Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Sant’Urbano, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2020, Veneto, Italy 🇮🇹

Overview
Produced by Speri in the historic hills of Valpolicella Classico, the Sant’Urbano Amarone is one of the estate’s flagship wines and a benchmark expression of the style. Crafted from the traditional Amarone blend, primarily Corvina, Corvinone, and Rondinella, the grapes undergo the classic appassimento drying process for several months before fermentation, concentrating flavors and structure. The 2020 vintage shows remarkable balance between richness and freshness, delivering depth while maintaining precision and lift.

Aromas & Flavors
Subtle yet expressive layers of dried raisin, marmalade, and dark fruit compote emerge alongside notes of ripe cherry, fig, and delicate spice. The aromatic profile reveals the classic Amarone character without becoming overly heavy, allowing fruit purity and complexity to remain in focus.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied yet remarkably lively, the wine moves across the palate with impressive energy. Structured tannins and vibrant acidity provide a firm backbone, giving the wine lift and elegance. The texture is rich but polished, and the finish is long, layered, and persistent, suggesting a wine that will continue to evolve and climb with further aging.

Food Pairings
This Amarone pairs beautifully with slow-braised meats, roasted lamb, venison, and rich game dishes where its concentration and acidity complement savory depth. It also shines alongside aged cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino, where the wine’s structure and lingering finish enhance the richness of the pairing.

Verdict
A beautifully balanced Amarone that combines power with finesse. Structured, energetic, and elegant, it delivers both immediate pleasure and strong aging potential.

Did You Know?
The Sant’Urbano vineyard from which this wine takes its name is one of Speri’s historic crus in Valpolicella Classico and is considered among the estate’s most important sites for producing Amarone with both structure and longevity.

🍷 Personal Pick
An Amarone that truly danced across the palate, rich yet vibrant, with subtle dried fruit, marmalade, and compote supported by strong structure and acidity. Delicious now, but clearly a wine that still has room to climb. — 4 months ago

Tom Kohli

9.0

Great Amarone! — 6 months ago

Doug Powers

9.1

I’ve posted on this 2022 a few times previously, wanted to compare it to the 2023 we also had, this is much better than the newer 2023, more depth and complexity, longer finish, very fine $15 wine!! — 8 months ago

with Jim

Bob Eisenbach

9.0

Silky smooth and still drinking well at 19. — 9 months ago

Tyler Felous

9.4

Took a flyer buying this from Benchmark. Bottle was in perfect condition, but sadly past its peak. Nose was outstanding - huge - chocolate, spice box. Had lost any acidity to balance the huge fruit. And at 17%, it kicked our ass. Would love to try a slightly younger rendition. — 10 months ago

Chris MacLean

9.1

Not super expressive just yet but still plenty to like. — 5 years ago

with Sarah

Devon Tate

9.5

One of my classically appropriately priced prosecco — 7 years ago

Ryan Vachon

9.0

Rich, sweet, over ripe cherries, jam, light amaretto, low in tannins, berry forward — 8 years ago

Jd Thibodeau

9.3

Cherry red. Dry-sour fruits on the nose. Medium plus body, no or little oak, very fruity, high acidity. Good Rippasso. — 9 years ago

Larry Mik

9.3

Blackberries, raisins, smoky, great looking bottle, lovely tannins, plum, caramel, fig — 5 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

A blend of Corvina Veronese 45%, Corvinone 45%, Rondinella 5% & Oseleta 5%, deep Ruby with aromas of dried dark fruits, spice and herb, about 120 days of appassimento. On the palate flavors of ripe cherry and raspberry with notes of fig, cacao, flint and mineral tones. Soft smooth tannins well balanced with acidity on a long spicy finish. Will continued to get better with age. Sustainable. — 5 months ago

Irina Georgieva

9.8

Amazing amarone! Rich taste, well-rounded, well balanced, long and rich aftertaste! — 6 months ago

Brian S

9.3

This bottle was fing delicious, just beautiful. — 7 months ago

Rob

9.2

Clay, earth — 9 months ago

Timothy Eustis

Wine Director, Red Lion Inn

9.5

Pretty. Bright red fruit. Impossibly long finish. 2008 — 9 months ago

Kevin Hoctor

9.4

Great for an Aperol Spritz or neat in a glass. — 4 years ago

Nagib Nasr

8.9

First bottle was aged, second was good. It may have been the cork. — 5 years ago

Jgrilllo

9.2

Amazing simply amazing. Soft gent fruit forward with a very smooth sweetish finish. Lots of fruit and depth. Amazing with cheese and salumi. — 7 years ago

Josh Magness

9.5

Took a while for this wine to open up after decanting. Once it did, chocolate flavors, muted cherry, with slight taste of baking spices. The Acidity helps smooth the hefty 16.5% alcohol content, but this is still a powerful wine. Burnt red color along the rim faded into deep crimson towards the middle of the glass. — 8 years ago

Craig Brown

9.5

Awesome if you can find it. — 10 years ago

Jennifer

9.1

Yummy Amarone with colleagues in Singapore (Shangri La Italian restaurant). Yep, would quite happily have another bottle. 2020 — 5 months ago

Jeremiah Diaz

9.2

Clear, medium ruby to garnet in color; on the nose it's, clean with pronounced primary and secondary aromas of cherries, almond,and cloves; on the palate, it's dry with high acidity, medium tannins, medium alcohol, medium body, and pronounced primary and secondary flavors of tart cherry, ripe strawberry, tar, and black tea with a long finish. This wine is complex and intense. Overall, I rate this wine as very good. Nellie likes it too. — 6 months ago

with Nellie

JKT

9.0

Very nice, dark color earthy forest notes into firm palate with a good bite and extending into finish — 6 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and no obvious signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of ripe and some dried fruits: bramble berries, slightly stewed black cherry, dried herbs, stony earth, baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. The alcohol is high.

Initial conclusions: this could be a Grenache-based blend, Corvina-based blend or Sangiovese-based blend from France or Italy. I felt the combination of slightly stewed cherry and spices ruled out what I would want from a Sangiovese blend. Which, left me to decide between Southern Rhône or Valpolicella. I liked this wine…the oak treatment was interesting. I was getting a French barrique. Hmmm…

So, for my final conclusion: I’m calling this a Grenache-based blend, from France, from Southern Rhône, from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 2017, from a more modern leaning producer using a good portion of barrique. I’ll be damned! I don’t hate my call but I gotta get better at distinguishing these wines from Southern Rhône. I probably just need to drink more of both, lol. Tasty stuff! Drink now through 2039. — 7 months ago

Ted

8.9

Soft and smooth. Nice ripe fruit. — 10 months ago

with Jeni

Brandi Bratek

9.0

Yes please — 4 years ago

Severn G

9.1

Still yummy, picking up more of a dusty, Merlot-like finish, fun! — 7 years ago

Nash Hyder

9.3

Full body, rounded flavor full of heavy fruit — 8 years ago

JKT

9.3

JL Bertani Amarone tasting 12/7/17. More brown color in Ruby. Interesting nose with oxidative notes with leather and some aromatics. Secondary and tertiary notes and long finish. Yum. A lovely still with fruit old wine! Great condition. $374. — 9 years ago

Pooneet K

9.0

Great amarone, and actually not overpowering or overpowered. Had with steak at Chicago cut. — 11 years ago