I Quadretti Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2018

I Quadretti Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2018 is a monumental Amarone from the heart of Valpolicella Classico. Created by Francesca and Francesco Vaona, who run the family winery with great passion and respect for the region’s proud traditions, this wine represents the very best the estate has to offer. Only the finest grapes from the oldest and most prized vineyards are selected for I Quadretti, which holds a place of honor among the winery’s wines.

This Amarone is the epitome of power, concentration, and elegance. The grapes undergo the traditional appassimento method, in which they are dried after harvest to concentrate sugar, aroma, and flavor. This is followed by a long and patient aging process in small French oak barrels for approximately three years, followed by an additional 10–12 months of bottle aging. The result is a wine with impressive complexity, depth, and aging potential.

With its 17.5% alcohol content, I Quadretti stands out as one of the most powerful Amarone wines on the market. Yet the balance is astonishingly precise. The body, fruit, and ripe tannins work together perfectly to create a wine that feels harmonious, silky-smooth, and almost majestic in the glass.

This is not merely a wine for the dinner table. It is a wine for those special moments. A wine that deserves time, attention, and a large glass. For the dedicated wine lover, I Quadretti 2018 is an experience you won’t soon forget.

Tasting Notes

The nose is deep and complex, with intense aromas of ripe black cherries, blackberries, dried plums, and black forest berries. These are followed by layers of dark chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, tobacco, licorice, and warm spices from the long barrel aging.

On the palate, the wine is incredibly concentrated and full-bodied with an almost creamy texture. The flavor is dominated by ripe cherries, black berries, raisins, and dried fruit, elegantly accompanied by notes of cocoa, coffee, anise, dark chocolate, and sweet spices. The ripe tannins provide structure without seeming harsh, while the alcohol’s power integrates beautifully into the wine’s massive fruit concentration.

The finish is long, warm, and impressively persistent, with notes of dark fruits, spices, licorice, cocoa, and subtle toasted tones from the barrels.

Food and Serving

This Amarone is made for rich gastronomic experiences. It pairs excellently with braised beef, game, slow-roasted lamb, grilled red meat, aged cheeses, and Italian specialties with intense flavors.

At the same time, the wine possesses a complexity that makes it perfect as a wine to savor after a good meal. Serve at 18–20°C and decant 2–3 hours before serving to release all the wine’s layers of aroma and flavor.

The Estate’s History

Francesca and Francesco Vaona own approximately 20 hectares of vineyards in Valpolicella Classico, where the family has been producing wines for generations with a focus on quality over quantity. The best plots are reserved for the estate’s most prestigious wines, with I Quadretti standing as the crown jewel of the portfolio.

The family employs low yields, meticulous hand-harvesting, and extended aging to create wines with maximum concentration and expression of terroir. The combination of old vines, traditional appassimento, and several years of barrel aging results in wines of exceptional depth and complexity.

I Quadretti Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2018 is an outstanding example of the family’s philosophy. A great Amarone with immense power, elegance, and aging potential, it demonstrates why Valpolicella continues to produce some of the world’s most impressive wines.

• Wine: I Quadretti Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
• Producer: Francesca & Francesco Vaona
• Vintage: 2018
• Region: Valpolicella Classico, Veneto
• Country: Italy
• Type: Red wine
• Aging: Approx. 3 years in small French oak barrels
• Bottle aging: 10–12 months
• Volume: 75 cl
• Contains: Sulfites
• Alcohol: 17.5%