Sartori Amarone della Valpolicella

Sartori Amarone della Valpolicella is a full-bodied Italian red wine from Veneto's Valpolicella region, bottled at 15% ABV in a standard 750ml format. The 2019 vintage earned 95 points from The Tasting Panel – The Somm Journal, and the wine has collected a Platinum award at the 2017 Sommelier Challenge International Wine & Spirits Competition, underscoring its consistent quality across multiple releases.

Quick Facts: ABV: 15%  |  Origin: Valpolicella, Veneto, Italy  |  Aged 3 Years in Large Oak Casks  |  Producer: Sartori di Verona (Est. 1898)

Production & Heritage

Sartori di Verona has been producing wine in the Valpolicella zone since 1898, earning its reputation as one of the region's most important estates through an unwavering commitment to local winemaking tradition. This Amarone is made using the appassimento method: hand-harvested Corvina (50%), Corvinone (20%), and Rondinella (30%) grapes are dried in ventilated rooms for approximately three months, concentrating their sugars and flavors before a 30-day fermentation in stainless steel. Malolactic fermentation takes place in concrete vats, and the wine then matures for three years in large Slavonian oak casks — a classic approach that preserves fruit character while building structure and complexity.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with dried rose petal and black cherry, giving way to raisin, cocoa, and a wisp of incense. Exotic spice and a touch of wet earth develop with time in the glass.

Taste: The entry is smooth and round, immediately presenting dried cherry and raspberry compote across a full-bodied frame. At mid-palate, licorice, black plum, and cake spice emerge, supported by velvety yet tightly woven tannins. Ground white pepper and clove add further depth toward the peak.

Finish: The finish is long and warmly spiced, with cinnamon lingering alongside subtle tobacco. A gentle drying quality from the tannins gives the wine a clean, savory close.

How to Drink Sartori Amarone

Serve at 16–18°C (61–64°F) in a large-bowled glass, ideally after 30 minutes of decanting to let the concentrated aromatics fully unfold. This is a wine built for contemplative sipping alongside rich food, though it works in several creative contexts:

• Amarone Risotto Pairing: The wine's dried-fruit concentration and savory backbone mirror the richness of a classic risotto all'Amarone.
• Red Wine Sangria (Winter Style): Its bold fruit and spice notes hold up beautifully when combined with warm spices, brandy, and citrus for an elevated cold-weather sangria.
• Wine-Based Reduction Sauce: A splash of Sartori Amarone adds cherry, cocoa, and spice complexity to a pan reduction for braised meats.

Best For

• Gifting a serious Italian wine enthusiast who appreciates traditional Veneto winemaking
• Anchoring a special-occasion dinner featuring braised or slow-roasted red meats
• Building a cellar collection of benchmark Amarone from an established producer
• Hosting a comparative tasting of classic Valpolicella expressions — Valpolicella Classico, Ripasso, and Amarone side by side

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Sartori Amarone taste like? Sartori Amarone delivers a rich, full-bodied palate of dried cherry, raspberry compote, cocoa, and licorice, accented by cinnamon and clove spice. Velvety tannins and a long, warm finish give the wine its signature structured elegance.

How does Sartori Amarone compare to Bertani Amarone? Both Sartori and Bertani are established Valpolicella houses that produce traditional, red-fruited Amarone styles using the appassimento method. Sartori tends toward a rounder, more approachable profile with prominent dried-fruit sweetness, while Bertani is often noted for greater austerity and longer aging potential.

Is Sartori Amarone good for sipping neat? Absolutely — Amarone is traditionally enjoyed on its own or alongside food, and Sartori's version has the balance of fruit concentration, tannin structure, and spice complexity to reward unhurried, contemplative drinking.

Where is Sartori Amarone made? Sartori Amarone is produced by Sartori di Verona, a winery founded in 1898 in the Valpolicella zone of Veneto, northeastern Italy. The grapes are sourced from vineyards within the Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG appellation.

What foods pair well with Sartori Amarone? Braised beef short ribs or ossobuco complement the wine's rich body and dried-fruit character. Aged hard cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano or Piave Vecchio mirror its savory depth. Dark chocolate desserts echo its cocoa and spice notes. Slow-roasted lamb with rosemary draws out the wine's herbal undertones, and wild mushroom risotto matches its earthy complexity.

What sizes does Sartori Amarone come in? The standard release is available in a 750ml bottle, which is the most widely distributed format for this wine.

Is Sartori Amarone worth the price? Sartori Amarone positions in the mid-range tier for Amarone della Valpolicella, offering the full appassimento production process and three years of oak aging at a price point below many single-vineyard or riserva bottlings. Its consistent critical recognition — including a 95-point score — makes it a strong value within the category.

Why Sartori Amarone?

What separates this wine from the crowded Amarone field is the 125-year pedigree of Sartori di Verona combined with a production approach that has remained deliberately traditional — three-month grape drying, extended fermentation, and patient aging in large oak rather than smaller, more flavor-aggressive barrels. The result is an Amarone that foregrounds fruit purity and spice nuance over heavy oak influence. A 95-point score from The Tasting Panel – The Somm Journal and repeated Gold and Platinum medals at international competitions confirm that this consistency translates into quality. For drinkers who want an authentic, classically structured Amarone from one of Valpolicella's founding estates, Sartori delivers exactly that.