2007 Lena di Mezzo Amarone della Valpolicella

Happy Valentine's Day!  I have to admit that this holiday always reminds me of the wonderful Italian Amarone, a wonderfully robust and intense wine made from the Valpolicella grape, dried on mats and pressed to extract the concentrated juice that becomes a most wonderful wine.  Like a lot of the great Italian wines, I am convinced that they really don't reach their prime until at least a decade after harvest, which is why I'm happy to be opening this 2007 Lena di Mezzo Amarone della Valpolicella.  So let's see how it tastes.

The wine is a beautifully deep ruby color in the glass.  The nose just overflows from the glass, spreading aromas reminiscent of an old Italian kitchen around the room, notes of dried Italian herbs, anise, peppery spice, ripe blackberry and kirsch that just feel classically old world.  The taste is delightfully complex, with a rush of blackberry, prune and kirsch that transitions to some spice notes and tart cherry midpalate.  The finish is just delightful, with structured tannins providing a base for the long, smooth and voluptuous finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's somewhat less fruit forward and sweet than the traditional Amarone, but one which I really enjoy.  This wine would be ideal with a variety of hard cheeses, wild mushroom risotto, or just about any classic Italian dish.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a more simple dinner of fusilli topped with a spicy Italian sausage marinara.  The rich black fruit of the wine is a perfect foil for the spicy sauce.  As one of my favorite TV chefs, Lidia Bastianich would say, tutti a tavola a mangiare!