Le Ragose Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2016

This wine originates from Italy, within the Veneto region and the historic Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG zone. Founded in 1969 by Arnaldo and Marta Galli, Le Ragose sits high in the hills of Negrar at elevations between 250 and 400 meters. The estate is celebrated as a traditionalist benchmark in the Valpolicella Classico area. The winemaking philosophy emphasizes classic high-elevation viticulture, traditional appassimento drying of native varietals in natural drying rooms, long fermentations with indigenous yeasts, and extended maturation in large Slavonian oak casks to craft wines of remarkable balance, elegance, and longevity rather than excessive sweetness or weight.

Wine Description

This wine displays a deep, dark garnet color with ruby reflections. On the nose, it offers a complex, expressive bouquet of dried black cherries, baked plums, and wild blackberries, intertwined with notes of dark chocolate, sweet pipe tobacco, dried herbs, leather, and subtle balsamic undertones. On the palate, it exhibits a full body with a harmonious and concentrated texture, framed by firm, velvety tannins and an exceptionally vibrant natural acidity that brings balance to its richness. The finish is dry, savory, and remarkably persistent with lingering accents of dark fruit, bitter cocoa, and warming spices. The varietal composition is a traditional Valpolicella blend of 50% Corvina, 20% Corvinone, 20% Rondinella, and 10% other authorized native grape varieties. It has an alcohol content of 16% ABV and is not certified organic.

Vintage Quality

The 2016 vintage across the Veneto and Valpolicella is widely acclaimed as a benchmark, five-star year. A warm, sunny growing season was tempered by cool autumn evenings, allowing grapes to achieve optimal physiological ripeness and phenolic development while maintaining high natural acidity. These pristine harvest conditions allowed for a healthy, slow appassimento process, enabling the winemaker to produce an Amarone of exceptional structural depth, freshness, and profound cellaring potential.