2022 VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE RIPASSO

TRY ME IF YOU LOVE: Primitivo / Californian Zinfandel, Southern Rhone Reds

ABV: 14.5%

GRAPES: Corvina, Rondinella, Corvinone

TASTING NOTES: Smooth and velvety yet surprisingly fresh. Ruby red colour with an intense bouquet of red fruits, such as raspberries, cherries and morello cherries which evolves into a spicier flavour of vanilla and cloves. It has a crisp, tannin taste which coats the palate with gentle warmth and a pleasantly dry aftertaste.

PAIRS WITH: Goes well with charcuterie, red meats and with cheeses that aren’t too mature (especially blue). It also goes well with lasagna.

SERVE ME: At room temperature

Ripasso literally means re-passed or passed again and this wine is the bridge between the young Valpolicella and the adult Amarone and Recioto. It's made with the year's wine which is fermented a second time with the marcs (leftover skins etc) of the dried Amarone and Recioto grapes, for 5/7 days.

Pier Paolo Antolini and his brother Stefano took over their family vineyard in the early 90s on the hills Marano, San Pietro in Cariano and Negrar in Valpolicella.

The 'Marogne', terraced vineyards cover some 7 hectares and are interspersed with olive and cherry trees. You find these scents immediately in the wines when you uncork a bottle! Their wines are in some ways modern being very bright and full of delicious fruity corvina aromas. However, natural farming and wild yeasts give these wines a genuine sense of identity. Although they aim for body and fullness of flavour. The brothers use very little new oak and the wines are very fresh.