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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 94.7 pts. and median of 95 pts. in 26 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Coachron13 on 6/30/2023: Don’t understand all the high scores and glowing reviews for this one. Nose is muted, nowhere near the complexity of other Amarones we’ve had. It’s not bad, but no wow. Not providing a score since our assessment is so different. (2464 views) | | | Tasted by Poisey on 1/29/2023 & rated 94 points: Decanted an hour. Dark chocolate, ripe stewed cherry and plumbs with black coffee and wood smoke. Lush and velvety smooth. Seamless balance with a fine integrated ripe tannin. Lingering finish with hazelnuts, raisin and dates. Drink now-2032. (3004 views) | | | Tasted by JGO1959 on 9/17/2022: Gave to Bernie for his 60 birthday (2888 views) | | | Tasted by Fabes55 on 6/27/2022 & rated 93 points: Very fruit forward w note of blackberry dark ripe cherry and a hint of leather. Soft finish but mid palate has the ABV spike. (3370 views) | | | Tasted by RGCM Gananda on 6/12/2022 & rated 95 points: Black raspberry, black cherry, plum and spices on the very aromatic nose. Full bodied (16.5% ABV) with black cherry upfront, showing a good mix of more rounded notes and more tart, high-toned qualities. Mid-body brings in a lot of additional depth along with a lot of darker black cherry, dark plum and dark black raspberry. On the backside shows an impressive spice mix to go along with tart blackfruit (especially plums). Plenty of tannins as well as structural acidity provide the backbone and not only stand up to the fruit, but promise significant future potential. Leaving aside the depth of fruit, the complexity it already shows and the impressive nose, what really sets this wine apart is it's balance. This is young for an Amarone and the great depth of blackfruit is already quite expressive but with enough structure to promise even more in the future. I think waiting for June/July 2024 at the earliest for my next bottle is highly recommended and this wine has many, many years in front of it. (3531 views) | | | Tasted by wjw on 11/13/2021 & rated 92 points: Needs another 5 years. So drinking window starts around 2025-2026 (3726 views) | | | Tasted by Collector1855 on 1/30/2021 & rated 92 points: As always with Amarone, my take on them is, they can be dessert or stand alone wines but never for my dinner table. Same with this one, 16.5% Alc., no prisoners taken here... when you swirl and chew it in your mouth it starts to feel like a brandy from the alcoholic heat. What is nice about this wine and Amarone in general, is the aromatic complexity around torrefaction, ripe, dark fruit, cake and lots of acidity and tannins to support the material. I liked this bottle, brought by a friend, despite the alc did not feel plump or too sweet, nice bitterness on the finish. Went well with the Chocolate cake dessert. (6334 views) | | | Tasted by Crunge on 12/12/2020 & rated 94 points: Decanted 3.5 hours and consumed over the next hour. Full-bodied with dark fruits and a bit of tea on the finish. Medium+ tannins. Delicious and all four of us drinking enjoyed. Definitely recommend the decant at this stage; had a sample at opening and enjoyed, but more open at 3+ hours in decanter. (4678 views) | | | Tasted by WineTally on 9/26/2020: 80% Corvina, 10% Rondinella, 10% Oseleta and Croatina
from SE facing hilly area in Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella at 300-350 m with limy clay soil rich in rock fragments and vines of average age 20 yrs.
Manual harvest and grading in October. Dried ~4 months in well ventilated lofts.
Pressed in January and slow-fermented for 15-20 days on skins.
Aged 4+ yrs in large oak botti, and at least 1 yr in bottle.
16.5% Abv.
Cuvee produced only in excellent vintages in honor of late founder Sergio Zenato.
Proprietors: Carla Zenato and children Nadia and Alberto
A(ccuracy)=2: Deep ruby/purple. Sweetly fragrant, toasty brew.
B(alance)=2: Plenitude of components awaiting full integration.
C(omplexity)=3: Raisins, prune, tobacco, chocolate, spices, leather.
D(epth)=2: Tangy mouthfeel. Full length and long finish.
Wine Tally Score [2,2,3,2] = 9/10
Complex components should gain further balance with age.
For story-telling label graphics, see:
[https://www.instagram.com/WineTally2020/]
[https://www.facebook.com/WineTally/]
For a unique multimedia resource, see
[https://winetally.wixsite.com/vingnette2020] (4955 views) | | | Tasted by Justinalex on 7/30/2020 & rated 95 points: One of the best amarone I have ever had, very concentrated and opaque. Needed a decant but was singing. Well worth the price over the entry lever Zenato Amarone. (5117 views) | | | Tasted by MS86 on 7/14/2020 & rated 94 points: Robert Parker called this the best Amarone he’s ever had though it is clearly still young. The port-like nose explodes with raisin, prune, plum, black cherry and cherries jubilee. The 16.5% alcohol is noticeable instantly on the nose and on the palate. Full-bodied, extremely grippy tannins, high alcohol in the throat and late acidity. Despite the high alcohol it is so smooth. Flavour matches the nose - raisin, plum and prune. Alcohol noticeable on the finish but I expect this will soften over time. (4303 views) | | | Tasted by rickswan on 3/8/2020 & rated 97 points: Huge wine, it will be hard to wait and see how it develops. Paired perfectly with a dry aged rib eye we enjoyed with friends. (3582 views) | | | Tasted by Holadi on 11/14/2019 & rated 96 points: Beautiful deep ruby colour. Herbal, sweet spice, vanilla and plum on the nose. On the palate is a full throttle wine. High acid and tannins. Full body with a long finish. Increadibly well integrated. Outstanding. (3514 views) | | | Tasted by ColinR on 10/29/2019 & rated 91 points: Inky black; black cherries, prunes, raisins, cocoa, leather, earth; black cherry/pruney, bitter chocolate, lush, full body, good heat, tangy acidity, firm tannins, long finish.
