What does amarone mean?
Amarone is a prestigious dry red wine produced in the Valpolicella region of Veneto, in northern Italy, where it carries the highest Italian quality designation, DOCG. Its defining feature is the appassimento method: harvested grapes — chiefly Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara — are laid out to dry for several months, concentrating their sugars and flavors before fermentation. The result is a powerful, full-bodied wine with deep flavors of dried cherry, plum, spice, and chocolate, high alcohol, and a characteristically dry finish. The name comes from the Italian 'amaro', meaning bitter, a nod to its dryness compared with the traditionally sweeter Recioto wines of the same region. In everyday use, Amarone appears on restaurant wine lists and at special occasions, where it is paired with rich dishes such as braised meats and aged cheeses. For English speakers, knowing the word signals familiarity with fine Italian wine culture and helps distinguish this celebrated style from other reds.
nounA rich, full-bodied, dry red wine made from partially dried grapes in the Valpolicella region of Veneto, northern Italy.
- The dry red wine Amarone della Valpolicella produced in the Veneto region of Italy.
"They opened a bottle of Amarone to accompany the braised short ribs."
"For our anniversary dinner, he splurged on a well-aged Amarone from the Valpolicella hills."
"The sommelier recommended the Amarone, noting its dried-cherry notes and firm tannins."
Usually used as an uncountable mass noun in English ('some Amarone'); a plural is occasionally seen when comparing different bottles or vintages.
"The cellar held several outstanding Amarones from different vintages."
Amarone is made from grapes left to dry for months until they're practically raisins — concentrating so much sugar that the wine ferments bone-dry yet tastes luxuriously rich.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of amarone
Amarone takes its name from Italian, formed as an augmentative of 'amaro', meaning bitter, which derives from the Latin 'amarus'. The name arose because the wine was originally regarded as a drier, more bitter counterpart to the sweet Recioto wines long made in Valpolicella. It shares this Latin root with related Italian terms such as amaro (the bitter liqueur) and amaretto, and with the French adjective 'amer', meaning bitter. The full commercial name, Amarone della Valpolicella, reflects both the wine's home region and its protected status.
How amarone is actually used
Always capitalized in practice when referring to the specific DOCG wine, though it may be treated as a generic term for this style elsewhere. Considered a premium, celebratory wine; the name carries connotations of luxury and Italian winemaking tradition.
Easily confused with amarone
Amaro is a bitter Italian herbal liqueur drunk as a digestif, whereas Amarone is a dry red wine from Valpolicella.