Amarone Superstar Brigaldara “well ahead of the pack”

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Last week we hosted Lamberto Cesari of Brigaldara at Tozi, and it was one of those tastings that changes minds. If your picture of Amarone is a big, sweet, boozy blockbuster, think again: these wines capture the new wave of elegant, lifted, perfumed Amarone.
 
Eric Guido at Vinous has been following the estate closely. He singles Brigaldara out as the leader of Valpolicella’s new 'contemporary' style: “Many have yet to perfect that approach, but Brigaldara is well ahead of the pack.” Antonio Cesari is refreshingly candid about how they got there: “We depended too much on overextraction until 2019, seeking concentration. However, we then moved toward refinement, with shorter macerations to bring out more elegance and showcase the pure qualities of the grapes.”

You can taste that right across the range. The Case Vecie wines, from vineyards at nearly 500m, are lithe, sinuous and herbal. The 2018 Amarone is starting to take on a ferrous, almost sanguine edge, with something like jasmine tea on the finish. The Case Vecie Valpolicella Superiore 2022 comes from those same high parcels and costs under £24, which makes it the bargain of the line-up. And don’t miss the Picol de Legno. It’s only the second vintage of a Garganega made with a portion of grapes dried Amarone-style, which gives it real texture and depth.

Guido’s verdict on the estate is simple: “Ultimately, it’s hard to go wrong with any of the wines in this portfolio.” To make that easy, we’ve put together a mixed six, with one bottle of each wine from the Valpolicella up to the Case Vecie Amarone. Everything is landed and duty paid, so it’s ready for Christmas.

Estimated delivery mid-November.

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Amarone Superstar Brigaldara “well ahead of the pack”