2022 Tedeschi Amarone della Valpolicella Marne 180

Tedeschi Amarone delle Valpolicella Marne is a beautiful ruby-red wine with hints of vanilla and soft red fruits such as blackcurrants, cherries, and currants. Marne means marl, and the wine is named after the soil type and the fact that the vineyards are planted in a semicircle, 180 degrees facing the sun. The flavor is strong, full, and warmly structured, yet beautifully balanced. The finish confirms the hints of soft red fruit, which are long-lasting and very soft. The aroma is sultry and powerful, with notes of cherry stones, broad, currants and raisins, figs, and plums. The wine is delicious from the start, but after a few years (5 to 10 years), it improves even further. The grapes are hand-harvested in September and dried on plastic trays until January. During this drying process, the grapes lose approximately 30% of their moisture and 25% of their weight. The grapes are pressed in January, after which fermentation takes place in steel vats at a controlled temperature of 15°C. The wine is then aged in Slovenian oak barrels for two years, after which it is bottled. The aging process continues in the bottle for at least six months in the estate's cellars.

It's no wonder this is one of the best Amarones, and Tedeschi is one of those producers known for its consistently high quality. In terms of price/quality, it's almost impossible to find anything comparable in the Amarone range.

Marne means "marl," and the wine is named after the soil type and the fact that the vineyards are planted in a semicircle, 180 degrees facing the sun. Amarone is a dry wine made from dried grapes from the Valpolicella region. Grapes are used for drying that are almost, but not yet fully, ripe. They are usually picked at a sugar level that, upon fermentation, will produce an alcohol content and greater flavor intensity. The result is a unique dry red wine, exceptionally full-bodied and powerful. A good wine should have no more than about 10% potential alcohol. The skins are still firm at this stage, so the grapes remain intact during drying. Moreover, the acidity is still vibrant. Drying increases the sugar content, so that, upon fermentation, a higher alcohol content and greater flavor intensity are achieved. The result is a unique dry red wine, exceptionally full-bodied and powerful.