Zyme La Mattonara Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva 2003

Date of Tasting: 5 June 2014

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: ~ 40% Corvina, 30% Corvinone, 15% Rondinella, 10% Oseleta, 5% Croatina

Alcohol: 16%

Origin: Veneto, Italy

Appellation: DOP

Expect to Pay: ~ THB9,000

Web: http://www.zyme.it/
Chubby Score: 95/100
Value for money: 5/10
Professional Rating: n.a.

Appearance: dark luminous ruby

Aroma: blossom of flowers, black fruits, cinnamon, and earth

Palate: big and full with complexity. so silkily fine texture. smooth and lingering tannins. dry but with a touch of sweetness. eternal fruit bomb on the palate with cherry and dried fruits as the primary scent. endless and elegant finish.

This is a magnificent bottle of Amarone indeed: rare and unique. Tasted during Grand Italian Wine Dinner at the Tables @ Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok on 5 June 2014, it was sure the leading star of the night. So much of harmonious sensation. Ones can fall in love with this exclusive subtlety and beautiful finesse at the first sip. If you are lucky to have this in possession, cheers and enjoy for many more years to come.

Allegrini La Poja 2004

Date of Tasting: 6 September 2013

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Corvina

Alcohol: 14.5%

Origin: Veneto, Italy

Appellation: IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica)

Expect to Pay: ~ THB2,500 - 4,000 (retail price in Thailand)

Web: http://website.allegrini.it/
Chubby Score: 90/100
Value for money: 4/10
Professional Rating: WA - 92/100, WS - 88/100, WE - 93/100, FS - 94/100, CT - 91/100

Appearance: dark and dense red

Aroma: herbal and fruity nose

Palate: thick layers coated with sweet and dark red fruits and plum, big body but refined tannins, somewhat oaky, expansive acidity, sexy but need time for this sleeper to wake up, mild sweetness only

During the week before, I had had the first bottle of La Poja and was not impressed at all. It was kind of acidity dominant. The week following I decided to try the second bottle and this time it was better. Seriously, corvina is definitely not my style of red wine. If you like fruit dominant old world style red wine with thick layers, here is an interesting bottle to try and it would last for another decade easily. I still keep one last bottle to see how this local Veronese red wine evolves. Perhaps I would see you again in the next few years.

Tedeschi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOC 2006

Date of Tasting: 9 September 2013

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 30% Corvina, 30% Corvinone, 30% Rondinella, 10% Rossignola, Oseleta, Negrara, and Dindarella

Alcohol: 16%

Origin: Veneto, Italy

Appellation: DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata)

Expect to Pay: ~ THB1,500 - 2,500 (retail price in Thailand)

Web: http://www.tedeschiwines.com/
Chubby Score: 89/100
Value for money: 6/10
Professional Rating: WA - 93/100, WS - 92/100, WE - 91/100

Appearance: thick but transparent red

Aroma: bouquet of red fruits and note of vanilla

Palate: good balance but tend towards acidity side, rather drier on palate than expected, long lasting ripe berries and cherries flavour, tannins are silky and fully integrated, medium on the body

Amarone is perhaps not really my type. Really high in alcohol level. It does contain good complexity but I did not find it's charming and interesting that much. Well, this bottle is kind of ready for enjoying and it should last 5 more years. At least, not a bad value for Amarone.