The Story
Zenato Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2020 is a majestic, deeply intense, and masterfully balanced Italian red wine widely recognized as a benchmark for the Valpolicella Classica region. Sourced from the Sant'Ambrogio township, the hand-selected grapes undergo the appassimento method, drying for four months before a slow winter fermentation and 36 months of aging in large-format Slavonian casks. In the glass, it pours an impenetrable, deep black-ruby red color. The nose is highly fragrant and youthful, opening with aromas of wild raspberries, cassis, and elderberry, seamlessly interwoven with earthy complexity, freshly ground black pepper, mint, dried bay leaf, and rich dark chocolate. On the palate, this wine is full-bodied and dense, balancing its savory flavors of chocolate-dipped cherries with a tight framework of chalky, ripe tannins and a remarkably fresh, cleansing line of acidity that carries effortlessly into a long, toasty finish.
Food Pairing: Slow-braised beef short ribs, wild boar ravioli, grilled cowboy ribeye steaks, and mature artisanal cheeses (like aged Parmigiano-Reggiano or pungent Gorgonzola).
96 Points - James Suckling
Description
Zenato Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2020 is a majestic, deeply intense, and masterfully balanced Italian red wine widely recognized as a benchmark for the Valpolicella Classica region. Sourced from the Sant'Ambrogio township, the hand-selected grapes undergo the appassimento method, drying for four months before a slow winter fermentation and 36 months of aging in large-format Slavonian casks. In the glass, it pours an impenetrable, deep black-ruby red color. The nose is highly fragrant and youthful, opening with aromas of wild raspberries, cassis, and elderberry, seamlessly interwoven with earthy complexity, freshly ground black pepper, mint, dried bay leaf, and rich dark chocolate. On the palate, this wine is full-bodied and dense, balancing its savory flavors of chocolate-dipped cherries with a tight framework of chalky, ripe tannins and a remarkably fresh, cleansing line of acidity that carries effortlessly into a long, toasty finish.
Food Pairing: Slow-braised beef short ribs, wild boar ravioli, grilled cowboy ribeye steaks, and mature artisanal cheeses (like aged Parmigiano-Reggiano or pungent Gorgonzola).
96 Points - James Suckling
