2016 Antiche Terre Amarone della Valpolicella 750 ml

Mannerly and majestic, the 2016 Antiche Terre Venete is an awesome expression of Amarone della Valpolicella.

Balancing the herbaceous intensity and bittersweet elegance characteristic of this purely Italian style, it’s an exemplar of the category at an extraordinary price. Wine Spectator recommends it as a “balanced crowd-pleaser” featuring “creamy tannins and juicy acidity.” You’d normally have to haunt authentic red-sauce joints in Brooklyn and South Philadelphia to make a discovery like this—but it’s right here on Wine Access.   

You’ll want to decant for at least an hour, then buckle up. With dark, brooding aromas of balsamic-soaked plum, crushed black raspberry, dried herbs, and smoked meat, the nose alone is worth the price of admission. Then it gets better. Full and rich, the wine bathes the palate in blueberry liqueur, figs, and dried herbs, showing a classic crushed-walnut character on the polished finish.

The warmth and splendor of this Amarone della Valpolicella make it ideal for the dinner table, and the price makes a case-purchase one of the smartest Italian-red deals that money can buy.

Antiche Terre Venete is located in the Valpantena subregion of Valpolicella, situated in an amphitheater of meticulously terraced vines that provide ideal sun exposure. The estate dates back to the early 1900s, when Vittorio Sancassasi began cultivating vines along the hillsides that have typically produced the superior grapes in the region.

Today, his descendent Luciano Sancassani is carrying on the family heritage, and this bottle does the clan proud. It’s as good of a deal as you’ll find for this Northern Italian classic, so make sure you don’t miss out!