The “rich, powerful” Amarone wine from Italy’s Valpolicella region has a history that reaches back to ancient Rome, said Laurie Daniel in the San Jose Mercury News. That’s when winemakers first developed the technique known as “appassimento”—a three- to four-month process in which grapes are “dried until they lose 30 percent to 40 percent of their weight.” The wine that results can be up to 15 percent alcohol, and makes a great companion for grilled meats and bold cheeses, “particularly Grana Padano, an aged cheese from the Verona area.”
2005 Allegrini Amarone ($85)
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