Speri "Sant’Urbano" Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2018

Vin Chicago: 93+ Points

(5/2023) Amarone lovers, this one is the real deal. Speri's Sant’Urbano is a single vineyard blend of 70% Corvina, 25% Rondinella and 5% Molinara. The grapes were dried for over 100 days before pressing, resulting in a whopping 40% decrease in the weight of the grapes which massively concentrates and focuses the flavor. Ever wonder why Amarone is expensive? This is why! By the time Speri presses these grapes, there is hardly any liquid left inside! Packed with jammy dark fruits, this classic red is fantastic now and will develop even further complexity over the coming 4 to 10 years.

Vinous - Eric Guido : 94 Points

(12/2022) There's an exotic flare to the 2018 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Sant'Urbano as foreign spices, dusty dried roses, red currants and blood orange hints form its bouquet. This is supple and enveloping with stimulating acidity that adds an energetic feel, as tart cherry and raspberry fruits drench the palate. Its minerality comes through in the finish, almost salty in character as grippy tannins saturate, yet the wine remains amazingly fresh. The 2018 is wonderfully balanced and potent, a total success for the vintage. Drinking Window: 2024-2034.

Decanter : 95 Points

(6/10/2023) From the company’s vineyards at Sant’Urbano, on the ridge separating the valleys of Fumane and Marano, the Speri Amarone is made in a beautifully balanced and slightly lighter style which nonetheless ages extremely well. Soft and dreamy red fruit aromas with candied notes as well as cinnamon bark and black pepper introduce a full, ripe and juicy palate with rich, dark plum and black cherry flavours of great freshness thanks to its crisp acidity. Round and long with spice and seasoned wood notes to finish, this is very good indeed. Drinking Window: 2025 - 2045.

James Suckling : 94 Points

(8/8/2022) “Dark cherries, blackberries, mussels, licorice, figs and some finely ground black chocolate, following through to a medium-to full-bodied palate with elegant berries and a bittersweet black-chocolate note. A refined, textbook Amarone that shows great poise and modern drinkability. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”