First, it's fair to say that I love this vineyard. I've tasted and carried a couple of their wines at my winebar, including one bottle of a grape called Casetta, that is almost extinct, with Albino Armani cultivating one of the only acreages on the planet. Needless to say, they are a dedicated vineyard, with tons of great info up at their websiteHere.
I was excited to taste this great vino, and was not to be disappointed. When I first opened the bottle, I was surprised at how smooth and unassuming this Amarone is. Most are burly and tannic, with a lot of acidity and astringency. This is concentrated and smooth, with an easygoing finish. Definitely ready to drink.
After an hour in the decanter, this opens up a huge amount of complexity, with nice toffee and fruit leather aromas. It's really a pleasure just to smell this stuff.
On the palate, not quite as many fireworks, but, as I said, this is a not-so-tannic Amarone, and it really shines with food. It's got a huge character without having an overpowering one, and it complemented every dish on my plate. Great stuff. 92pts, in my book.
I picked this up at Wink, undoubtably one of my favorite wine spots in Austin (and food spots, too!) and was happily surprised to find that they offer 40% take-home bottle discount, which puts it right at retail price. So much to love at that place. Still, $70, so special occasion, definitely.
