Giuseppe Lonardi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico

Still very tasty. Lots of raisin and caramel flavours. Aged exceptionally well!

1997 vintage

Auction purchase PnP At first blush felt oxidized but this needs some air to come into its own, decant helped clear things up Ton of plum, liqueur notes, banyuls, cherry Super soft, fully integrated tannins Smooth and easy to drink, still some freshness

1997 vintage

A touch of sweetness, less than anticipated. Could stand on its own as a digestive. Dark chocolate or Xmas pudding might be best if paired with food. Doesn't feel like its been in bottle for more than 25 years, its still so primary and wondering how long it could go on for if its from a well stored cellar such as this bottle was.

1997 vintage

Cherry cola, strong chocolate liqueur, plum and dried raisins, cork bark. Extremely intense. Palette shows savory, sweet, saline and acidity all in balance backed with a liquor transition into a vanilla bean finish. Medium+ body and concentration, high alcohol but not offensively so. 93 (not my preferred style), 96+ if you like enjoy this type of wine

1997 vintage

Aired for 6 hours and drank over a cold afternoon. Very concentrated, with notes of cherry liqueur and dark chocolate, Black Forest cake, prunes, soft leather and baking spices, subtle mocha. This is a wine you want to mull over, preferable without or after food.

1997 vintage

Nez de mûres, fruit plus noir, moins d’orange que le 1993, est-ce l’âge ou le millésime? Bouche ronde et suave, d’une grande profondeur, comme toujours, une gourmandise et une fraîcheur de bon aloi. Il paraît encore jeune! Un autre très grand vin du domaine qui n’a pas encore développé la totale complexité dont il est capable, mais qui nous envoûte par ses promesses veloutées. 95+ pts

1997 vintage

From a half bottle. In a normal night this should be the best wine on the table (we were drinking exceptionally well last night). It was great. Very bright and fresh and blackberry compote and sweet but not overdone.

1997 vintage

This 1997 Quintarelli Amarone was about as complex as a 2019 Syrah from a boutique producer. Incredible. A 1997 Biondii Brunello Riserva was good, but this was twice as dense and the same vintage. Purple cola and black fruits. Roasted vanilla black cherry scone. Black cherry finish. Fire toasted tannin finish. Quite similar to a 2008 Dal Forno enjoyed a couple of weeks prior. Incredible wine. 99 points easy. Time to drink and have a great time!

1997 vintage

[This is a half bottle. ] Fantastic wine that is still at its youth - thick, prime, forward yet very approachable. The best "closer" indeed.

1997 vintage

Opened and double decanted for sediment before rebottling and leaving in a cooler for most of the morning/afternoon. Pulled out for dinner. I suspect that time in the bottle really helped the wine. I usually think of these as being a bit on the hot side, but that was more muted here. Lots of dark fruits. A bit more jammy in style. I have in the past found that this producer (and the Dal Forno we had alongside) generally tend …

1997 vintage

Great wine. Drank with the 1997 Alzero with a steak. I liked the ALzero better, but this was the better match with the steak. Both held up beautifully over the time.

1997 vintage

Consumed on NYE. Amazingly beautiful wine. It combines brutal strength with refined elegance. Quintarelli is a master, I think this wine can age for decades longer. Still tastes like an infant.

1997 vintage

Wonderful wine, bursting with caramelized cherry essence with hints of subtle spice notes. more elixir than wine a pleasant penetrating sweetness fantastique with a zingy acidic finish Dark garnet color with a hint of brownish tinge. Meniscus solid to the edge. Thank you Giuseppe may you rest in peace.

1997 vintage

Outstanding. Tasted side-by-side a Dal Forno Passito Vigna Seré 2004. Textbook Recioto.

1997 vintage

Nearly over the hill! Drink now

1997 vintage

Juicy, chocolatey, off-dry, and a raging VA fest. Borderline flawed.

