On our recent trip to Seattle we tried (and fell in love with) the 2001 Cesari Amarone Classico while dining at the Queen City Grill. With all the great food experiences we had in Seattle, discovering this wine was one of my highlights of our Seattle trip.

Warm, fruity and complex without being too sweet or peppery. It has a nice long finish and would make a great pairing with grilled meat. Let it breathe well before serving, you’ll be glad you did. This one has a lot to say once he gets some air. It’s usually about $37 a bottle, and worth every penny. 5 stars.

For those who want all the info from the Cesari site: “Grape varieties made up of 70-75% Corvina Veronese, 20% Rondinella and 5% Molinara. The grapes to be used in the Amarone production are harvested 1-2 weeks earlier than those for the Valpolicella wine. During the grape harvesting, only perfectly unblemished and dry clusters are selected and placed in shallow cases in single layers. They are left to dry in selected well-aired locations, called fruit cellars, to avoid being attacked by mould. The drying process lasts until the end of January. During these months the bunches are constantly checked and discarded if damaged. At the end of the drying period, the grapes lose 30-40% of their weight and their concentration of sugar, an indispensable element during the following fermentation stage to ensure a noteworthy alcoholic level (around 15%), is increased. Maceration is carried out on contact with the skins for a period of 20-30 days. During fermentation, given the high alcoholic level that is produced, the yeasts must be strictly selected and be resistant both to alcohol and to cold (the Amarone fermentation period is between January and February). After drawing off the lees, the product is placed in steel vats in order to complete malolactic fermentation in the following months. At this point, the maturation process, lasting three years with ageing in large barrels (Slavonian oak) and small casks, barriques and tonneaux (French oak), will take place. Prior to the release of the product, the wine is left to mature for another 8 months in the bottles.”