Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Classico Riserva 2016

This Amarone Riserva comes from terraces at about 500 metres on the hill of Marano di Valpolicella, and it is made like almost nothing else in the zone: Rondinella 30% and Molinara 30% lead the blend with Corvina 15%, Corvinone 15% and Oseleta 10%, an old field mix that trades sheer power for perfume. The grapes dry until they lose about 45% of their weight, ferment on indigenous yeasts in cherry wood vats, then age seven years in French tonneaux and two more in bottle in the underground cellar; the 2015 runs to 4,000 numbered bottles.
At 16% it is deep but lifted: blackberry and rose hip, violets, white pepper, balsamic herbs, caramel and vanilla, with silky tannins and mountain freshness. Stand it up a day ahead, decant for an hour and serve at 18 °C with braised beef cheeks, roast game or aged Monte Veronese; it also makes a superb solo glass after dinner.