1997 vintage

Saturday BBQ (Chicago, IL) : Served double blind. Obviously top notch Amarone -- that ripe, sweet raisined quality in a perfectly dry wine, coupled with a bit of balsamic and strawberries just can't be anything else. There's definitely a good chunk of alcohol here, but this doesn't feel hot, even for a second. It's sort of like a Port without the spirit burn and all the sweetness; and it's also incredibly complex and delicious too.

1997 vintage

BBQ and Top Shelf Vino (Chez Moll) : Blind. Big nose with aromas of port-like fruit and chinato-like spice and herbs. The palate is quite dry and relatively lean for an Amarone (which is good as far as I'm concerned). Nice layering and depth. Great poise and balance. I often struggle with the heaviness of Amarone, but this is a delight and providing pleasure.

1997 vintage

Decanted for 2 hours and served blind. The nose and palate of this wine is of a Banyuls, Rivesalts vin doux naturel. Light porty, soft porty side, bright and fresh, good alcohol level and really perplexed when this was revealedas anamarone. Really had nothing to do with what we expected it to be. We are not sure if this is a result of time not being kind to it, badlykepted bottle or possibly a tampered one. Will not rate.

1997 vintage

SLDS Single Bottle Dinner : Tea leaves, licorice, christmas cake, sultana and plum on the nose. Powerful and driven palate, with amplified fruit flavours and a rounded profile that still manages to push along really well. Still very primary, though it has certainly settled into itself and is drinking well. As always, Quintarelli provides a fantastic experience.

1997 vintage

Similar to prior note; a delicious experience & perfect way to end a beautiful meal with great friends

1997 vintage

I love his 1997s. Drink up if you have any, with 2-3 hours in the decanter. A classic Quintarelli Classico, a bit lighter than in some vintages, but now perfectly round displaying all that makes these such unique, great experiences: deep black cherry, raisin, chocolate, tar, smoke,dark soil and wood in multiple layers that emerge continuously as the glass unfolds. The nose is pure and rich with chocolate and tar now leading, with a hint of mint and cherry not …

1997 vintage

Not a great bottle. Found this to be heavily oxidized and not up to the standard one would expect from a Quintarelli Amarone.

1997 vintage

Wine for TJ Martell wine dinner on 11/16/17

1997 vintage

2017 Villa d’Este Wine Symposium - Kelly and Kevin's excellent adventure; 11/9/2017-11/14/2017 (Villa D’este, Lake Como and Milan) : Imposing nose displaying slightly dry red fruit, dry cherry, dry fig, plums, cinnamon, molasses, anise, ink, tobacco, leather, a hint of VA and earth. Nicely integrated palate, layers upon layers of dry cherry and dry fig, bright acidity, strong earthy mineral and the finish that never ends. It is a monster scale wine. Still needs time to develop more tobacco and …

1997 vintage

From memory: decanted for an hour, med. ruby with slight brick rim, explosive nose of raisin, prune & coffee, mod. tannins, long finish; always outstanding & a unique experience, loved by all!

1997 vintage

Still very vibrant, with a wonderful bouquet, bright fruit and good complexity, but a bit of a stern finish. Seems like this wine still has some room to go.

1997 vintage

gave this bottle to Mark Forziati...he knows how to appreciate the wine

1997 vintage

If you like Quintarelli, this is as good as Bepi gets. Massive, stunning effort. Figs, prunes, dried cranberries, burnt caramel. Almost port-like but without the heat. If you don't like Quintarelli, well... you're not my friend.

1997 vintage

Quintarelli at his best, with a little less power and corps than the top vintages. Layers upon layers of dark cherry, tar, deep, rich earth, chocolate, prune (less than the riserva) and wood all rolled into a mellifluous passage after 4 hours in the decanter.

1997 vintage

3hr decant. disappointed vs. expectations. Very port like Enjoyed Dal Forno much more.

1997 vintage

Some discolouration around the rim. Still rather dark core. Expressive - dried fruit, smoke, dried flowers, but also a bit of volatile acidity. On the palate very intense, fresh but a bit unbalanced, lovely richness of fruit. Amazing length. 91-93?

