Amarone Jago 2013 Domìni Veneti of Cantina Valpolicella Negrar in the gotha of the “Decanter World Wine Awards” 2019
At the most anticipated wine competition in the world, the wine from the cooperative winery of Negrar is among the five Italian labels awarded with the Best in Show medal and is among the best 50 wines in the world.
“It is an honor for the winery and the 230 members to know that a wine competition as prestigious as the one organized by Decanter has evaluated one of our Amarone wines among the best five Italian wines and among the best fifty wines in the world, as further confirmation of the great choice made thirty years ago by the cooperative winery to search for quality with the creation of the Domìni Veneti line, to which the award-winning wine also belongs”, commented Renzo Bighignoli, president of Cantina Valpolicella Negrar, on hearing the news that Amarone della Valpolicella Docg Classico Vigneti di Jago 2013 Domìni Veneti received with 97 points the Best in Show medal, the highest award given at the Decanter World Wine Awards (Dwwa) competition.
The competition. Now at its 16th edition, the Dwwa is internationally recognized for the reliability of the rigorous blind tasting and selection process. This year, over 16,500 wines were judged by 280 of the most influential wine business experts and professionals from 30 countries, including 70 Masters of Wine and 23 Master Sommeliers. In addition to Amarone Jago 2013 Domìni Veneti by Cantina Valpolicella Negrar (Veneto), the other four Italian wines Best in Show by Decanter are Mumelter Riserva Cabernet 2016 by Cantina Bolzano (Alto Adige), Kalimera 2017 by Cenatiempo (Campania), Chianti Classico Riserva 2016 by Cigliano (Tuscany), Sorano Piedmont Barolo 2015 by Claudio Alario (Piedmont).
The award-winning Amarone. It is born in the Negrar valley, in the heart of the Valpolicella Classico, from pergoletta veronese vineyards planted on dry stone wall terraces between 200/250 meters a.s.l. in Jago, a valued micro area suited to producing great structured wines. The harvest is done by hand between September and October, after which the grapes are dried in the drying rooms for 100/120 days and pressed between December and January. After a first period in barrique, ageing takes place in large oak barrels and then in bottle. With an impenetrable intense ruby red colour, on the nose it appears complex, with spicy aromas and hints of vanilla; the flavor is rich, with sweet tannins that confer softness together with the aromas of dried fruit, spices and tobacco.
The award-winning vintage. Daniele Accordini, DG and oenologist of the winery, recalls, “2013 started off subdued, recovering along the way. A good distribution of rain and snow in winter allowed an important accumulation of water reserves in the soil, but the cold and rainy spring continued also until mid-July, causing a delay of 12/14 days in the development of the vine.The turning point came in mid-July, when the Subtropical anticyclone brought up the temperatures, even beyond average, with positive consequences on the ripening of the fruits which we find today in the glass.”
The awarded wines include also Valpolicella Ripasso Vigneti di Torbe 2017 (Bronze) and Valpolicella Superiore 2017 (Silver).