Luigi Righetti Amarone della Valpolicella - 2007

Luigi Righetti Amarone della Valpolicella 2007 is a full-bodied Italian red wine from Veneto's Valpolicella Classico zone, bottled at 14.5% ABV in a standard 750ml format. This vintage scored 87 points from Wine Enthusiast and represents one of the Veneto's most revered appellations at its expressive, aged peak.

Quick Facts: ABV: 14.5%  |  Origin: Valpolicella Classico, Veneto, Italy  |  Vintage: 2007  |  Producer: Luigi Righetti

Production & Heritage

Luigi Righetti is a family-run estate rooted in the hillside vineyards of Valpolicella Classico, one of the original and most prized sub-zones within the broader Valpolicella appellation. The 2007 bottling follows the traditional appassimento method: harvested grapes — a blend of approximately 70% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, and smaller portions of Molinara and other indigenous varietals — are laid out on drying racks for three to four months, concentrating sugars and flavor compounds before fermentation. After pressing, the wine ages in a combination of oak casks and barriques for a minimum of three years, building structure and complexity before release.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Intense and layered on the nose, opening with dark chocolate, dried plum, and ripe cherry. Secondary notes of graphite, truffle, and toasted nut emerge as the wine breathes, hinting at well-integrated oak and the wine's considerable age.

Taste: The palate entry is full and rich, delivering concentrated plum compote and black cherry fruit. At mid-palate, licorice, cigar box, and dried tobacco notes take hold, supported by firm but resolved tannins. The 2007 vintage shows a balance between modern richness and classical Valpolicella structure, with black pepper adding definition to the fruit.

Finish: Long and drying, with lingering dark chocolate, leather, and a subtle bitter-almond quality characteristic of well-aged Amarone. The warmth is restrained despite the wine's concentration, leaving a savory, earthy echo.

How to Drink Righetti Amarone 2007

At over fifteen years from vintage, this Amarone is best served slightly below room temperature — around 16–18°C (61–64°F) — in a large-bowled glass to let the complex aromatics develop. Decanting for 30 to 60 minutes is recommended. While Amarone is classically a sipping wine, it holds its own in food-forward settings: pair it alongside ossobuco for a regional match, with aged Parmigiano-Reggiano as a course on its own, or alongside braised short ribs where its weight and dried-fruit intensity mirror the dish's richness.

Best For

• Gifting an Italian wine enthusiast who appreciates aged vintages
• Anchoring a special dinner course built around braised or slow-cooked meats
• Adding a mature Amarone to a Valpolicella vertical or comparative tasting
• Marking an anniversary or milestone occasion with a wine from a meaningful vintage year

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Righetti Amarone 2007 taste like? It delivers a rich, full-bodied profile dominated by dried plum, black cherry, dark chocolate, and licorice, with secondary notes of cigar box, leather, and toasted nut from extended oak aging and bottle maturity.

How does Righetti Amarone compare to Allegrini Amarone? Both are produced in the Valpolicella Classico zone using the appassimento method, but Allegrini's Amarone is generally positioned at a higher price tier and tends toward a more polished, modern style, while Righetti's bottling emphasizes traditional structure and accessibility at a comparatively moderate price point.

Is Righetti Amarone 2007 good for sipping neat? Yes — Amarone della Valpolicella is one of Italy's great contemplative wines, and the 2007 vintage has had ample time to integrate its tannins and develop secondary aromas, making it ideal for slow, attentive sipping on its own.

Where is Righetti Amarone made? It is produced by the Luigi Righetti estate in the Valpolicella Classico zone of the Veneto region in northeastern Italy, an area recognized as the historical heart of Amarone production.

What foods pair well with Righetti Amarone 2007? Braised lamb shanks complement its dried-fruit richness; aged hard cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano or Piave echo its savory depth; wild mushroom risotto mirrors its earthy truffle notes; dark chocolate desserts align with the wine's cocoa character; and slow-roasted pork belly balances its full body with unctuous fat.

What sizes does Righetti Amarone come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle, which is the most widely available format.

Is Righetti Amarone 2007 worth the price? Luigi Righetti positions its Amarone as an accessible entry into one of Italy's most prestigious wine categories, offering genuine appassimento character and extended oak aging at a price well below many Classico-zone peers — strong value for a wine with this level of concentration and maturity.

Why Righetti Amarone 2007?

The 2007 vintage in Valpolicella is broadly regarded as a warm, generous year that produced Amarones of notable depth and approachability. Luigi Righetti's commitment to the full appassimento process — drying grapes for up to four months and aging the resulting wine in oak for at least three years — ensures this bottling carries authentic regional character rather than shortcuts. With an 87-point score from Wine Enthusiast and strong community ratings averaging 88.6 on CellarTracker across 55 reviews, the wine has demonstrated consistent appeal among both critics and collectors. For anyone seeking a mature, traditionally made Amarone without the premium of the appellation's top-tier estates, this Righetti bottling delivers concentration, complexity, and provenance at a genuinely competitive level.