Amarone 2004: a very good year
Year 2008 number 1
Amarone 2004: a very good year
Following two not very easy years, marked by contrasting weather conditions, the 2004 Amarones display all the characteristics of a very fine vintage indeed. In the same way as the '90, '95 and 2000, the vintage shown pre-release in Verona just a few weeks ago will undoubtedly fulfil the expectations of both producers and consumers, especially international ones. The growth trend of this wine - both in quality and quantity - appears to be constant and
consolidated, to the extent that, in terms of its role and prestige, it can even challenge the fine reds from Piedmont. The total number of bottles sold last year was 8.3 million (they were 1.5 million only ten years ago).
''No sooner had they undergone their malolactic fermentation - explains Daniele Accordini, oenologist and director of the Valpolicella Cooperative Winery- the 2004 Amarones immediately displayed excellent keeping and maturation potential, with all the conditions for great longevity. They have quite high acidity, generally low pH and a dense and very polymerized polyphenolic profile: those are the reasons why the 2004 vintage is one for the long haul. Even in the first phase of ageing one could pick out the different characteristics of the denomination’s finest terroirs, which, in this vintage, once again offer expressions that are truly unique and fascinating''.
''From an analytical point of view - adds Accordini - the 2004 Amarones can be compared with those of 2000, with a well-balanced level of alcohol and highish acidity counterpointed by good amounts of extract. The common denominators in the 2004s are elegance, finesse and freshness, thanks to the satisfactory alcohol balance and a very moderate residual sugar content that make the wines very drinkable and easy to match with food. This is a year that I have no qualms with defining as excellent, and one that will undoubtedly reveal a whole host of different territorial and stylistic interpretations''.
The numbers of the Valpolicella production system continue to become increasingly significant. At the tasting in Verona the general impression amongst the 200 or so trade journalists and winemakers present was extremely positive: it is absolutely a year to lay down in one's cellar, even if – in view of the wine's easy-drinking style - saving reasonable quantities for future drinking will be a fairly arduous task.
These are the figures regarding 'Amaroneshire':
5,839 hectares under vine and catalogued in the Valpolicella vineyard register (of these, 53% are on hillsides and 23% at the base of hills);
1,226 companies producing grapes for Amarone;
390 areas for the drying of the grapes.
90 million Euros is the total value of the grapes produced;
170 million Euros is the value of the stocks of Amarone in producers’ cellars and
220 million Euros is the overall turnover of the Valpolicella D.O.C..
