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Wines like Amarone della Valpolicella

Dried-grape red of enormous concentration: 15–16% alcohol, dried-fruit intensity, and technically dry. Below: what to try next, grouped by the direction you want to travel.

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What do you like about Amarone della Valpolicella?

Optional — the results below already work without it. But “I like Malbec” is at least four different preferences wearing one name, and saying which one you mean changes the answer substantially. Only qualities this wine actually has are offered.

I like…

The rich dark fruit How full and weighty it is The firm, grippy structure The spice The savoury, meaty side

But it’s a bit…

too jammy or sweet-tasting too heavy too drying or too tannic too oaky or woody too peppery too savoury or funky

Clear all

What these words mean

The rich dark fruit: Blackberry, plum, black cherry — fruit that tastes ripe and generous rather than tart. It comes from warm-climate ripening and it is what most people mean when they call a red "fruity".
How full and weighty it is: Body is how much the wine seems to fill your mouth — the difference between skimmed and whole milk. It comes mostly from alcohol and ripeness.
The firm, grippy structure: High tannin — the drying grip on your gums, like over-brewed tea. It gives a red something to hold on to with rich food, and it is what lets a wine age.
The vanilla and oak: Vanilla, toast, coconut, sweet spice, sometimes smoke. It comes from the barrel rather than the grape, which is why the same grape can taste completely different with and without it.
The spice: Black pepper, clove, cinnamon. Some of it is the grape — the pepper in Syrah is a measured compound called rotundone — and some is the barrel.
The savoury, meaty side: Leather, olive, cured meat, dried herbs, tobacco. It is what people mean by calling a wine "serious" rather than "fruity", and it comes with age as well as with place.

Looking for something keeping the full body and weight, the peppery, spicy character and the savoury, non-fruity character.

Based on what you said

Ranked against the qualities you named rather than against the wine as a whole. The directions below are refined the same way.

Dalmatian Plavac Mali

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Keeps the full body and weight.
Keeps the peppery, spicy character.
Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Keeps the full body and weight.
Keeps the peppery, spicy character.
Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.

Plavac Mali

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Keeps the full body and weight.
Keeps the peppery, spicy character.
Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.

Primitivo di Manduria

curated

Another very ripe, high-alcohol, dried-fruit Italian red.

Keeps the full body and weight.
Keeps the peppery, spicy character.
Has noticeably less of the savoury, non-fruity character.

Priorat

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Keeps the full body and weight.
Has some of the peppery, spicy character, though less of it.
Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.

Ribera del Duero

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Keeps the full body and weight.
Has some of the peppery, spicy character, though less of it.
Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.

McLaren Vale Shiraz

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Keeps the full body and weight.
Has some of the peppery, spicy character, though less of it.
Has some of the savoury, non-fruity character, though less of it.

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Keeps the full body and weight.
Has some of the peppery, spicy character, though less of it.
Has some of the savoury, non-fruity character, though less of it.

Closest overall

Nearest neighbours, no change of direction.

Closest matches

The nearest overall neighbours across structure and flavour, with no deliberate change of direction.

Dalmatian Plavac Mali

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and softer and rounder.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more herbal and green, and earthier.

Plavac Mali

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and softer and rounder.

Primitivo di Manduria

curated

Another very ripe, high-alcohol, dried-fruit Italian red.

Expect: Jammier and simpler, without the bitter-almond finish.

Different grape, similar feel

Deliberately excludes the variety you already know, to find a genuinely new wine that fills the same role.

Dalmatian Plavac Mali

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and softer and rounder.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more herbal and green, and earthier.

Plavac Mali

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and softer and rounder.

Priorat

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be less spicy, and more restrained in fruit.

Change the structure

Same idea, different weight, grip or freshness.

Similar but lighter

Keeps the character but reduces weight, alcohol and density in the mouth.

Bekaa Valley Red

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and lighter in alcohol.

Washington Syrah

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and lighter in alcohol.

Mavrud

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and lighter in alcohol.

Valpolicella Ripasso

curated

Built from the same skins, at a fraction of the price.

Expect: Much lighter and less concentrated.

Similar but lower in alcohol

Holds the character and the weight where it can, and moves specifically on strength. Note that below about 11% the choices narrow sharply, and below 5% they are mostly a different category rather than a lighter version of the same one.

Washington Syrah

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter in alcohol, and lighter.

Washington Cabernet Sauvignon

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter in alcohol, and more fruit-driven.

Swartland Syrah and Rhône blends

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter in alcohol, and lighter.

Ribera del Duero

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter in alcohol, and less spicy.

Similar but less tannic

For readers who find firm reds drying. Reduces tannic grip while holding flavour and weight roughly steady.

Argentine Malbec

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less spicy.

Tawny Port

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more restrained in fruit.

Barbera d’Alba

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be less spicy, and lighter.

Barbera d’Asti

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be less spicy, and lighter.

Similar but more structured

More tannic architecture, for food or for ageing.

Priorat

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be less spicy, and more restrained in fruit.

Petite Sirah

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and drier.

Mavrud

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more restrained in fruit.

Touriga Nacional

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less spicy.

Similar but fresher

Raises acidity and overall lift, usually by moving to a cooler-climate expression.

Saperavi

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more restrained in fruit.

Brunello di Montalcino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more savoury.

Aglianico

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit, and lighter.

Sangiovese

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more restrained in fruit.

Similar but softer

Lowers acidity and sharpness in favour of a broader, gentler feel.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more herbal and green, and earthier.

Dalmatian Plavac Mali

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and broader and softer.

Primitivo di Manduria

curated

Another very ripe, high-alcohol, dried-fruit Italian red.

Expect: Jammier and simpler, without the bitter-almond finish.

