Jesús Barquín: Toasty nose of nuts, bacon, smoke. Intense and powerful palate, the sweetness more obvious than I would like, but long and savory. 15.5

Nicolas Belfrage: Opaque. Something balsamic on nose. Fine-grained tannins and flavors mingling nicely in the mouth, beautifully balanced and very long. Creamy texture and sweet-bitter finish of perfect equilibrium. Drink in 3 years for several years. 18

Andrew Jefford: Saturated deep black-red with some opacity. Attractively classic aromas—the Hokusai print of cherry blossoms tumbling off the bough in the spring breeze, but full of the implication of the fruit that will follow (supposing that the breeze is not too strong). One of the most charming aromatic profiles in the whole tasting. On the palate, this is not the weightiest or densest wine we have come across, but whoever has guided this wine through fermentation has a wonderfully sure grasp of what the Amarone style can offer: all of the charm, freshness and aromatic poise of the Valpolicella Classico and Ripasso styles, but given extra volumetric weight and presence in the mouth. My mark is for that exquisite sense of aesthetic rightness. 17