2007 Amarone della Valpolicella

The hottest winery in Veneto? Well, there are several. But one of them is without question Marion. Stefano and Nicoletta Campedelli run this impeccable small estate on the eastern outskirts of Verona. The wines reflect the artisan side of Valpolicella and are loaded with personality. The 2009s are outstanding, but the 2008s, well, they are off the charts. Overall, the 2009s are a bit more red-toned and floral, while 2008 is very much a dark fruit vintage. With the exception of the Borgo Marcellise, the entry-level wines are made with 20-30% dried fruit across the board, which gives them gorgeous textural richness. The Marion Amarone is one of the top wines in Veneto, it's as simple as that. For more on Marion, readers might enjoy this short video.

Stefano and Nicoletta Campedelli make some of the most compelling wines in Veneto. The current vintage for the estate's flagship wines is 2007, a year that yielded soft, open reds. As good as the 2007s are, I don't find the visceral thrill of the estate's best years, which includes 2001, 2004 and 2006. The Valpolicella, Teroldego and Cabernet are made partly from dried grapes. Roughly 30% of the fruit is dried for 30-40 days, which gives those wines quite a bit of personality and class. Recent bottles of the 2006 Valpolicella and Amarone have been stunning.