The 2004 Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG is a blend of roughly 80% Corvina Veronese and 20% Rondinella, sourced from hillside vineyards in the heart of Valpolicella Classica. Grapes are traditionally dried for about 120 days (appassimento) before fermentation, resulting in remarkable concentration without sweetness. The wine aged seven years in large Slavonian oak casks, followed by at least three years in bottle before release—one of the longest maturation regimens in the region. It clocks in around 15% ABV, fully dry, and represents the benchmark “house style” of balance, structure, and longevity that defines Bertani Amarone.
Tasting Notes
Now two decades from harvest, the 2004 vintage shows extraordinary poise and complexity. The bouquet opens with dried cherry, plum, and maraschino, evolving toward tobacco leaf, cocoa, balsamic spice, and forest floor. On the palate it’s full-bodied yet graceful, with silky, integrated tannins and a long, savory finish echoing dried fig, licorice, and cedar. Despite its richness, the wine remains remarkably fresh and lifted—a hallmark of Bertani’s restrained, old-world approach. Decant for 1–2 hours to allow the tertiary notes to unfold and the texture to soften. 94WA / 93 WE / 92 W&S
Winery Background
Founded in 1857 by brothers Giovan Battista and Gaetano Bertani, the estate is one of the historic pioneers of quality winemaking in the Valpolicella region. From their Negrar estate (Villa Mosconi Bertani), they were among the first to bottle and export their own wines, introducing modern viticultural techniques learned in Burgundy and later helping define the Amarone style itself. Their flagship Amarone Classico was first released in 1958 and remains a global benchmark—celebrated for its depth, age-worthiness, and elegance over power. Today Bertani continues to set the standard for traditional, long-lived Amarone with meticulous vineyard farming and patient cellar aging.
