2018 Musella Amarone della Valpolicella

Musella's 2018 Amarone della Valpolicella is built from corvina, rondinella, and corvinone grapes dried on bamboo racks for several months before fermentation—the appassimento method that concentrates sugars and phenolics into the intensity and structure Amarone is known for. This vintage from the Valpolicella Classica zone balances power with elegance, a result of organic farming and careful barrel selection across the estate's hillside vineyards. It is one of Italy's most age-worthy red wine styles, and the 2018 shows the clarity that comes from deliberate production. The Musella family has farmed these hillside vineyards in the Valpolicella Classica zone since the 1960s, where volcanic soils and steady breezes from Lake Garda shape the fruit. After the drying period, fermentation is slow and deliberate, followed by aging in medium and large Slavonian oak casks that allow the wine to develop complexity without overwhelming the fruit. The estate follows organic principles throughout, a commitment visible in the purity of the finished wine. The appassimento process—drying grapes for months to concentrate their sugars and tannins—is labor-intensive, and Musella applies it with restraint, seeking balance rather than sheer weight. The 2018 vintage opens with aromas of black cherry, dried fig, and baking spice, leading into a palate marked by ripe red fruit, cocoa, and a thread of sweet spice that integrates smoothly into a structured, elegant finish. This is a wine for braised short ribs, aged parmigiano reggiano, or rich mushroom risotto—dishes that match its weight and depth. Decant for an hour if you're opening it now, or cellar it for another five to ten years; the structure will reward patience. It drinks well alongside roasted game, hard aged cheeses, or anything with a deep, savory char. In stock at Off Premise in Lincoln Park.