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SKU 963919
$26.39/bottle
Out of stock
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An excellent Ripasso. A full-weighted wine that is polished by a slick veneer of winemaking. Licorice root, violet, clove, sassafras and dark cherry accents to the oak. The sweetness strays into kirsch territory, yet the tannic clamp ensures that it’s not excessive. This is a wine for those who like power and polish. Drink or hold.
Corvina grapes are most commonly associated with the Veneto region of Italy, where they have been grown successfully for centuries, and are a vital component of the region's viticultural identity. The Corvina varietal is famed around the world for its inclusion in such fine wines as Amarone and Valpolicella, where it is blended with small quantities of other grape varietals to produce wines of exceptional character and balance. The grapes themselves have a naturally high level of acidity, which often results in an aftertaste of bitter almonds. However, this bitterness is quite a sought for feature of this varietal, as it balances beautifully with the sour cherry notes also associated with the grape. Corvina grapes have a wonderfully potential for aging, and this process mellows the bitterness and acids present in the fruit, resulting in soft, complex and highly admired wines.
Country
Italy
There are few countries in the world with a viticultural history as long or as illustrious as that claimed by Italy. Grapes were first being grown and cultivated on Italian soil several thousand years ago by the Greeks and the Pheonicians, who named Italy 'Oenotria' – the land of wines – so impressed were they with the climate and the suitability of the soil for wine production. Of course, it was the rise of the Roman Empire which had the most lasting influence on wine production in Italy, and their influence can still be felt today, as much of the riches of the empire came about through their enthusiasm for producing wines and exporting it to neighbouring countries. Since those times, a vast amount of Italian land has remained primarily for vine cultivation, and thousands of wineries can be found throughout the entire length and breadth of this beautiful country, drenched in Mediterranean sunshine and benefiting from the excellent fertile soils found there. Italy remains very much a 'land of wines', and one could not imagine this country, its landscape and culture, without it.
Region
Veneto
As historically one of the most important regions in the world regarding trade and experimentation, it comes as no surprise to discover that Veneto has always been a well respected and innovative wine region. This area of north-easterly area of Italy benefits greatly from a continental climate tempered by the Alps, and plenty of influence from the Germanic countries it is near to. Veneto is most commonly associated with beautifully elegant white wines, such as those of Soave, and has over ninety thousand hectares under vine. Impressively, within that area, over a third of the vineyards in the Veneto region have been granted official AOC status, and many of the sub-regions and appellations of Veneto have gone on to be world-famous in regards to quality. One such example is Valpolicella, where some of Italy's finest and most complex red wines are produced.
Appellation
Valpolicella
Valpolicella is a renowned wine appellation located in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy, known for producing a variety of red wines. The appellation’s most famous wine is Amarone della Valpolicella, a rich, full-bodied wine made from partially dried grapes. The region’s winemaking tradition dates back centuries, and its wines are crafted primarily from native grape varieties like Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara. Valpolicella wines are known for their versatility, offering a range of styles from light and fruity to bold and complex. The standard Valpolicella is typically fresh, with bright cherry and red fruit flavors, while Valpolicella Ripasso undergoes a secondary fermentation, adding body and depth. Amarone is characterized by its concentrated flavors of dried fruit, spice, and chocolate, thanks to the appassimento drying process. Valpolicella wines pair well with a variety of foods, from pasta to hearty meats, making them a popular choice among wine lovers.
JS92pts
James Suckling
An excellent Ripasso. A full-weighted wine that is polished by a slick veneer of winemaking. Licorice root, violet, clove, sassafras and dark cherry accents to the oak. The sweetness strays into kirsch territory, yet the tannic clamp ensures that it’s not excessive. This is a wine for those who like power and polish. Drink or hold.
WA91pts
Wine Advocate
This historic wine represents an important forefather to the Ripasso hype that swept across Valpolicella 10 to 20 years ago. Before all those Ripasso wines, this Ripassa (notice the different spelling) had already earned its own following and reputation thanks to a unique winemaking approach that involves a secondary fermentation on the skins of air-dried grapes. The Zenato 2020 Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore Ripassa shows the special intensity of this winemaking philosophy with aromas of baked plum, spice and cherry liqueur. There is a note of sweet marmalade-like ripeness on the finish.
WE90pts
Wine Enthusiast
Bright red-fruit preserves lead the way on the nose, layered with roasted coffee notes and delicate shavings of chocolate. The palate shows refined tannins that glide across the tongue, while subtle tea-leaf notes emerge on the finish, adding a gentle herbal complexity.
Winery Notes
Zenato gives the name Ripassa to this wine, which shares many of the characteristics of our Amarone. As soon as the fermentation is completed of the dried grapes for the Amarone, selected lots of Valpolicella are then re-passed on the Amarone pomace, thus initiating a second fermentation which increases slightly the alcoholic content and gives the wine deeper colour, increased extract, and more complex aromas. After 6 months' bottle-ageing, the result is a rounded, velvet-textured wine with rich, complex aromas of berries and an impressively lengthy finish that seems to linger forever. Ripassa represents one of the most important milestones in Zenato's winemaking evolution.
