Riserva Costasera Amarone della Valpollicella Classico

A complex and deep wine. Highlights of dark chocolate and black pepper over black cherries. Refined and condensed tannins with exuberant, racy acidity and full body. Powerful, this has cellaring potential. Drinkable now but best from 2029.

A sleek, well-meshed red, with taut, sculpted tannins and lively orange peel acidity providing fine tension and focus for flavors of macerated raspberry and ripe black currant fruit, plus accents of cured tobacco, cocoa powder, iron and black pepper. Long and plushly textured on the finish. Corvina, Rondinella, Oseleta and Molinara. Drink now through 2038. 8,000 cases made, 800 cases imported.

An Amarone that nudges Port, such is the density and liqueur-like notes of cocoa nibs, mocha, root spices and dried cherries. The tannins restrain the flavors into a sense of composure on one hand, while drying out the finish on the other. Very drying. Presumably, this simply needs time, or at least it is best to hope so. Drinkable now, but best from 2030.