Roccolo Grassi Amarone della Valpolicella 2015

The 2015 Amarone della Valpolicella is dark, rich and deeply alluring but with an energy that keeps you coming back to the glass. The bouquet draws you in with a mix of cherry and plum sauce, notes of sage, tobacco and hints of woodsmoke. It’s velvety-smooth, energized by vibrant acids with sweet red fruits and spices, yet it never crosses the line of becoming cloying or tiring. The balance here is remarkable, as the 2015 comes across as delicious and spry in spite of its girth and intensity. There’s a subtle coating of fine tannin and hints of bitter chocolate that linger throughout the finale, promising many years of development. The term that comes to mind is ‘Rock Star Wine.’