Clementi Amarone della Valpolicella 

Tasting Note

We fell in love with this baroque, defiantly old-school Amarone with loads of bottle age. Liquorice, clove, dates, figs, beef stock, cocoa powder, and a hint of balsamic make for a complex, multi layered, extravagant treat for lovers of this noble, historical style. This is best served either with cheeses or with richer stews and braises.

Producer

A delightful discovery, the traditional Veneto wines of the Clementi family are expressive of the best traditions of the region. The winery was established in 1968 by Pietro Clementi, a lawyer who turned winemaker when he took over a property in the Gnirega subzone that had been in existence since at least 1600. He acquired 20 hectares of vineyard and woods, of which 14.5 hectares are currently under cultivation, and with the help of the locals, figured out how to make wine the old-fashioned, peasant way. For years, the wines were enjoyed locally. As a former mayor of Marano di Valpolicella, and a lawyer with 50 years of experience, Pietro had no shortage of clients and friends. Many came to taste the Mayor's Amarone. By 2002, encouraged by the second generation of the family, the decision was made to renovate the winery and try to sell the wines further afield, including to export markets. Now the estate is run by Maria, Maurizio and Bernardino. Maria is the administrator, Maurizio the marketer and salesperson, while Bernardino manages the production under Pietro's watchful eye. Recently the estate decided to collaborate with oenologist Enrico Nicolis to take the wines to the next level. The winery is located in the Marano valley, in the middle of the most historical area. The cultivation of the vines is in man-made terraces, called in the Verona dialect “marogne” and the training is the traditional, tall pergola of the Veneto, which helps maintain a core of classical freshness in all the wines. The soils here are poor, calcareous and ideal for the local varieties of corvina, corvinone, rondinella, molinara, oseleta and croatina. All the wines are made with native grapes in varying proportions, but based largely on Corvina and Corvinone, supplemented mostly by Rondinella. 

Clementi Amarone della Valpolicella - Hay Wines