Known for its very strong, powerful flavour. It also has a high alcohol percentage of up to percent. Amarone is a firm favourite here at Vincarta. Is Barolo a grape? Barolo is a red wine produced in the Piedmont region of Italy. The wines are made from Nebbiolo, a small, thin skinned red grape varietal generally high in acid and tannins. What does Amarone mean in Italian? In Italian, the name Amarone literally means "the Great Bitter"; originally, this was to distinguish it from the Recioto produced in the same region, which is sweeter in taste.
What do you eat with Valpolicella Ripasso? Ripasso wines can be served with a number dishes such as risotto and hearty pasta dishes. But they are at their best when paired with hearty dishes like roasted veal or lamb or braised or barbequed red meats like steak, sausage and game. Ripasso also goes well with aged cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano. Is ripasso dry? Ripasso is regular fermented Valpolicella, a Veneto wine, 're-passed' over the pomace of Amarone, and fermented a second time. As I expect you know but in case you don't Amarone is made from dried grapes.
This concentrates the flavours and the sugars, as you are essentially making wine from raisins. What does Valpolicella pair with? This wine is bright, medium- to light-bodied, and fresh, with a ruby color and vivid flavors of strawberry, raspberry, and sour cherry, with a touch of spice.
Ripasso means re-pass, or second fermentation. This refers to the extra complexity which is brought by Amarone grape skins, which are added to the liquid for the fermentation process. This wine tastes of fresh cherries and strawberries, boosted by bold undertones of cherry preserve and dried cranberries. The method of winemaking for Ripasso is quite different, and it received its own official DOC rulebook in First, grapes for Valpolicella Ripasso are fermented as normal; typically in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature.
After the initial fermentation process is finished, passito grape skins which have already been fermented for Amarone are drained and added to the tank with the Valpolicella wine. This effectively starts a second fermentation which lasts for 10—15 days. As well as increasing the level of alcohol, this adds structure and an intense fruity flavour to the wine. As it ages in oak barrels, small amounts of oxygen pass through the wood and into the wine. This oxidative ageing breaks down the tannins, giving them a softer and more velvety feel.
At the same time, the flavours of fresh red berries — such as strawberry and raspberry — transform into tastes of dried or candied fruits. Oak also contributes its own tannins and flavous like vanilla, black pepper spice, espresso and dark chocolate. So overall, oak ageing adds a degree of complexity which many wine lovers find appealing.
The river Adige forms the western border of Valpolicella, flowing about 6km east from Lake Garda. The eastern border is the province of Vicenza. The Lessini mountains, which form a part of the Venetian Prealps, are the northern boundary. In the south, Valpolicella touches the suburbs of the historical city of Verona.
The growing area of Valpolicella consists of three sub-zones. The Valpolicella Classico zone is in the west, near Lake Garda. This is the traditional zone for Valpolicella wines. In , it was expanded to include two more zones: the valley of the Valpantena river, and Valpolicella Orientale — or Eastern Valpolicella.
Each sub-zone is further divided into valleys. The terroirs of Valpolicella are very diverse, and each contributes a unique flavour to its wine. For example the foothills of the Lessini mountains are based on the limestone-dolomite formations. The soils here are mostly sedimentary in nature. The area is known to have volcanic soils, which are associated with very complex flavours [5]. Soils in the flatlands of Valpolicella, closer to the city of Verona, contain mostly gravel, clay and sand.
They produce wines of lighter colour with fruity fragrant flavours. Classico is the traditional area of Valpolicella, where this wine was born. The climate is cooled by the Adige river and Lake Garda in the west, as well as the Lessini mountains in the north.
Because of the influence of Lake Garda, the climate in the Classico area is milder than in the rest of Valpolicella. In summer, Lake Garda produces cooling breezes. But in winter, the water remains warmer and thus keeps air in the vicinity warmer too. The slopes of the Lessini mountains are south-facing, which helps the grapes to absorb more solar energy and ripen well. As a result of these influences, the wines in the Classico zone typically have a rich, bold, and supple style. They are more tannic, with a fuller body and higher alcohol levels.
Having said that, at higher altitudes the air is colder and ripening is slower. This valley occupies the central part of Valpolicella, following the Prodno di Valpantena stream. The climate here is colder than the rest of Valpolicella because it is cooled by chilly breezes from the Alps. Most of the vineyards are planted at lower altitudes than in the Classico area, near Romagnano and Santa Maria di Stelle.
Since the Valpantena stream runs from north to south, the vineyards have an eastern and western exposure. As a result, grapes take longer to ripen so the harvest in Valpantena takes place later than in the Classico area. The wines of Valpantena are more elegant and fresh, with higher acidity, and good longevity.
Camilla Rossi-Chauvenet the owner of Massimago looking over her organic vineyards in Valpolicella Orientale. Valpolicella Orientale has some of the newest and most innovative wineries.
Many vineyards are planted at altitudes ranging from to metres on the foothills of the Venetian Alps. Climate in the area is influenced by cooling winds from the mountains, which lengthens the ripening time at higher altitudes.
Soils on the hillsides are rocky and less fertile. Wines from these zones are fruity and elegant, complicated by herbal notes. In practical terms, most wines are are produced from Corvina Veronese, Corvinone and Rondinella, with an addition of Molinara and Oseleta.
Corvina Veronese — also known as Corvina or Cruina — is the most important grape that defines Valpolicella. It produces ruby-red wines with a translucent hue, and flavours of strawberry, raspberry and rose, as well as nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves.
The notable red fruit aromas of Corvina are produced by naturally occurring red-berry chemicals. The first one is furaneol also known as strawberry furanone. It is also present in strawberries and pineapple, and is often used to make perfumes. Amarone seems to need more sugar, which is added by Rondinella, and more body, which is supplied by Corvinone. After the harvest, grapes are stored in the wineries and lightly dried to concentrate the acids and flavours. This produces wines with a much richer taste.
This characteristic sets it aside from other red grapes: dried Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon tend to develop unpleasant aromas. Corvina is a finicky grape, and can easily by affected by fungus. Because of that, Corvina vines are typically trained to the Pergola Veronese system. Traditional to this area as the name suggests , the pergola system has vines growing on an overhead trellis pictured. Striking a balance between taste preference and wallet size is like being blindfolded during a darts game—someone is gonna get hurt.
This is where Valpolicella Ripasso comes in. This is the younger, fresher expression of the same world-class Northern Italian terroir that gives us the highly-concentrated dense Amarone wines. In fact, Valpolicella Ripasso is often referred to as Baby Amarone; it never disappoints and always succeeds in making me look like a wine genius—especially when people note the modest price.
So, why is this humble wine is such a crowd-pleaser? In my experience, people are seduced by the juicy black cherry and raspberry notes and the wine style's soft richness. Here Armando shares his insights into the beauty of Valpolicella Ripasso. Valpolicella Ripasso and Amarone wines are indeed special and unique. Amarone is produced with grapes dried for 3 months, Valpolicella Ripasso is made with 2 fermentations, the first one with fresh grapes and the second one in contact with Amarone skins.
In our area we can produce three types of Valpolicella. In this case, fermentation is longer, about 15 days, to obtain more structured and elegant wines.
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