Scuola Grande Amarone della Valpolicella 2018 – Veneto’s Raisiny Powerhouse

Tasting Notes

This juice doesn’t whisper—it roars. Deep ruby-garnet color with a nose soaked in ripe dark cherry, plum, undercurrents of liquor fruit, toasted almond, and seductive tertiary notes of coffee, tobacco, cocoa, and a dash of vanilla. On the palate? Think full-bodied warmth, velvety yet firm tannins, and a lingering finish that’s rich, enveloping, and drool-inducing—leaves your mouth so clean you salivate post-sip.

Meet the Winemaker

Scuola Grande is the Tombacco family’s love letter to Valpolicella—powerful Amarone built on centuries of Veneto winemaking smarts, made with grapes that go through traditional appassimento (drying), then age in oak to deep, raisiny perfection. This is Amarone with pedigree and swagger.

Wine Specs

• Varietal(s): Predominantly Corvina (45–95%), possible Corvinone substitution (up to 50%), Rondinella (5–30%), small percentages of Oseleta and Molinara

• Vintage: 2018

• Region: Veneto, Valpolicella DOCG, Italy

• Winemaking: Appassimento (dried grapes for concentrated sugars), followed by winter fermentation and aging in Slavonian and French oak

• ABV: ~15.5%

• Bottle Size: 750 ml

• Serving Temp: 16–18 °C—cool, but classy

Critic Reviews

• 92 pts — Natalie MacLean: “Powerful Amarone… ripe dark cherry, plum, savoury herbs, coffee and cocoa… warming, intense and long.” 

• 92 pts — John Szabo (WineAlign): Noted for excellent length, depth, concentration, and a balanced bitterness recalling dark chocolate.

• 90 pts (Silver) — Decanter World Wine Awards: A recognition of its quality and value.

Food Pairings

This Amarone is built for hearty, badass bites:

• Gamey grilled meats like venison or duck

• Robust stews, osso buco, or slow-roasted lamb

• Aged, salty cheeses such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino

• Dark chocolate desserts or meat-lover pizzas—yes, this wine loves the dark side.

Why You Need This Bottle

Because you don’t “quietly enjoy wine”—you want the liquid equivalent of a velvet punch. Scuola Grande Amarone 2018 is unapologetically intense, complex, and lick-your-lips delicious, with structure that says “aging potential, but I’m drinkable now.” It’s Amarone swagger in a bottle.

Ready to sip something that roars? Tap Add to Cart and unleash Scuola Grande Amarone della Valpolicella 2018. Club fam? Free shipping to match that velvet richness.