Villa Fura Amarone Della Valpolicella 2015

The 2015 Villa Fura starts with pristine, sustainable farming of a special plot of 40+ year old vines that have dug deep into the limestone soils to add cut and minerality not always found in these wines.

In October, the crew harvests whole bunches by hand – careful to choose only those with lots of room around the grapes to allow for optimal airflow. This keeps the bunches from rotting as they undergo the traditional four month process of drying out.

This is certainly not an easy style of wine to make and it’s not cheap either – since on average half the juice disappears during the drying process requiring twice as many grapes per bottle as a typical wine!

However, classic Amarone is a bombastic over-the-top explosion in a glass. The 2015 Villa Fura is tight and firm with chewy tannins and a round, elegant mouthfeel. There’s a lot to unravel here, so don’t be in a hurry. Dark cherry and chocolate notes dominate with hints of spice and a long lingering finish.