A great red for winter

DRINK:Amarone is described as a vino di meditatzione – a meditation wine – to drink at the end of a meal. There's certainly lots going on in a glass of this Italian blockbuster

AMARONE IS ONE OF the great winter wines, rich, smooth, potent and warming. In Italy, it is traditionally considered the perfect “vino di meditatzione”, a meditation wine to drink at the end of a meal, with hard cheese. Today it is also paired with robust red meats and game dishes. This is one of the most age-worthy and complex wines, with a history dating back to Roman times.

Amarone is an appassimento wine, made from bunches of partially dried grapes picked and then laid out to shrivel for a lengthy period. In the past this was done on straw mats in local farmhouses. Today it is more likely to take place in special air-conditioned drying chambers. The process concentrates both sugar levels and flavour. This method was frequently used to make sweet wines in Mediterranean regions. An Amarone, however, is vinified dry (there is also a sweet version, Recioto) and should have a hearty 15 per cent alcohol or more, and a unique complex mix of dried and fresh fruit flavours.

A well-made Amarone will have the illusion of sweetness because of the high glycerol content. It has a characteristic savoury, slightly bitter touch (Amaro means bitter in Italian), “that makes you want to have another glass”, says Sandro Boscaini of Masi wines. As it ages, it can take on complex flavours of tea and grilled nuts.

Made solely in the Valpolicella region, close to Verona, Amarone is the peak of a hierarchy of styles, starting with basic Valpolicella. The intermediate wine, Ripasso, is made by re-fermenting a light, fruity Valpolicella on the skins of grapes used to make an Amarone. This gives it an extra boost of flavour and power.

The idea was first dreamt up by the Boscaini family in the late 1950s, with the first commercial version appearing in 1964. Rather than copyrighting the idea, in an act of generosity mixed with commercial acumen, the family allowed other producers to use the same technique, creating a new wine open to all producers in the region.

The Zenato family also has roots in the region going back many years, although the company was founded in 1960 by Sergio Zenato. Sergio was a noted taster, with a wide range of contacts and was able to buy wisely and blend well. His son Alberto has the same gifts and carries on the business with his sister Nadia. The Zenato wines are possibly a little more modern in style, but still full of local character. The Zenato Valpolicella is richer and fruitier than most, and his Ripasso is sleek and seductive.

Both Masi and Zenato are members of the Familie dell’Amarone d’Arte, a group of 12 families who banded together to protect the name of Amarone. Production has more than doubled in the past four years, leading to some very cheap, poor-quality wines being sold.

Masi has been making Amarone since 1772. Sandro Boscaini, part of the sixth generation, visited Ireland recently and treated us to a fantastic vertical tasting, going back to 1988, of the Masi Costasera, their “standard” Amarone, and also the Serègo Alighieri Vaio Amaron, from the ancient estate of the family of Dante Alighieri. It was a timely reminder that high-alcohol wines can be perfectly balanced, and also that Amarone, a much abused name, is one of the world’s great wines, very drinkable in its youth, but capable of ageing for 20 years. So this weekend, sit back and relax with a glass of Amarone, a few slivers of Parmesan, and a handful of nuts. As Sandro Boscaini says: “An Amarone will tell you a life, if you have the time to listen.”

BOTTLES OF THE WEEK

Masi Campofiorin 2008, 13%, €14.99An engaging wine with smooth, sophisticated black fruits, a touch of spice and a rounded finish. Instantly likeable and hard to put down. Stockists: Redmond's, Ranelagh; Sweeney's, Glasnevin; Mitchell's, IFSC and Glasthule; Savage's, Swords; Carpenter's, Castleknock; Cellars Wine Warehouse, Walkinstown; Nolan's, Clontarf; McHugh's, Raheny; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; Deveney's, Rathmines; O'Donovan's, Cork; Joyce's, Galway; Kerry Delicatessen, Tralee; World Wide Wines, Waterford; Hargadan's, Sligo; Portlaoise Wine Vault, Portlaoise; Dunnes Stores; Superquinn, Supervalu and O'Briens branches

Zenato Ripassa Valpolicella Superiore 2008, 14%, €20.50This is a hugely appealing wine, rich and opulent, with silky-smooth dark cherry fruits, and a long, velvety finish. Try it with game and roast or grilled red meats. Stockists: Donnybrook Fair; La Touche Wines, Greystones; Market 57, Westport; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; Liston's, Camden Street; 64 Wines, Glastule; The Wine Centre, Kilkenny; The Vintry, Rathgar; O'Keefe's, Ennis; Morton's, Galway; The Mill Wine Cellar, Maynooth; 1601, Kinsale; Lilac Wines, Fairview; McHugh's, Kilbarrack; Next Door outlets

Masi Costasera Amarone 2007, 15%, €35A young, intensely-flavoured wine, full of dark plums, baked fruit and spices. The acidity and subtle bitter edge give it real interest. This is a very good young wine that will mature further, but is irresistible now. Stockists: Fine Wines, Limerick; Mitchell's, IFSC Glasthule; Savage's, Swords; Redmond's, Ranelagh; Joyce's, Galway; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; Sweeney's, Glasnevin; Deveney's, Rathmines; Higgins', Clonskeagh; Hargadan's, Sligo; Cellars Wine Warehouse, Walkinstown; World Wide Wines, Waterford; The Vintry, Rathgar; Dunnes Stores, Superquinn, O'Briens, and select Supervalu branches

Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2006, Zenato, 16.5%, €45A sensual combination of exotic spice, coffee, vanilla and dark cherry fruits that fills the mouth with flavour. Big, but perfectly balanced, this is worth raiding the piggy-bank for on a special occasion. Stockists: The Wine Centre, Kilkenny; Lord Mayor, Swords; Claudio's, Newtownmountkennedy; Market 57, Westport; 1601, Kinsale; Hole in the Wall, Dublin 7; The Mill Wine Cellar, Maynooth; McHugh's, Kilbarrack; Sweeney's, Glasnevin; Lilac Wines, Fairview; Donnybrook Fair; On the Grapevine, Dalkey; Power Smullen, Lucan; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock

Sherry tasting

Sherry is one of the world's great wines, but remains misunderstood by many. John Wilson will take Irish Timesreaders through the full range of sherries, explaining each different style from dry to sweet, and when to drink it. The tasting takes place in The Irish Timesbuilding on Thursday, November 3rd, from 6.30pm-8pm. Tickets are €20, with all proceeds going to charity. To book, see irishtimes.com/winetasting