Tommasi Amarone 2008 375ml

Winery: Tommasi

Varietal: Corvina Blend

The region of Veneto in Italy is home to the Corvina grape varietal, a much sought after and prized grape which is used in the production of several of Italy's finest red wines. Corvina by itself produces wines with a bright crimson color, light to medium in body, and holding lovely bright cherry flavors with a slightly bitter after taste. However, it is most enjoyed when blended with small quantities of other Italian wines, as this results in the famous and much loved wines of Amarone and Valpolicella – beautifully balanced, rounded and delicately aged wines which are some of the most popular and widely admired red wines of Italy. Corvina grapes have a naturally high level of acidity, and thick skins which contain little tannin, but which protect the grape from rot.

Region: Veneto

Veneto has, for hundreds of years, been one of Italy's most important wine regions, and many of the finest wineries and appellations near the Adriatic coast have reached levels of international fame and recognition unmatched by other parts of the country. Amarone, Valpolicella and Bardolino DOC regions are all widely understood to be amongst the best places in the world for flavorful, complex and interesting red wines, and the white Soave wines produced on the foothills of the Alps are enjoyed across the globe for their clarity and crispness. The region benefits from a range of micro-climates, protected from the harsh central European winters by the mountain range, and the generations of expertise and dedication to quality and innovation shown by the hundreds of wineries in the region.

Country: Italy

It isn't difficult to understand why Italy is famed not just for the quality of its wines, but also for the vast variety and range of characteristics found in the wines there. The terrain of the country varies wildly, from the lush rolling green hills and valley of Tuscany, to the sun drenched rocky coasts of Sicily, the mountainous and alpine regions of the north, and the marshy lowlands of the east. Italy really does have a little bit of everything. Combine this huge range of landscapes with an almost perfect climate for grape cultivation, and you have a country seemingly designed for viticultural excellence. The results speak for themselves, and it is clear to see that wine has become an inseparable part of Italian culture as a result of its abundance and brilliance. Each village, city and region has a local wine perfectly matched with the cuisine of the area, and not an evening passes without the vast majority of Italian families raising a glass of locally sourced wine with pride and pleasure.