This elegant red is medium- to full-bodied, with soft, plush tannins. It features flavors of baked black cherry and dried raspberry, with savory accents of thyme and tobacco. A backbone of fresh, orange peel acidity keeps it lively and not too robust on the palate, driving minerally smoke and spice notes on the lingering finish. Drink now through 2027. 8,000 cases made, 800 cases imported.

From the Valpantena, one of several major valleys that run north to south from the mountains to the plains in Valpolicella, comes this unique wine. Indeed, the Bertani 2017 Amarone della Valpolicella Valpantena offers you one of the only viable ways to taste fruit from this beautiful and largely unexplored valley north of Verona. There is a lot of ripeness here (almost too much) with plenty of textural richness to boot. The wine finishes with prune and dark plum that are in line with this hot and dry vintage. The tannins and the mouthfeel are soft and supple. Go with a near or medium-term drinking window for this bottle.

The 2017 Amaronte della Valpollcella Valpantena is dark and rich, pulling me closer with notes of tobacco and sage that give way to medicinal cherry and hints of camphor. It's more vibrant than anticipated, with silky textures and medium bodied-weight, as tart red berries and minerals saturate the senses. This becomes quite perfumed with roses and violets through the finale, and it leaves a coating of fine tannins and hints of dark chocolate to linger. I love the savory balance here. Nicely done.