Amarone della Valpolicella Docg Riserva 2015

Brigaldara’s Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Riserva is not made from a fixed vineyard or dedicated cru. Instead, barrels from separate vinifications of the estate’s various sites are monitored over time, and those that demonstrate exceptional longevity after roughly four years of ageing are set aside to continue ageing as the Riserva. The 2015 Riserva draws from the Case Vecie and Molton vineyards, with a total production of 34 hectolitres. The 2015 growing season opened with a mild, dry winter and a cool, wet spring that slowed early growth, conditions that ultimately shaped a wine of notable concentration and balance. Ageing follows a minimum of three years in small oak barriques followed by two years in large 25-hectolitre oak casks, allowing the wine to develop the deep, complex tertiary character for which this label is known. The grape blend follows the estate’s standard for the Marano valley vineyards, built primarily on Corvina, Corvinone, and Rondinella, all hand-harvested in the second half of September and dried via the traditional appassimento method.