The 2009 Vintage

De Buris is just the same: an underlying structure, resulting from the drying of the grapes, that is elegant and discreet but maintains a certain tension and underpins an almost choral succession of fruity and spicy notes. The result is a multi-faceted, deep, harmonious wine, but one that is easy to enjoy: it is constantly changing, so you never tire of it.
DE BURIS 2009
AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO DOC RISERVA
Corvina 65% Corvinone 24% Rondinella 5% Oseleta 6%

THE 2009 VINTAGE
Bud-break 2nd April. Flowering 22nd May. Fruit set 1st June. Véraison 10th August.

The weather in 2009 was characterized by a rather cold autumn and winter, with abundant rainfall. Average temperatures in March were slightly higher than the norm and led to an early bud-break. Vegetative growth proceeded rapidly in the spring and the weather remained generally fine throughout the summer.
There was an excellent thermal excursion in September between day- and night-time temperatures, ensuring a satisfactory accumulation of secondary metabolites (fundamental for raising the definitive quality of the grapes), and the period of the harvest was also sunny.

THE VINEYARD La Groletta, in the commune of Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella • Total area 10 hectares; selection of the grapes in the 1.9 hectares of the parcel, and from around 0.5 ha of the La Groletta cru • Altitude 250 meters above sea level • Exposure South-West: the vineyard faces Lake Garda • Characteristics of the soil: Clayey and calcareous, of medium texture and moderately stony; pH 7-7.5 Soil that has little cover vegetation, is poor in organic matter and rich in limestone, potassium, and calcium, and with low concentrations of magnesium and iron. • Vine training system Guyot, with a plant density of 6,500 vines per hectare • Average age of the vines 30 years old • Yield per hectare 6,000 kilos per hectare, with a yield of 40% in wine following the drying process Discovering the potential of a single vineyard, of a terroir that is unique in its extraordinary quality and which enshrines the history and traditions of the Valpolicella zone, then transforming it into a wine which, with its respect for nature and perfect harmony with the rhythm of the seasons, represents the beginning of a renaissance for Amarone.

HARVEST AND GRAPE DRYING Manual selection of the finest bunches, beginning on 10th September. These were placed in crates holding 7 kg each and subsequently laid one by one on bamboo mats for drying. The grapes were left to wither for 110 days in our special drying loft, where the ventilation system maintains a constant flow of air and a low level of humidity.

VINIFICATION AND MATURATION After a further selection at the end of the drying phase, the grapes were pressed in January, followed by brief cryomaceration, lasting around 10 days. Slow fermentation then took place for 30 days in oak vats, using exclusively indigenous yeasts. Malolactic fermentation was carried out once during the first year of aging in Slavonian oak casks. The wine continued its maturation for 5 years in 15-30hl casks in the ancient cellar of Villa De Buris, where it also underwent bottle-aging.

TASTING NOTES De Buris 2009 displays a bright, deep ruby red color; on the nose, it is taut and extremely fine, with the typical aromas of both sour and sweet black cherries that evolve into notes of spices and cocoa beans. On the palate it unleashes all of its personality: it offers high-toned, vibrant yet delicately velvety fruit. In spite of its concentration, it never seems heavy. Indeed, it is poised, harmonious, apparently suspended: it seems to offer a challenge to time, and its finish is interminable.

Giancarlo Tommasi, Oenologist