1997 vintage

Raisin aged sun dried. oh yeah. History and artisan crafting.

1997 vintage

Drank at 67 Incredible depth on both the nose and palate. Dark and brooding. Amazing finish. What is not to like.

1997 vintage

Double decanted then SO'd for a few hrs, garnet with a touch of brick on the rim, smells of vintage port with age (Taylor), dark fruit with some tobacco, soft/mod. tannins, very long finish; outstanding & ready to drink, but no rush. Just a touch behind a 97 Dal Forno 375 from last weekend (will it catch up?)

1997 vintage

Continues to drink with with lots of soul.

1997 vintage

Dégustation Quintarelli : Un nez parfumé de mélasse, de cerises. C'est un vin dense, concentré, puissant, très long, grande finesse de tanins, très savoureux. Après m'être obstiné à l'effet qu'il était encore un peu jeune, je dois reconnaitre que c'est sans doute le plus grand vin rouge ce soir, certainement le plus long. Très impressionnant. 97+ pts

1997 vintage

Nose of prune, raisin, fig, slight solvent note. Palate: prune, raisin, medicinal notes, compote, jam, wild berry, chocolate ganache, spice, cinnamon. Long finish, mildly warming alcohol, very delicate, not at all syrupy.

1997 vintage

Super Bowl 2015 (Roswell, GA) : Garnet color, good clarity; plum, prune, medicinal, some alcohol showing; cough syrup on palate, sappy and sweet, intense, rich, alcoholic with brandy warmth finish; tasty.

1997 vintage

Poured from a coravin. This was just a fun dessert wine. Nice red fortified. Good after dinner sipping wine. Some very deep red fruits.

1997 vintage

Ethereal. Memorable. Amazing.

1997 vintage

From 375ml bottle. OMG. This was stunning. Glorious fruit and magnificent balance between sweet and dry on the palate with a 60+ second finish. A wine with soul! Absolutely blew away the '97 Dal Forno Recioto we drank this alongside of.

1997 vintage

Huge, intoxicating aroma. Wonderful figgy-pruny-red fruit flavor. Finish goes on an on. Very intense but not the least bit heavy. Sublime.

1997 vintage

At Quintarelli, wow!

1997 vintage

- Brick color with medium forming legs and aromas of prune. It's in total harmony and has flavours of prune with a full body. Fleshy texture with a medium finish - What a joy Deep aroma of prune, taste of same, viscousy but not too thick Sweet but not overpowering or puckering Looking forward to the next one

1997 vintage

This is the definition of what a great desert wine should be. Dark pomegranate color with garnet edges. This wine is a true expression of both the Veneto terroir and Quintarelli's mastery of winemaking skills ... It is elegance in its purest form. On the nose it delivers tremendous complexity with fabulous aromas of dried prunes and figs, dark chocolate, balsamic, star anise a clear oxidated note. At close to 200$ the half bottle, it may be steep but so …

1997 vintage

Dark red in color, initial nose very herbal, after an hour gradually turned into mocha and raisins. Sweet yet balanced with good acidity and actually quite elegant, a real treat esp with dark molten chocolate cake...

1997 vintage

Incredibly impressive. Huge finish. Great bottle. Enjoyed it with a dark chocolate cake. Still impressed.

1997 vintage

I really don't think I can describe this wine and do it any justice. Every time you put your nose in the glass you get something new. Fabulous wine by itself, great with dark chocolate, and otherworldly with good parmigiano and aged balsamico. 96+ (I don't have anything to compare it to)...

1997 vintage

Wow! Loads of fruit, bitter almond and dark chocolate on the nose. In the mouth the wine exploads with layers of kirch, chocolate, mocca and hint of roasted oak. Broad, intensive, elegant with perfect sweetness and a 45+ seconds finnish, this was just an amazing experience. Perfect match with chocolate fondant!

1997 vintage

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Giuseppe Lonardi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico

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