2019 Antiche Terre Baorna Amarone Della Valpolicella Veneto 750 ml

The Amarone category is synonymous with ripe power, massive structure, and the kind of drama and flavor intensity that only the Italians can produce. And single-vineyard expressions take all of that to the next level. 

Not only are these some of the biggest wines on the planet, they also transmit a sense of the Valpolicella region, which possesses three different climates and several north-south valleys as well. This creates many distinct terroirs that help differentiate the Amarones made there. In addition, a recent agricultural study suggested that the style’s trademark appassimento process—drying grapes to increase concentration—creates genetic alterations in the Corvina grape that can strengthen the wine’s’ terroir-transparency. 

Located in the Valpantena subregion of Valpolicella, Antiche Terre is situated in an amphitheater of meticulously terraced vines that enjoy ideal sun exposure. The estate dates back to the early 1900s, when Vittorio Sancassasi began cultivating the region’s hilly terrain. Today, his descendant Luciano Sancassani carries on the family heritage. 

For Baorna, the grapes are harvested from a designated six-acre plot next to the winery. Named for the stream that replenishes the estate’s soils, the clay-based vineyard is cooled by the water, and the grapes that come from this superb environment display a spectacular Grenache-like profile that recalls the best of the Southern Rhône. 

After a handpicked harvest, the wine team dries the grapes for three to four months in specialized lofts that need to have the humidity checked constantly to prevent rot. The drying concentrates everything: sugars, aromas, flavors, and—crucially, to maintain balance—acids. After the grapes have lost a third of their water volume, the winemaking begins.

It all adds up to a grand, orchestral effect in the glass.