Zenato Corvina Blend Valpolicella Superiore Ripassa 2006

Zenatorsquo;s 2006 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is a massive, towering wine bursting with black cherries, dried flowers, herbs and leather. The winersquo;s sheer concentration and richness have been achieved while maintaining considerable grace, even if this isnrsquo;t the most subtle Amarone readers will come across. Still, itrsquo;s impossible to deny the winersquo;s personality and class. This is a great effort from Zenato. Anticipated maturity: 2016ndash;2026.

Zenatoandrsquo;s 2006 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is a massive, towering wine bursting with black cherries, dried flowers, herbs and leather. The wineandrsquo;s sheer concentration and richness have been achieved while maintaining considerable grace, even if this isnandrsquo;t the most subtle Amarone readers will come across. Still, itandrsquo;s impossible to deny the wineandrsquo;s personality and class. This is a great effort from Zenato. Anticipated maturity: 2016andndash;2026.

Tiefes, dichtes, schon fast schwarzes Kirschrot. Frisches, fruchtiges Bouquet von reifen Kirschen, Gewürzen, Blumen und ein Hauch Walnüssen. Im Gaumen enorm dicht und füllig. Unglaublich runder, samtiger Wein mit reichen, komplexen Beerenaromen und einem beeindruckend langen - schier unendlichen - Abgang.

This '90 only confirms the remarkable quality of the amarone vintage (both for growing and drying of the grapes). And it also demonstrates another important attribute of '90 amarone: the convergence of the dynamic and potent traditional style with accessibility. That's not to say the massive, raisined fruitiness of this wine is ready to drink. Rather that its lively, gregarious appeal reaches beyond a rarefied cult following. There's plenty of freshness here for long bottle age, which will bring the scale of the wine and its detail into sharper focus.

Zenato is a sizeable negociant firm headquartered near Verona, but it also owns 175 acres of vineyards from which it makes some interesting selections. The best current offering is the 1998 Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva, rich and sweet on the nose with plum and berry jam front and center, ripe and supple flavors, much volume and density, and a lengthy, balanced finish. Drink: 2004-2015.

Brillantes Granatrot. Zartes Bouquet von Kirschen, Schokolade, Gewürzen, Blumen und Nüssen. Im Gaumen spürbar tanninhaltig, dicht, füllig und weich; langer, anhaltender Abgang.

WS: 94 Points, Top 100 2010