Why does Amarone della Valpolicella taste like that?

Characteristically medium-plus acidity and medium-full body. Commonly associated with sour cherry, red plum, almond, dried fig.

Not claiming: That every wine from this variety shows these characteristics. This is the range across the category, and site and winemaking move wines within and beyond it.

Characteristically medium-plus acidity and medium-full body. Commonly associated with sour cherry, dried herbs, plum.

Not claiming: That every wine from this variety shows these characteristics. This is the range across the category, and site and winemaking move wines within and beyond it.

Characteristically medium-plus acidity. Commonly associated with red cherry, herbs.

Not claiming: That every wine from this variety shows these characteristics. This is the range across the category, and site and winemaking move wines within and beyond it.

A wide day–night temperature range is associated with better acid retention, because cool nights slow the respiration that consumes malic acid while warm days continue to ripen the fruit.

Not claiming: That altitude or continentality guarantees high acidity. Both widen diurnal range on average and neither determines the outcome.

Drying harvested grapes removes water, concentrating sugar, acid and phenolics. Higher starting sugar yields higher alcohol, and fermentation may stop before the sugar is used up.

Not claiming: That all appassimento wines are sweet. Amarone is fermented dry or nearly so; Recioto is not.

Vanillin and oak lactones are extracted from oak into the wine, in quantities that fall sharply with each use of a barrel.

Varies: Species, grain, seasoning, toast level, barrel size and the age of the barrel all change what is extracted and how much.

Not claiming: That oak produces buttery character. That comes from malolactic fermentation. Nor that a given oak origin yields a given flavour.

Slow oxygen ingress through the staves and bung promotes polymerisation of tannins and anthocyanins, which stabilises colour and is generally associated with a softer perception of tannin.

Not claiming: That an old barrel is equivalent to a steel tank. Aromatic extraction falls with use; oxygen permeability does not.

Ages for twenty years or more, moving further towards dried fruit, leather and walnut.

Not claiming: That a wine of this style will develop these characters. Ageing potential varies by producer, vintage and storage, and most wine is better young.