Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Vigneto Alto 2003

TOMMASO BUSSOLA

Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Vigneto Alto
2003

$265.00

* Retail price including taxes and service fees if applicable
Service fees
$ 0.00
Product code
13738696
Format
6 x 750ml
Listing type
SAQ Specialty by lot
Status
Unavailable
Type of product
Still wine
Licensee price
$230.55
Country
Italy
Regulated designation
Denominazione di origine controllata e garantita (DOCG)
Region
Veneto
Appellation
Amarone della Valpolicella
Classification
Classico
Varietal(s)
Corvina 75 %
Rondinella 25 %
Alcohol percentage
16,5%
Colour
Red
Sugar content
40 g/l
Closure type
Cork
Aging vessel type
Stainless steel tanks and French, Eastern Europe oak
Length of aging
36 months
Producer's website

About this winery

For Tommaso Bussola, it all started in 1977, the year he began working in the small wine estate of his uncle Giuseppe in the Valpolicella region. In the first years of his activity, Tommaso faithfully followed the footsteps of the traditionalists, respecting the time-honoured practices of barrel aging – barrels which, in those times, were used and re-used many times over the years. The wines of this style of production carry the logo "bg", the initials of his uncle, Bussola Giuseppe. But in...

See the TOMMASO BUSSOLA detail page for more information on this brand

Product notes

The grapes are picked and selected from the small vineyard located next to the cellar. The must is left to ferment around 55 days with their pomace with frequent pumping over. Is drawn off place in stainless steel vats for another ten days. Racked, is put into new French oak barrels and Eastern Europe, with a residual sugar of 40 g / l. Here it will stay for thirty months on its lees, where the fermentation continues very slowly. Racked and assembled it is bottled. It remains to mature for another four months before the sale.

Tasting notes

Dried dark cherry notes meld into cloves, pipe tobacco and worn-in leather in a striking, beautifully delineated Amarone loaded with complexity. The flavors are a touch developed, making the 2003 an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next decade or so.

Press reviews

Vinous

- 94 points -

Antonio Galloni, March 2014 (Vintage 2003)

I remember tasting the 2003 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico TB Vigneto Alto when it was in barrel and the fermentations were very slow. Today, it is has emerged from that awkward state and developed into a very beautiful Amarone. Dried dark cherry notes meld into cloves, pipe tobacco and worn-in leather in a striking, beautifully delineated Amarone loaded with complexity. The flavors are a touch developed, making the 2003 an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next decade or so. The 2003 doesn't quite reach the level of the very best years - which would have been nearly impossible in this vintage - but it comes very close. There is a lot to like here, especially for readers looking for a near-term fix of Amarone.

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Wine Spectator

- 94 points -

2014 (Vintage 2003)

Rich and concentrated, this silky red shows impressive balance and integration, with a bright and tangy vibrancy to the flavors of steeped cherry and mocha, herbes de Provence, date and fig bread. A streak of tarry minerality underscores the flavor range and echoes on the grippy finish. Drink now through 2028.

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Wine Advocate

- 93 points -

Monica Larner, September 2015 (Vintage 2003)

The 2003 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Vigneto Alto TB is an explosive wine that shows an impressive level of territorial and varietal tipicity. There is a spot of volatility that is in line with grapes that see the appassimento drying process. You can't really describe this as a traditional expression of Amarone, nor is it a modern rendition. The wine's thick extraction, deep aromatic layering and wide scale intensity put it somewhere in the middle on this continuum. Sweet plum, tobacco and baking spice wrap thickly over the palate. It is extra rich and warm with 16.5% alcohol. No matter what, it is built to last.

 

See detailed press review