

The Novaia wine estate is located in the Classico village of Marano di Valpolicella. Marcello Vaona is the latest generation to tend the vines, alongside father Gianpaolo & zio Cesare. With a new cantina under construction above the village, one senses that Marcello is determined to take the estate to greater heights, having joined in 2000.

The family have 7 hectares of terraced pergola and guyot vines, lying at between 300 and 400 metres above sea level on the calcareous ‘pietra di Lessinia’ stone soils mixed with volcanic elements.

Novaia makes a full range of minerally Valpolicella Classico wines: Valpolicella (crunchy, stainless-steel), Ripasso (stainless-steel and barriques), Superiore ‘I Cantoni’ (single vineyard, barriques), Amarone (two years of barrqiues), Amarone Riserva ‘Le Balze’ (single vineyard, only exceptional years, three years of barriques), Recioto ‘Le Novaje’ (old single vineyard, one year of barriques).

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Amarone della Valpolicella

Amarone della Valpolicella

Amarone della Valpollicella, a leading Venetian wine DOC, now represents 25% of the total production of Valpolicella wine. Amarone della Valpolicella (normally known more snappily as "Amarone") is made using partially shrivelled fruit that has been left to dry, and produces a rich, full-bodied, unfortified, dry red wine. 

Amarone's sweeter sibling Recioto della Valpolicella can trace its history back to the Romans, when Pliny, Virgil and Columella made reference to a wine called "Recitium", however, Amarone was not seen until it was first sold in 1936 and was only officially recognised in 1953. Its birth was apparently the result of a producer forgetting to take his Recioto out of barrel, allowing it to ferment to dryness.

Located between Lake Garda and Venice, the Amarone zone is concentrated around the villages of Negrar, Fumane, Marano, Sant Ambroglio and San Pietro-in-Cariano. Its vines grow on stony, volcanic, calcareous sites in the foothills of the Lessini Mountains at between 150m and 350m above sea level. With Lake Garda and the Adriatic Sea nearby, the region's climate is relatively temperate although the proximity of the Alps brings with it the constant threat of hail (as occurred in 2007).

Corvina (aka Veronese) and Corvinone must constitute 80% of the blend, with Rondinella, Molinara and Croatina accounting for the remaining 20%. Once harvested, the clean fruit is traditionally dried in airy lofts for 100-120 days over the winter, a process known as "appassimento". This typically results in an increase of sugar by 27% and dry extract by 28% while malic acid levels reduce by 66% with tartaric acid levels remaining the same. Importantly, evaporation leads to a 65% reduction in must weight (although this is less in modern purpose-built "lofts") aided and abetted by the development of noble rot (aka "botrytis cinerea"). The desiccated fruit is pressed in the March following the October harvest and fermented in Slavonian or French oak. 

It is then aged for up to 7 years (as is the case for the wines of Giuseppe Quintarelli). The left-over grape pomace is recycled, with Valpolicella Classicopassed through it to produce Valpolicella Ripasso. The legal minimum alcohol level for Amarone is 14% but most easily surpass 15%. The best wines are dense and richly textured - reminiscent of Vintage Port but drier and without the fortification! - with lively acidity, supple tannins and lovely flavours of Morello cherry, roast coffee and chocolate.

Recommended producers: Bussola, Corte Sant' Alda, Dal Forno and Giuseppe Quintarelli.

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Corvina, Corvinone blend

Corvina, Corvinone blend

Corvina is widely grown on the Veneto shore of Lake Garda and the hills of Valpolicella to the north and north-east of Verona. Sometimes known as Corvina Veronese, it is blended with Rondinella and Molinara to produce Valpolicella and Bardolino. It can be a tricky grape to cultivate, as it ripens late and is prone to rot if affected by rains at harvest time. It is a high-yielding grape and quality is very dependent on keeping yields low.

Corvina-based red wines can range in style from a light, cherryish red to the rich, port-like Recioto and Amarone Valpolicellas. Most Valpolicella from the plains is pale and insipid, and bears little comparison with Valpolicella Classico from the hills. Some producers such as Allegrini are now producing very high quality 100% Corvina wines.

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