Terre di Leone Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2008

Terre di Leone is a small winery that has gained renown in the last few years as one of the leading producers of Valpolicella and Amarone. Although a relative newcomer by European standards, its wines have gone from strength to strength, establishing a new, easy-drinking, fruit-forward and fresh style of Valpolicella.

The majority of the grapes used in its production come from a high altitude cluster of vineyards lying between the villages of Marano di Valpolicella and Fumane. Here the vines grow on white pebble terraces, at high densities and trained using the Guyot system, in order to extract the highest quality and flavour from the late-maturing grapes.

Appearance

Deep cherry red hue. Nice tears.

Nose

Very clean, with aromas of ripe cherries, liquorice and sweet spices against a backdrop of aromatic herbs and wet earth.

Palate

Glyceride yet well balanced by nice acidity, with a slightly sweet, liqueur-like finish, and a smoky aftertaste.

Comment

The wine is a blend of Corvina 40%, Corvinone 20%, Rondinella 25%, Molinara 10% and Oseleta 5% varietals.  This is an unusual wine produced traditionally, i.e., from hand-picked grapes collected in 5 kg crates and dried in the fruttaios (fruit-drying lofts) for 100 days to intensify their flavours and aromas. The wine is then aged for 20 months in 25 hl French oak barrels and matured in bottle for a further 6 months.

This could be described as a complex, well-structured wine, with smooth tannins enabling it to be enjoyed while still relatively young.  It is also an ideal candidate for laying down, with excellent freshness and good ageing potential that will allow it to keep and to be enjoyed in a few years time.

Recommended with meat and vegetable lasagne Bolognese.