Ripassa 2005, Zenato
13th December 2007
Valpolicella is the local grape of Verona, in north-east Italy. It gives its name to the everyday wine from those parts. There are some good Valpolicellas and quite a few foul ones. Having drunk more of the latter than the former, I tend to avoid the stuff.
But in this part of the world they like to tinker with their wine. Someone came up with the interesting idea of half-drying the Valpolicella grapes before vinifying them. The result was one the great wines of Italy. Amarone is massively strong – at least 14 percent alcohol, often higher - with a unique flavour suggesting, among much else, prunes, blackberry jam and dates. And the tinkering did not stop there.
It later occurred to some intrepid Veronese to set aside some of his better Valpolicella wine and pass it over the Amarone’s pomace - the leftover skins, stems and pips. This set off a second fermentation. When it was complete, the Valpolicella possessed new depth, complexity and concentration. It no longer tasted like Valpolicella, but nor was it especially like Amarone. This new wine was named Ripassa.
Its colour is that of blood plasma; its odours are of caramel and citrus peel; its taste is curiously bittersweet, suggesting licorice and treacle. The finish is very long indeed. Such a distinctive wine will not be to everyone’s taste. I liked it, my wife didn’t. Its flavour is, I suppose, a little too insistent for everyday consumption, but as an occasional change, or an interesting contribution to a dinner party, it would be ideal. Around $20 in the US, £13 in the UK.
