The 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Lena di Mezzo mixes crushed blackberries with plum sauce, wild exotic spices and dark chocolate. It’s remarkably fresh for an Amarone, casting silky textures across a medium-bodied frame, but it’s supported by vibrant acidity and a mix of tart wild berry fruits and minerals that saturate the palate. Notes of spiced orange peel, medicinal cherry and sweet herbs linger long over a bed of rounded tannins. There’s just the slightest hint of heat here, but the balance is otherwise perfect. I’m loving the savory-over-sweet persona as well.
