Farina "Montefante" Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva DOCG 2017
(Veneto, Italy) - [JS 94] [VM 93] [WE 93]

About the Winery:

Tradition, commitment and time-honored relationships, forged over almost two centuries of craftsmanship, are the pillars of success at Farina Wines. Located in the heart of Valpolicella Classica, the original historic region of Amarone and Ripasso winemaking in the Veneto, Farina is owned by Claudio and Elena Farina, two cousins who represent the third generation of this winemaking family, with the guidance of Sandro, Claudio's father. 

The Farina winery is located in San Pietro in Cariano the heart of Valpolicella Classica, the historical, original Valpolicella. Valpolicella Classica is made up of 5 villages: San Pietro in Cariano, Sant'Ambrogio, Fumane, Negrar and Marano. The wines are made from grapes grown on 45 hectares of selected vineyards of Valpolicella Classica, 10 of which belong to the Farina family and 35 that belong to historic, trusted "contributors" who have worked with Farina for many years and are dedicated to growing only the best quality grapes.

Farina has two historic "Cru" vineyard sites: Montefante and Montecorna. The Montefante vineyard (300m ASL) with its tuffaceous, clayey and calcareous soil and excellent hilly exposure, is an ideal site for the Corvina grape used to make Farina's Amarone Montefante. The other cru is the Montecorna vineyard, located on Mount Masua, characterized by an extraordinary calcareous soil, ideal for the production of the grapes dedicated to Farina's Valpolicella Ripasso Montecorna.

About the Wine:
Location of the vineyard: A single vineyard in the Castelrotto hills in the Valpolicella Classica region

Drying: Natural drying of the grape bunches, selected and well-spaced in small crates for around 100 days. The drying rooms privilege natural drying conditions with temperature, humidity and weight loss constantly monitored

Vinification: Destemming and crushing after drying is complete. Cold maceration from 5 to 7 days. Fermentation in stainless steel begins with an inoculation of selected yeasts. It lasts around one month at an average temperature of 28° with frequent pumping over alternating with one or two delestages. Must is pressed off the skins and transferred to cement vats where malolactic fermentation begins at higher temperatures, followed by a week of maceration.

Aging: 24 months in barrique, 24 months in large Slavonian oak barrels, followed by a six-month minimum of refinement in bottle.

Grape varieties: 45% Corvina, 30% Corvinone, 15% Rondinella, 5% Molinara, 5% Dindarella

Vineyard age: 40 years old

Exposure: North/Southwest

Soil: Calcareous matrix with gravelly outcrops, layered with basalts

Alcohol: 16%

Tasting notes:
Dark, intense ruby red color. Intense aroma of jam and raspberry, mulberry and plums in alcohol, spicy of pepper, coriander and cinnamon. Complex on the palate, harmonic, with supple roundness and finely textured tannins.

Ratings and Reviews

94 Points - James Suckling:
"Dried berry, red brick and bark character to the nose. Full-bodied with spicy fruit bound in lightly firm tannin and oak, producing a long finish. This feels very young and needs to unwind a bit more to bring out the complexity that lies under the surface. But it’s there, so worth waiting for. A sturdy red, built for the long term. Try from 2025." (Mar 2023)

93 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2017 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva Montefante lifts from the glass with an inviting blend of crushed cherries and autumnal spices, complemented by dusty rose. It's soft textured and round, with depths of tart red and blue fruits offset by hints of blood orange and saline mineral tones. The 2017 finishes with staining length and a pleasantly bitter twang of dark chocolate that lingers on and on. (Drink between 2025-2037)." - Eric Guido (Feb 2024)

93 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"Brooding and dark aromas of macerated plums with bitter chocolate, dried herbs and a woodsy earthiness. The full-bodied palate has concentrated black-cherry preserves with a savory bitterness finishing with firm and well-structured tannins. Drink 2024–2045." (Mar 2024)