Jay Kline

9.3

Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and no obvious signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of ripe and some dried fruits: bramble berries, slightly stewed black cherry, dried herbs, stony earth, baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. The alcohol is high.

Initial conclusions: this could be a Grenache-based blend, Corvina-based blend or Sangiovese-based blend from France or Italy. I felt the combination of slightly stewed cherry and spices ruled out what I would want from a Sangiovese blend. Which, left me to decide between Southern Rhône or Valpolicella. I liked this wine…the oak treatment was interesting. I was getting a French barrique. Hmmm…

So, for my final conclusion: I’m calling this a Grenache-based blend, from France, from Southern Rhône, from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 2017, from a more modern leaning producer using a good portion of barrique. I’ll be damned! I don’t hate my call but I gotta get better at distinguishing these wines from Southern Rhône. I probably just need to drink more of both, lol. Tasty stuff! Drink now through 2039. — 5 days ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.5

45th Anniversary, La Rocca, made from 100% Garganega and aged for 15 months in large French and Slavonian barrels. Bright golden lemon yellow color with aromas of stone and tropical fruits, floral and oak notes, very rich and complex. On the palate flavors of pineapple, peach. melon and lemon zest with nutty vanilla flavors and lively acidity. Smooth and elegant the wine ends with toasty fruit, generous mineral notes and a bit of honey & spice. Nice! — 2 days ago

Louis Martin

9.1

Clean, bright, and refreshing, with slight mineral after taste. — a month ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

After pressing dried grapes from making Amarone, Valpolicella wine is passed over the still warm skins of Amarone for 2nd alcoholic fermentation, increasing the alcoholic content, aromas and color. Blend of 85% Corvina, 10% Rondinella, 5% Oseleta. Deep Ruby with aromas of sweet dried berry fruits and pepper spice. On the palate ripe blackberry, currants and sweet cherry with complex spice. Well balanced with acidity and alcohol, full-body with soft tannins on long finish. Nice value. — 3 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.3

Medium deep ruby , quite thin garnet rim . Aromatic and open at the start , dried herbs , rosemary , thyme , hedgerow , dried dark cherry , black tea , black pepper and touch of anis. On the palate this is quite rich , but with refreshing acidity , dried dark fruits, black tea and dried wild herbs , hedgerow notes . Quite fine tannins and surprisingly integrated alcohol with a long dried rose , herbal tinged finish . This is perfect now but no rush though is unlikely to improve, from now and over the next 5 -8 years . A unique take on Valpolicella , complex, lively and though
Weighty is extremely well balanced . — 18 days ago

Kilian Werner

9.2

Amazing Amarone. Heavy, fruity and lots of depth. A keeper! — 14 days ago

Jennifer

9.0

I’d forgotten how very yummy Amarone was. Italian restaurant in Rome - they didn’t have the primitivo I wanted so tried this Classico 2020 instead. Very quaffable, rich notes went well with my lasagna. Bit like a warm hug and relatively low tannins. Now to see if I can find anything similar back in UK. — 14 hours ago

Brian S

9.3

This bottle was fing delicious, just beautiful. — 4 days ago

Doug Powers

9.1

I’ve posted on this 2022 a few times previously, wanted to compare it to the 2023 we also had, this is much better than the newer 2023, more depth and complexity, longer finish, very fine $15 wine!! — a month ago

with Jim

Sam Friedland

8.9

Very pleasant, dry fruits. Went good with veal pasta. — 14 days ago