McLaren Vale Shiraz

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less spicy.

The sparkling version

Moves to a sparkling expression while holding the flavour and weight as close as possible.

Sparkling Shiraz

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and lighter.

Dalmatian Plavac Mali

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be stiller, and drier.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be stiller, and more herbal and green.

Plavac Mali

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be stiller, and drier.

Similar but drier

Reduces perceptible sugar while keeping aromatic character.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more herbal and green, and earthier.

Dalmatian Plavac Mali

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and broader and softer.

Plavac Mali

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and leaner and more cutting.

Priorat

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be less spicy, and more restrained in fruit.

Similar but sweeter

Adds perceptible sweetness, which also softens acidity and chilli heat.

Port

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less spicy.

Tawny Port

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more restrained in fruit.

Vintage Port

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and sweeter.

Late Bottled Vintage Port

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less spicy.

Change the flavour

Same shape, different aromatic character.

Similar but less oaky

One of the commonest requests in wine. Strips oak influence while holding grape character and weight.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and more herbal and green.

Nero di Troia

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more fruit-driven.

Cornalin

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more restrained in fruit.

Broad-leaved Melnik

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more restrained in fruit.

Similar but more oaky

Adds barrel character, toast and a creamier texture.

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less spicy.

Barossa Shiraz

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less spicy.

Tawny Port

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more restrained in fruit.

Dalmatian Plavac Mali

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and drier.

Similar but more aromatic

More to smell before you taste — floral, fruity or spiced aromatics.

Syrah

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more restrained in fruit.

Nebbiolo

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more restrained in fruit.

Barolo

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more restrained in fruit.

Malbec

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more fruit-driven.

Similar but more restrained

For readers who find intensely aromatic wines tiring over a whole glass. Keeps the structure, turns the volume down.

Nothing in WineHQ's catalogue makes this move meaningfully from here. These are the closest wines otherwise, but do not expect them to deliver what you asked for — the honest answer is that this style does not have a good neighbour in that direction.

Dalmatian Plavac Mali

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and drier.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and more herbal and green.

Plavac Mali

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and drier.

Priorat

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be less spicy, and more restrained in fruit.

Similar but more floral

Pushes specifically towards rose, violet, blossom and elderflower character.

Syrah

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more restrained in fruit.

Douro red

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be less spicy, and more restrained in fruit.

Washington Syrah

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more restrained in fruit.

Argentine Malbec

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less spicy.

Similar but more savoury

Moves away from primary fruit towards earth, herb, meat and umami character.

Northern Rhône Syrah

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and lighter.

Brunello di Montalcino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and lighter.

Rioja Gran Reserva

Rioja Gran Reserva scores closest to Amarone della Valpolicella across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and more restrained in fruit.

Taurasi

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and more restrained in fruit.

Similar but fruitier

More obvious, generous fruit flavour, usually from a warmer climate.

Primitivo di Manduria

curated

Another very ripe, high-alcohol, dried-fruit Italian red.

Expect: Jammier and simpler, without the bitter-almond finish.

Dalmatian Plavac Mali

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and softer and rounder.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more herbal and green, and earthier.

Plavac Mali

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and softer and rounder.

Change the place

Keep the grape, move it somewhere else.

Same grape, cooler climate

Typically fresher, lighter and more herbal, with lower alcohol.

Valpolicella

Both are made from corvina, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less spicy.

Valpolicella Ripasso

curated

Built from the same skins, at a fraction of the price.

Expect: Much lighter and less concentrated.

Corvina

Both are made from corvina, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less spicy.

Corvinone

Both are made from corvinone, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be less spicy, and more fruit-driven.

Same grape, warmer climate

Typically riper, fuller and more generous in fruit, with higher alcohol.

Valpolicella Ripasso

curated

Built from the same skins, at a fraction of the price.

Expect: Much lighter and less concentrated.

Corvina

Both are made from corvina, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more restrained in fruit.

Change the mood

Safer, stranger, cheaper or more serious.

A safe next step

Well-known wines that are widely available and unlikely to surprise anyone.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more herbal and green, and earthier.

Priorat

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be less spicy, and more restrained in fruit.

Ribera del Duero

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be less spicy, and more restrained in fruit.

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less spicy.

Something more adventurous

Less familiar wines that occupy similar territory — the interesting end of the shelf.

Dalmatian Plavac Mali

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and softer and rounder.

Plavac Mali

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and softer and rounder.

Primitivo di Manduria

curated

Another very ripe, high-alcohol, dried-fruit Italian red.

Expect: Jammier and simpler, without the bitter-almond finish.

McLaren Vale Shiraz

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less spicy.

A better-value alternative

Wines that occupy similar sensory territory from regions carrying less price premium. WineHQ does not hold live prices, so this reasons from regional reputation and demand rather than from a price feed — treat it as a lead, not a quote.

Dalmatian Plavac Mali

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and softer and rounder.

Plavac Mali

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and softer and rounder.

Primitivo di Manduria

curated

Another very ripe, high-alcohol, dried-fruit Italian red.

Expect: Jammier and simpler, without the bitter-almond finish.

McLaren Vale Shiraz

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less spicy.

A step up

The benchmark expressions of the same territory, usually with more concentration, structure and ageing potential.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more herbal and green, and earthier.

Priorat

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be less spicy, and more restrained in fruit.

Ribera del Duero

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be less spicy, and more restrained in fruit.

Northern Rhône Syrah

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more savoury.

How these are chosen

Each suggestion is scored across sixteen taste dimensions, weighted so that structure matters more than flavour, and adjusted for whether the wine actually moves in the direction you asked for. Curated links from an editor carry extra weight — but only when the editor tagged them for this direction. Nothing here is a black box; see the taste model for the full method.