A spiced, medium-bodied red delivering fresh acidity and a modest mix of raisin, dried marjoram and fresh, loamy earth notes, with a rich hint of fig cake. Drink now through 2019. 1,250 cases made.??–AN??Region: Italy / Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Select to Add

The 2011 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico lacks the intensity and the depth that is normally associated with appassimento, or air-dried fruit. This is a warm-vintage wine and the lack of depth and texture comes as a surprise because Amarone usually shows well with extra heat. The finish delivers short flavors of sour cherry and dried spice. The blend is 65% Corvina, 30% Corvinone and the rest consists of Rondinella, Molinara and Dindarella grapes. The wine ages in oak for three years.

The 2009 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico delivers a good level of intensity that never goes over the top. The blend is 70-30 Corvina and Rondinella, aged in oak casks for three years. The nose presents standard aromas of red fruit, dried cherry, spice and dark leather. It feels a little flat on first impression, but the wine picks up speed eventually thanks to the generous fullness of its texture.

An aromatic Amarone that shows a more traditional mix of fresh earth and dried medicinal herb notes, with tangy dried cranberry, red licorice, spice and smoke accents. Tightly knit and moderately long on the finish. Drink now through 2023. 833 cases made.??–AN??Region: Italy / Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Select to Add

The 2008 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico sees fruit sourced from the Contrada San Giorgio, named after the beautifully frescoed Romanesque church. This Amarone delivers heft and concentration with dark aromas of licorice, tar, barbecue spice and prune. It shows dark concentration and suppleness, but loses some of its sharpness and focus on the mid-palate. The blend is 60% Corvina Veronese, 25% Rondinella and other indigenous grapes. The wine is age in oak for 36 months. Drink 2014-2022. Not far from the Adige River and the Via Brennero that eventually snakes its way to Northern Europe by way of the Brenner Pass, Cantine Aldegheri is an old-school winery founded in 1956 and managed today by various members of the historic Aldegheri family. The winery is nestled within the urban fabric of Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella, suggesting that much of the town was built after the cantina was established. Fruit is sourced from hillside plots totaling 42 hectares in Valpolicella, including estate vineyards and contracted farmers. A visit to the winery reveals a no-nonsense operation with practical applications for the considerable volume produced. Importer: Testa Wines; www.testawines.com