Definition: amarone

A sweet wine in winter: Before being pressed, the grapes used to make Amarone are air-dried until January. In December, the cellars of Valpolicella are filled with the intoxicating aromas of fermenting must rising from the vats.
In this region, these typically autumnal scents linger late into the year, sometimes until January.
While traditional wines have already undergone malolactic fermentation, this is not the case for Amarone or its sweet version, Recioto: it is only in winter that the grapes from the Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara varieties are put into barrels.
After being harvested and selected, these grapes dry in crates or on straw mats (photo) in suitable, well-ventilated premises.

"During the months following the harvest, the grapes lose 60 to 70% of their weight. As a result, the concentration of sugars, acidity and aromas increases. This is what gives Amarone its characteristic sweetness and fullness on the palate," explains Stefano Cesari, owner of the Brigaldara winery.
In the past, this process depended entirely on weather conditions. As a result, there was a high risk of rot. Today, the use of air conditioners and fans has significantly reduced these risks and guarantees consumers an impeccable wine that meets their expectations.
Andrea Conconi

Amarone della Valpolicella is one of Italy's greatest wines. It is the only one to display both such smoothness and character. It is the jewel in the crown of an appellation that covers twenty municipalities north of Verona. Amarone is made from selected grapes, dried in the open air in barns. They come from the Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara grape varieties. A quality Amarone has a beautiful dark, intense ruby colour. On the nose, it evokes sweet almonds, stewed plums and overripe cherries. On the palate, it offers splendid aromatic concentration and a velvety texture, with good richness and a beautiful lingering finish, thanks to its 14% ABV or more. A wine for game, certainly, but also a pleasant companion for roasted or braised meats.
Michel Vidoudez
Website at the link below.

Increasingly concentrated wines
Many wine lovers appreciate very dark, aromatic red wines. They have a captivating roundness on the palate. Unfortunately, these wines are increasingly alcoholic, often reaching an alcohol content of 14% or more.
Winegrowers regulate crop yields precisely by the number of grapes they leave on the vine. If the quantity of grapes per vine is reduced, the ripe berries will be all the richer in sugar and flavour. In addition, winegrowers have developed concentration techniques that involve extracting water from the grapes or must.
The oldest method, passerillage, is laborious and expensive. The easiest method involves extracting the free-run juice before pressing, which is then turned into white or rosé wine. This reduces the amount of juice that remains in contact with the skins, resulting in a more intense and darker colour.
Techniques for extracting water in concentrators or osmosis units are a response to price pressures. Finally, cryoextraction involves freezing the grapes before pressing them. The frozen water is thus retained in the press.
Source: Robert Schlag, oenologist in Coopération No. 52, page 17.