Tommasi De Buris Amarone Riserva 2009 (95 VM)

“The 2009 Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva De Buris shows the best of both sides of the Amarone spectrum. Savory raspberry and plum sauce are further complemented by notes of crushed stone and dusty florals. These aromas continue to gain in volume with time in the glass, as they are joined by a seductive display of rich brown spice and mocha. This is velvety in texture yet not weighty; in fact, it’s quite lifted and spry, with a core of concentrated red and black fruits that saturate all that they touch with a mineral tinge and then withdraw to reveal a note of sour citrus. There’s a subtle tug of tannin that lingers, doing a wonderful job of framing the expression, as this tapers off to a bitter twang of tart cherry and dark chocolate. The De Buris is a new cru Riserva from the highest elevations of Tommasi’s La Groletta vineyard, which hosts 30-year-old vines overlooking Lake Garda. It spends the first year of its refinement in Slavonian oak, followed by another five years in 15- to 30-hectoliter casks. This is only the second vintage for this wine, which has been a decade in the making.”