Vaona, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, “Paverno”

One of my favorite Italian wine expressions is vino da meditazione (“meditation wine”). The meaning is obvious enough: It’s a wine that demands slow, contemplative consumption, and perhaps no wine fits that description like Amarone della Valpolicella.Most wine lovers know Amarone, at least tangentially, but most (including myself) struggle with how to use it. Because it skews expensive, and usually quite big as well, Amarone is mostly relegated to the “special occasion” category. Some Amarones are so rich and sweet they rival Port in intensity—limiting their utility, in my opinion—while others, like today’s, are more modestly proportioned. Make no mistake: Vaona’s “Paverno” is a full-throttle wine (one that’ll thrill lovers of Aussie Shiraz or richer styles of California Zinfandel), but by Amarone standards it is of the drier, more drinkable persuasion. While it’d be great with an assortment of salty, funky cheeses, it doesn’t need to be sequestered at the end of a meal (or set aside f