Finding good Amarone without spending $40 bottle???

Trader Joe's has had one for the past couple of vintages for $10US. It's a pretty nice Amarone for the money, but chocolatey? Probably not.

Tom S

A nice Amarone for $10 is a pure miracle!

regards Jan

Right up there with an honest politician and Santa Claus, I'd say.

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I agree that a USD 10 Amarone shuld make one look out for blue moons, pigs of an aviatory natyure, etc.

You could try the Zenato RIpassa - not an amarone, but has somewhat of the character (don´t go for the Masi RIpasso) The Ripasso wines are traditionally made by a second fermentationj (ripassare), of a Valpolicella, to which is added the still sugar containing lees from an Amarone. Here, the Zenato cost SEK 149, which comes to c. USD 20.

A slightly pricier alternative is the Masi Grandinella Appassimento, which is made using the same technique as an Amarone, but not from the central 5 villages required for the DOC,and also containing one varietal not allowed in a true Amarone. It would set you back about USD 26-27. Very nice wine which has not disappointed me so far.

HTH

Cheers

Nils Gustaf

Nils, that is Grandarella.

It is Refosco, Carmenere and Corvina, whereas the Amarone they produce is Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara .

We get the Grandarella for $30 Can - about US $22, and it is a bargain. Loveley wine. Has anyone tasted the 2000 yet?

They are also doing a similar wine, Corbec Appassimento, in the Mendoza region of Argentina, though I've not tasted it.

Coincidentally, the UPS man delivered a case of Zenato Ripassa 2000 to my door yesterday PM. Found it online at PJ Liquor Warehouse in New York.

As a trivia note, Zenato labels their wine Ripassa (with a terminal A) rather than Ripasso, which is the name of the style of wine, to avoid copyright/trademark issues. Regardless, it is a wonderful wine.

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"Villalta", Tedeschi and Vignale Amarone are all around 13 GBP so I would think should be about 20 USD. Alternatively you could try a half-bottle if you can find one - I think Tommasi do one and Vignale used to do a 50cl

So that´s the reason. I have wondered about that at times

Cheers

Nils Gustaf

Oopsie - thank you for pointing it out. Grandarella it is.

Nils Gustaf