2022 A Amarone della Valpolicella, Alpha Zeta

• Style: Dried-grape intensity, silky tannins
• Taste: Raisined cherry compote, plum, warming spice, woodsmoke
• Food: Aged cheeses, braised lamb, game, beef stew
• Occasion: Sunday lunch, date night
• Serve: 15–17°C, decant 30 mins

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

Raisined, concentrated character opens with dark cherry compote, plum, and warming spice. Silky tannins frame a savoury cherry core riding lasting woodsmoke. Dolomite-cooled breezes and chalky soil preserve acidity even after the four-month drying period, keeping poise without bombast. This is intelligent, generous food wine.

The Winery — Alpha Zeta

Founded in 1999, Alpha Zeta emerged from Liberty's vision of modern, fruit-driven wines from the hills outside Verona. Working directly with growers in the Valpantena Valley rather than sourcing bulk wine—the regional norm—the house partners with New Zealand winemaker Matt Thomson to chase ripe, concentrated grapes through later picking and reduced yields. The 2022 vintage benefited from a warm, dry year; hand-harvested bunches rested in ventilated rooms until late January, losing 40% of their weight before cool fermentation and 18 months in French oak. The blend—Corvina & Corvinone for structure and air-drying finesse, Rondinella for lift and red-fruit freshness—sits squarely in classic Valpolicella territory, ripe and balanced.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

Pair this with aged Grana Padano or Gorgonzola, braised lamb, roasted game, or beef stew. Serve at 15–17°C, decanting 30 minutes before service to open up those spiced cherry depths. Perfect for Sunday lunch or date night, it demonstrates what restrained ambition looks like when quality and value intersect. Vegetarian and vegan friendly. Explore our Amarone della Valpolicella selection and Italy's serious reds to discover more from this corner of craft.