These two red wine varieties from the Veneto Region are the basis of Amarone. Brian Freeman of Freeman Vineyards in the Hilltops region of NSW has established a small vineyard featuring these varieties and has released an Amarone style wine, Rondinella Corvina 2002.
The idea of Amarone is that the berries are dried after picking and before vinification. The result is high alcohol, high flavoured wine, almost portlike, but not fortified.
I seem to recall that someone else is trying to make an Amarone style wine, but I'm not sure what varieties they are using (or even who it is)
Is anyone following Freeman's lead and making wine either in this style or with these varieties?
Haven't heard of the varieties but a few wineries are dabbling in Amorone and quite successfully too. Mitolo and Primo Estate in SA are two that readily spring to mind.
Cheers - Steve
If you can see through it, it's not worth drinking!
I think Freeman wines are the only folk tackling the style with the traditional varities (with the exception of Molinara?)...but as 707 mentioned Joseph, Mitolo make a wine using the appassimento techinque using Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Torzi Matthews as well.
