Amarone Della Valpolicella DOC

Pieropan's Amarone della Valpolicella originates from hillside vineyards in the Classico zone of northeastern Italy's Veneto region, where Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara grapes ripen on calcareous soils with limestone bedrock at 200–300 meters elevation. The house's signature technique employs appassimento—three to four months of controlled drying of harvested grapes in ventilated lofts—concentrating sugars and phenolics before fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel. The resulting wine undergoes aging in large Slavonian oak casks (35–50 hectoliters) for 24–36 months, preserving fruit character while building structure. Pieropan's restraint with new oak distinguishes this expression: the wood serves as a breathing vessel rather than flavor imposer, allowing the dried-fruit complexity and tannin architecture to dominate. Vintage-dependent alcohol typically reaches 15–16% ABV. This is a wine of considerable aging potential, drinking well from release through 15+ years in cellar.