2017 Zenato Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Classico, Veneto

There's a spicy citrus twang that enlivens the dusty black raspberries and exotic spices that waft up from the 2017 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico. It’s silken and deeply textural, with a bitter tinge of cinnamon and cacao up front that gives way to sweet wild berries and balsam herbs. There’s a wild air of autumnal spices and inner florals within, as well as saline-minerals that add salty depths. The 2017 finishes incredibly long but also youthfully tense and concentrated. There is a bit of heat that pokes out, but doesn’t get in the way, as nuances of rose and dark chocolate slowly fade. This beastly Amarone will require some cellaring to come fully into focus.

92 points Eric Guido vinous.com January 2022 Drink 2024 - 2034