2017 Giuseppe Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella Classico

Giuseppe Quintarelli was known as ‘the Master of the Veneto’, and is the name behind one of the most renowned estates in Italy. Sadly, Giuseppe passed away in early 2012 and he leaves behind a legacy of producing remarkable wines with an outstanding philosophy, to his eldest daughter who continues to carry on the tradition of this great estate. With their easily recognisable hand scripted labels, these wines offer at glimpse into one of the world’s most faithful artisanal winemakers who was an ultimate believer in letting nature do her thing and in order for wines to reach their ultimate potential these wines were only released when he deemed them to be ready.

Only produced in exceptional years, Amarone from Quintarelli is one of the great wines of the world and one every wine lover should experience at least once in their lifetime. Attention to detail is critical during the drying process ensuring a natural and even result. The wine is aged for around seven years, and alcoholic fermentation occurs during this time to produce a dry wine at the end. Despite the elevated alcohol levels, this Amarone is light and lively on the palate, and displays an incredibly complex array of flavours even as a young wine.

Other Reviews....
This was a very hot and dry vintage that created the conditions for especially intense and structured wines made with air-dried grapes. The Quintarelli Giuseppe 2017 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is indeed a wine of power and heft. This blend of Valpolicella grapes (Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Cabernet, Nebbiolo, Croatina and Sangiovese) is sourced from 11 hectares of vines in limestone and basalt soils. The 2017 vintage delivers dried fruit aromas of plum and blackberry over an open-knit, oxygen-rich and accessible approach. There is tar, spice and sweet cherry confit at the back. A theme of sweet, brandied fruit links into a well-balanced 16.5% alcohol content. This wine was bottled in November 2023 and has been on the market since March 2024. This wine was not made in 2016, and the fruit went to the Rosso del Bepi instead. Drink 2026-2045.
95 points
Monica Larner - Wine Advocate (Dec 06, 2024)

Complex aromas of cigar box, incense, black cherry fruit and bay leaves with balsamic notes. The palate is creamy, off-dry and velvety, with a full body and long, refreshing acidity. There is a lot of sucrosity and spices. A generous wine with a lush, well-balanced palate. Drink or hold.
96 points
JamesSuckling.com

A total seductress, the 2017 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is a dark beauty. It opens with a dusty bouquet of dried flowers and masses of cherry sauce, offset by spiced orange and nuances of violet pastille. It sweeps across the palate, a model of purity, with crisp wild berry fruits energized by tantalizing acidity and shavings of dark chocolate. Crunchy mineral tones emerge toward the close. The 2017 lingers impossibly long yet remains completely fresh. Grippy tannins remain as hints of dried blueberry and lavender resonate throughout. The Quintarelli winery has been working hard to perfect a style that mixes the magic of older vintages with a new level of freshness, and the 2017 is a big step in the right direction. Bravo. Drink: 2025 - 2038.
96+ points
Eric Guido - Vinous