Brigaldara, Cavolo, Amarone della Valpolicella, 2020
Brigaldara, Cavolo, Amarone della Valpolicella, 2020
- 75cl
- 16%
- Red Still
- Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella
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Optimal drinking window: 2027 - 2040
Est. delivery mid-November 2026
Brigaldara’s Cavolo Amarone della Valpolicella 2020 is a benchmark example of traditional Amarone - rich, elegant, and perfectly balanced between power and poise.
The grapes are sourced from the Cavolo vineyard, where only the most open, well-exposed bunches are chosen. After harvest, the grapes are dried naturally for about 120 days, concentrating their flavours and sugars. Once vinified, the wine undergoes a long aging of at least four years in large oak barrels, a nod to the classic Valpolicella approach that favours complexity and refinement over flashiness.
The result is a deep, beautifully structured Amarone, with that signature Brigaldara freshness that keeps the richness in check.
Brigaldara is one of the region’s most respected family-run estates, located near San Floriano in the heart of Valpolicella Classica. The Cesari family, who have owned the estate since 1929, are known for their meticulous vineyard work and commitment to expressing each terroir authentically.
In its first few years the dried fruit and raisin character dominate, with the tannins still quite firm and the alcohol a touch assertive. By 2030 or so, secondary notes of tobacco, leather and dried fig start to emerge and the wine knits together more seamlessly. It should plateau through the mid-2030s, drinking at its most complete.
What the critics say:
"The 2020 Amarone della Valpolicella Cavolo entices with a bouquet of dried violets, stone dust, red plums and balsamic spice. Feminine and lifted in style, it maintains an elegant feel as polished red berry fruits swirl throughout. A sweet and sour twang emerges on the finish as edgy tannins resonate, offset by a bump of juicy acidity. The Cavolo is already stunning and an excellent example of the more savory style of Amarone."
Tasting Notes
AppearanceDeep garnet, almost opaque at the core, fading to a brick-tinged rim.
NoseDried cherry and baked plum sit alongside cocoa powder and a faint whiff of balsamic vinegar. There's dried fig and a touch of tobacco leaf beneath, more savoury than sweet.
PalateFull and dense, with raisined dark fruit carried by surprisingly fresh acidity. Tannins are firm and grainy, giving structure rather than softness, with bitter chocolate and espresso coming through mid-palate.
FinishLong, bittersweet and warming, with alcohol that announces itself but doesn't overwhelm.
Overall impressionA serious, savoury Amarone that rewards patience over immediate indulgence.
Food Pairings
In Verona this would be poured alongside pastissada de caval, a slow-braised horsemeat stew rich enough to match the wine's weight, or with aged Monte Veronese cheese and a drizzle of chestnut honey. Risotto all'Amarone, made with the wine itself, is the obvious local pairing and shows how comfortably it handles sweetness and richness together. Braised beef cheeks, game stews, and hard, salty cheeses all find their match here.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve at 17-18°C, properly cool rather than warm, to keep the alcohol in check. Decant for an hour if drinking young, less if the bottle has some age on it, to let the dried fruit aromas open out. A large Bordeaux-style glass gives it room to breathe without losing the savoury edge.
The Cavolo vineyard sits on the hillsides above Brigaldara's home estate, on volcanic and calcareous soils that drain well and stress the vines just enough to concentrate flavour. Altitude and good air movement through the vineyard are crucial, both for ripening and for the slow, careful drying of grapes afterwards in the estate's traditional fruttaio. The cooler nights here help retain acidity, which is what keeps a wine this rich from becoming merely heavy.
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG is made from partially dried grapes, traditionally Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella, fermented fully dry to produce a powerful, high-alcohol red unlike almost anything else in Italy. Rules govern minimum drying time, yields and ageing, but within that framework there's real stylistic variance between producers, from the sweeter, riper modern style to the drier, more structured traditionalist approach Brigaldara represents. It sits at the top of the Valpolicella hierarchy, above Ripasso and simple Valpolicella, both in price and in the sheer density of what's in the glass.
The 2020 vintage in Veneto arrived with textbook timing after a growing season that played by the rules. Spring brought steady, manageable rainfall that set the vines up beautifully, followed by a warm but not scorching summer that allowed for gradual ripening. The harvest unfolded exactly when producers wanted it to, with cool nights preserving freshness while sunny days concentrated flavours without rushing the process.
What emerged was a vintage of surprising polish and immediate charm. The Soaves show crystalline mineral precision alongside ripe stone fruit, while Valpolicella delivers vibrant cherry fruit with structure that doesn't overshadow the joy. Amarone producers found their grapes in superb condition for the crucial drying process, promising wines with both power and finesse. These wines are drinking brilliantly now and should continue rewarding patience until 2030, making 2020 one of those rare vintages that pleases both the impatient and the cellar-builders.
FAQs
What does this wine taste like?
Dried cherry, baked plum and bitter chocolate, dense and savoury rather than sweet, with firm tannins and a long, bittersweet finish.
When should I drink this wine?
Hold until 2027 to let the tannins settle, though it will continue to develop well until 2040.
What food should I pair it with?
Braised meats, game stews, risotto all'Amarone, or aged hard cheeses all stand up to its weight and richness.
How should I serve it?
At 17-18°C, decanted for an hour, in a large Bordeaux-style glass.
Is this wine worth cellaring?
Yes, this is a serious, structured Amarone built to reward several more years in the cellar rather than immediate drinking.
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