Tenuta Sant’Antonio, Amarone della Valpolicella (Veneto, Italy) 2016

 Named for their father and made from 70 percent Corvina and Corvinone, 20 percent Rondinella, five percent Croatina, and five percent Oseleta.  It is a fresh wine with aromas of red cherry and blackberry, with floral notes and a touch of maple syrup and licorice.  It has rich flavors of dark cherry, black plums with whispers of violets and roses, rich and smooth in the mouth.  The goal of the Castagnedi brothers is to make an Amarone to serve wine with food.  They suggest that it’s not important to have a big elaborate dish for this wine.  The balance of ripe fruit flavors, lively acidity, ripe tannins and alcohol makes it a great partner for a simple steak.