Decanted 2 hrs. Pruney and raisiny with tart acidity, good heat and tight tannins. Not sure if all with integrate, time will tell. Pricey. (2957 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Eric Guido
Vinous, Veneto: A Constant State of Evolution (Feb 2024) (2/1/2024)
(Zenato Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva Sergio Zenato Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Hemming, MW
JancisRobinson.com (6/6/2020)
(Zenato, Classico Riserva Amarone della Valpolicella Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By James Suckling
JamesSuckling.com (5/29/2019)
(Zenato Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Sergio Zenato Riserva, Red, Italy) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and JancisRobinson.com and JamesSuckling.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Zenato Producer website
U.S. Importer (addt'l info)Corvina BlendPrimarily Corvina and Corvinone (45% to 95%), and Rondinella (5 to 30%). Sometimes includes Molinara, Oseleta, Negrara, Pelara, Spigamonti, etc, and, in small quantity, international red grapes allowed in the Valpolicella region.Italy Italian Wines (ItalianMade.com, The Italian Trade Commission) | Italian Wine Guide on the WineDoctorVeneto Credit to WineCountry.it for this article
History and Tradition
The first human settlements of the lagoon and the surrounding areas maintained a simple social structure until the arrival of the Romans in the second century B.C. who divided the land into parcels of about 4,800 square meters and distributed those tracts among the locals to be cultivated.
The Romans founded the cities of Verona, Vicenza, and Padova, and named what was then the 10th imperial region, Venetia. Both the Veneto region and the province of Venice (Venezia in Italian) derive their names from the original Latin name of the area. The precursor of the city of Venice that we know today was founded during the Middle Ages when the locals escaped the barbaric invasions that followed the decline of the Roman Empire by taking refuge in coastal areas, islands, and the lagoon’s marshland.
The Venetian trade routes that connected Europe with Asia brought great wealth and general prosperity to the region. In many provinces, especially around Treviso, mulberry cultivation and the breeding of silkworms imported from China brought more affluence and prestige to local residents. With money pouring in from all quarters, Venice began its great building projects, chief among them creating the lagoon and canal infrastructure and systems still enjoyed and used today.
Between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th centuries following the opening of the Suez Canal, Venice once again became an important port city. Foreign investment financed the creation of the industrial infrastructure of Porto Marghera and freed the port of Venice from the burden of commercial navigation. Improved communications technology has allowed the rest of Italy and the world beyond closer ties to Venice, and has contributed to making Venice into an incomparable tourist destination.
The long period of power and splendor that blessed Venice encouraged the highest quality creations by local artisans. The ongoing request for jewelry, precious fabrics, lace, glass, wood and ceramic products by the noble Venetians shaped the development of typical stores along the narrow calli (streets) of Venice as well as factories both inland and on the lagoon islands. Up to today, popular tourist destinations are the Murano and Burano islands, famed for their glasswork and needlepoint products.
The Wines
Veneto is among the foremost wine-producing regions, both for quality and quantity. The region counts over 20 DOC zones and a variety of sub-categories, many of its wines, both dry and Spumanti, are internationally known and appreciated.
The three most well known DOCs are Bardolino, from the town with the same name and surrounding the shores of Garda Lake, Valpolicella, and Soave. Other noteworthy wines produced here are the white Bianco di Custoza, the excellent sparkling Prosecco, the Breganze, and the Amarone (a rich and powerful red from the Verona province). If you travel to the Treviso area, look for the little-known Clinton, a wine that is banned from distribution because it does not conform to the DOC standards, but is produced in limited quantities for local consumption.
The importance of winemaking in this region is underscored by the creation in 1885 of the very first Italian school for vine growing and oenology. In addition, Veneto was the first region to constitute the first strada del vino or "wine road". This first wine-touring road featured special road signs providing information on vines and the wines they were made into and joined the Valdobbiadene and Conegliano DOC zones crossing a series of hilly vineyards.
The most appreciated wines in the region come from the provinces of Treviso, Verona, Padova, Venice, and Vicenza. The area around Verona, with its temperate climate and hilly surrounding, is believed to have cultivated grapes since the Bronze Age.Valpolicella Consorzio of Valpolicella
The Crus on weinlagen-info
Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Wikipedia article
Classification of Amarone Vintages, according to Davidef:
1997 ****1/2
1998 ***1/2
1999 ***1/2
2000 ****1/2
2001 *****
2002 **
2003 ***1/2
2004 ****1/2
2005 ***
2006 ****1/2
2007 *****
The slopes facing the sunset are the best ones in Valpolicella Classica for producing high-quality Amarone. Here, where the day is longer, the vines that face Lake Garda benefit from the reflection of its light and from its mild climate. Amarone is a unique wine due to its origin, ancient grape varieties and production method (vinification of grapes that have been semi-dried for 3-4 months on bamboo racks). The Costasera Amarone expresses a particular majesty and complexity. Ideal with red meats, game and mature cheeses. An excellent wine for the end of the meal and for ageing. |
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