The estate’s 2006 Amarone della Valpolicella is a beautiful, if very inward, wine at this stage. Firm, sturdy tannins frame perfumed wild cherries, flowers, leather, licorice and spices. From time to time the wine’s inner sweetness makes an appearance, but this remains a reticent Amarone in need of significant bottle age. Smoke, tar and ash add further complexity on the long, building finish. Readers will need to be patient with the estate’s Amarone in 2006, but there is little doubt this will be a magnificent bottle in a few years’ time. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2026. This is a sublime set of wines from Corte Sant’Alda. The estate has made notable wines for some time, but this year I was especially struck by the elegance of the entire range. Importer: Domaine Select, New York, NY; tel. (212) 279-0799

Corte Sant’Alda presents an impressive Amarone in 2006 with loads of density and pure aromatic intensity. The wine opens with a dark, inky color and aromas of dark chocolate, cedar wood, toasted almond, black fruit and molasses. ——M.L.(2/1/2011)—— 93