Vineyards and winemaking
Corteforte’s rare Amandorlato is based on 65% Corvina, 20% Rondinella and 5% Molinara with other traditional old-vine grapes. Only the ripest, healthiest bunches were selected, then dried until February of the following year to concentrate their sugars, acidity and aromatic depth.
The dried fruit was crushed and fermented in stainless steel until April before the wine moved to seasoned oak for extended ageing. Fermentation left a measure of residual sweetness, but the long élevage and Corvina’s characteristic bitter-almond savoury note place Amandorlato between the lusciousness of Recioto and the austerity of Amarone.
Tasting notes
Appearance
Intense garnet with amber-orange tints at the rim, reflecting its long maturation.
Nose
Dried violets, sour cherries in spirit and forest floor are joined by walnut brittle, cinnamon and liquorice. Further notes of vanilla, cocoa and orange peel unfold with gentle aeration.
Palate
Complex and bittersweet, opening with preserved cherry and mature dark fruit before moving towards nuts, spice and dark chocolate. Residual sweetness is checked by acidity and a distinctly savoury, almond-tinged finish.
Food pairing
Serve with bitter chocolate tart, walnut cake, venison with sour-cherry sauce, or a powerful blue cheese such as Stichelton. Its unusual balance also works with duck liver parfait and toasted brioche.
Background story
Amandorlato is an uncommon, historic Valpolicella style whose name evokes mandorla, the Italian word for almond. It captures a point between sweet Recioto and dry Amarone, combining dried-grape richness with the firmer, faintly bitter close that makes it unexpectedly versatile at the table.
The 2005 is mature and individual bottles may vary with storage. Stand it upright before opening, remove the cork carefully and taste before deciding whether to decant; avoid prolonged aeration. Serve lightly cool at around 15–17°C and enjoy once opened.
