Amarone barrels from Italy

Where do St. Kilian's ex-Amarone casks actually come from?

At the beginning of week 29, we were able to spend two instructive and, of course, enjoyable days with our friends at the Lenotti winery in Bardolino on Lake Garda. Claudio Lenotti is our long-standing, steadfast partner. The partnership has long since developed into a close friendship. Every Amarone cask emptied here is at our disposal. The results of the maturation are simply impressive. The Lenotti winery is located in the beautiful town of Bardolino, directly on Lake Garda.

Amarone and the Valpolicella region

In addition, due to our constantly growing need for casks, we have started a second partnership with the equally renowned Tenuta St. Antonio winery. This winery is picturesquely situated on a ridge in Valpolicella. Far from the tourist paths and difficult to reach, as we found out. But both the view and the high quality of the wines make it worthwhile!

Amarone wine is grown exclusively in the Valpolicella region. It is a protected designation of origin. Valpolicella consists of 10 valleys, in which the location of the vines, going from west to east, is reflected in the spiciness of the wines. The soils become rockier and more calcareous towards the east, i.e. further away from Lake Garda. In addition, each winery has its own cask philosophy. All in all, the casks are filled for roughly 7 years before we receive them.

The Amarone of the Lenottti winery is grown in the western part. Tenuta, on the other hand, cultivates further east. A varied mix, then.

What is special about Amarone wine?

Amarone red wine is considered the king of Italian wines. Its special feature lies in the gentle drying of the grapes. After the very late grape harvest, the grapes are gently dried in a cool drying house for about 2 to 3 months. This causes them to lose water, which intensifies aromas and concentrates the sugar content. The result is a complex, full-bodied, rich red wine with a high alcohol content of up to 16% vol.