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Amarone (Valpolicella), Selection International

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  • Amarone (Valpolicella), Selection International

    Notes from 26/12/11 - this wine started 8/1/11 & bottled 4/3/11 estimated at 15%ABV

    I've had difficulty getting comfortable with red wine kits, it's only after the first 6 or so which have had a disappointing 'hum' of home-brew that I've realised the importance of getting off the CO2 at the stabilising stage. And giving them time to condition. This batch I added 2.5tsp of campden powder at the final racking 4 weeks prior to bottling. According to my notes I was painstaking at the degassing stage and it shows, this is not touched with that yam-like reminder that you saw demi-johns all over the kitchen when you came in.

    It's a handsome dark red wine, no browns but no youthful lilac either. An appealing vinosity on the glass, consistent rather than many legs. Significant nose, deep and christmas pudding (topical for the time of writing) hickory smokiness, volatile. Not flowery, not citrus.

    Dry, coating the surface of the tongue in an instant, but picking out the sweet receptors - there's a shadow of sweetness on the side of your tongue but this is a dry wine - tannin lingers on the tongue after you've swallowed, but it's not harsh and you also get the warm port-like vapour, from the strong ABV I guess. Silky mouth-feel is pleasing and much appreciated.

    This is one of the best value-for-money bargains in the range, in my opinion. It's a very clever kit, it does deliver a good, authentic Amarone. It is complex, dark and full of flavour and headiness. About 6 weeks ago we ran a tasting against an £18 bottle of 2005 La Colombaia. The shop-bought, 6 year old won easily, but the Selection kit (then a full 7 months old) was a reasonable and plucky contender though out-gunned mainly through maturity.

    Amarone is heavy & opulent, but it doesn't have the strong date/fig (liquorice?) dominant flavours of barolo, which my personal prejudices slander barolo for being unbalanced in this respect. It's just my way of saying I like amarone a lot more than barolo and trying to explain why.

    One of the best I've made. 4 out of 5. It's only the best that will get a 5 and I really hope there is one out there in the reds, but this has a very high recommendation from me - of course I'm very keen for someone to point me in the direction of my '5'.

    I hope this helps if you are thinking of giving it a go.
    Now bottling 20DJs of 2013 red and making room to rack 5 carboys of 2014 red to the DJs where they can wait for another winter.
    Thank goodness for eBay! (local cache of DJs)

  • #2
    You may revise your mark for this wine as it enters its 2nd year, and again if it makes it to its thrid year. At a recent 5 towns wince circle meeting, we drank two wines that were 6 years old. A Kenridge lts edition primitivo/shiraz and a Winexpert Piedmont Nebbiolo D'alba they were radically different to how they tasted in their first year, having mellowed and developed some real depth.

    The slight jamminess sometimes described as "kit taste" was quite apparent in the Kenridge, but hardly noticeable at all in the winexpert. This jamminess is thought to be caused by the processing of the juice with heat. (although there are many theories) I have always found that ageing reduces it considerably.

    hope that helps

    regards
    bob
    N.G.W.B.J.
    Member of 5 Towns Wine and Beer Makers Society (Yorkshire's newest)
    Wine, mead and beer maker

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