Recchia Ca Bertoldi Amarone della Valpolicella 2012

Recchia Ca Bertoldi Amarone della Valpolicella 2012 is a full-bodied, appassimento-method red wine from Veneto, Italy, bottled at 16.5% ABV in a standard 750ml format. This single-vineyard Amarone earned a Silver medal at the 2019 International Wine Challenge, reflecting the depth and complexity that over a decade of development — from vine to extended bottle aging — has produced.

Quick Facts: ABV: 16.5%  |  Origin: Valpolicella, Veneto, Italy  |  Vintage: 2012  |  Producer: Recchia

Production & Heritage

The Recchia family produces wine in the hamlet of Jago within Valpolicella, where the Ca' Bertoldi vineyard occupies a prized site. The 2012 vintage is a blend of 55% Corvina, 25% Corvinone, and 20% Rondinella — the classic Amarone triumvirate — harvested and then dried using the traditional appassimento method for approximately four months until roughly 40% of the grapes' water weight has evaporated, concentrating sugars and aromatics. After fermentation, the wine matures slowly in large oak barrels before undergoing extended bottle aging, a step that distinguishes Ca' Bertoldi from many younger-released Amarone bottlings.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with intense, concentrated dark fruit — dried cherry and kirsch lead into layers of dry coconut and subtle smokiness. With time in the glass, deeper notes of chocolate and earthy spice emerge.

Taste: The entry is rich and velvety, immediately coating the palate with ripe cherry liqueur and dark berry compote. At mid-palate, bitter chocolate and smoky black fruit build substantial weight. The 16.5% alcohol is well-integrated, lending warmth without harshness, while a core of dried fruit intensity holds everything together.

Finish: Long and resonant, with lingering bitter chocolate, dried cherry, and a faint smokiness that persists. The tannins are resolved and silky, a hallmark of both the 2012 vintage's maturity and the extended aging regimen.

How to Drink Ca' Bertoldi Amarone

This Amarone is best served at 16–18°C (61–64°F), ideally decanted for 30 to 60 minutes to fully open. A generous Burgundy-style glass will allow the concentrated aromatics to express themselves. While Amarone is traditionally a sipping wine meant to stand on its own, it also pairs brilliantly at the table — see food suggestions below.

Best For

• Gifting a serious Italian wine enthusiast who appreciates aged, cellar-worthy bottles
• Anchoring a special-occasion dinner with braised meats or truffle-based courses
• Adding a mature, benchmark Amarone to a personal wine collection
• Hosting a comparative tasting of Valpolicella's finest expressions alongside Ripasso and Recioto

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Ca' Bertoldi Amarone taste like? It delivers intense dried cherry, kirsch, and smoky black fruit layered with bitter chocolate and a long, velvety finish. The appassimento concentration creates a wine of substantial richness without cloying sweetness.

How does Ca' Bertoldi Amarone compare to Masi Costasera Amarone? Both are classic Valpolicella Amarones built on Corvina-dominant blends, but the Recchia Ca' Bertoldi draws from a specific single-vineyard site in Jago and benefits from more extensive bottle aging before release. Masi Costasera is produced in larger volumes and tends to be released younger, making it a more widely available but typically less concentrated expression.

Is Ca' Bertoldi Amarone good for sipping neat? Absolutely — Amarone is one of Italy's premier contemplative wines, and this 2012 vintage's resolved tannins and complex aromatics make it ideal for slow, meditative drinking on its own. A brief decanting will amplify its layered character.

Where is Ca' Bertoldi Amarone made? It is produced by the Recchia family at their estate in Jago, a hillside hamlet within the Valpolicella zone of Veneto, northern Italy. The Ca' Bertoldi vineyard is a specific, prized site within this area.

What foods pair well with Ca' Bertoldi Amarone? Braised beef short ribs or osso buco complement the wine's dark-fruit intensity and weight. Aged hard cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano or Piave Vecchio echo its savory depth. Risotto all'Amarone is a classic regional match, as are dishes with truffle, wild mushrooms, or dark chocolate-based desserts.

What sizes does Ca' Bertoldi Amarone come in? The standard bottling is a 750ml format, which is the most widely available size for this wine.

Is Ca' Bertoldi Amarone worth the price? This wine positions as a mid-premium Amarone, sitting between entry-level examples and the region's most limited cru bottlings. The combination of a strong vintage year, single-vineyard sourcing, extended aging, and International Wine Challenge recognition gives it solid standing within its price tier.

Why Ca' Bertoldi Amarone?

The 2012 vintage is now over a decade old, and that maturity has allowed the tannins to soften and the fruit to deepen into the dried, concentrated register that defines great aged Amarone. The single-vineyard provenance from Jago sets it apart from multi-parcel blends, offering a more site-specific expression of Valpolicella terroir. Its Silver medal at the 2019 International Wine Challenge confirms that the wine stood up to international scrutiny at a point when the vintage was already showing its character. For anyone seeking an Amarone that balances accessibility with genuine complexity, this bottling from the Recchia family delivers a compelling argument for patient winemaking.