In praise of Ripasso, Veneto’s unheralded star

by Shankar Chaudhuri

Last summer I tasted Ripasso wine from Valpolicella of the Veneto region in northern Italy for the first time. A well-known  geologist, who became a connoisseur of Venetian wines through years of innumerable fieldworks in the region, introduced me to this vinous treasure.

While I had been familiar with Amarone, the muscular yet refined red from the Veneto, I had been in the dark about Ripasso. My first reaction as I took a sip of the wine was that it could easily pass for an Amarone. The wine left an indelible impression on me, and I wanted to find out more about it.

As I started to research more about Ripasso wines, I realized that my inkling of Ripasso’s resemblance with Amarone was not without foundation. The Corvina grape, I learned, provides the foundation for both Amarone and Ripasso, with supporting roles provided by Rodondino and Molinara. One may ask: “Then what’s the difference between Amarone and Ripasso?” The plain and simple answer is it’s the difference in methods of how the same harvests are used and processed into the production of each wine.  

Since Corvina grapes tend to be on the lighter side, winemakers in Valpolicella have devised two distinct methods to provide depth, complexity, aroma and color to their wines. One is the passito method, used to make Amarone (and the region’s sweet wine, Recioto). The passito method involves the drying of selected grapes for about four months (the amount of time varies from producer to producer). After the drying process is finished, the shriveled, sugary grapes are pressed and the juice is fermented to dryness. The skins and lees of the grapes are set aside. The finished wine is aged in oak and can easily reach an alcohol level of 15 per cent (some producers let the alcohol level reach even higher).  It’s generally not released until five years after the vintage.

The ripasso method involves a process that some experts have termed as “double fermentation.” The basic Valpolicella wine is first fully fermented in the fall. Come March, the wine is then combined with the skins and lees of the grapes used to make Amarone. This leads to a second fermentation. Hence the term Ripasso, which in Italian means “going over again.” This second fermentation adds some extra dimensions to the wine by superimposing some of the structures and flavors of the Amarone. The wine is aged in French oak barrels for one to two years. Once bottled it goes through another six months of aging before hitting the market.

Capitel San Rocco Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso (2011)

Now back to where I started. The wine I was introduced to last summer, and which I have subsequently tried a couple more times, is the Capitel San Rocco Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso 2011. This wine is from the famous Venetian producer Tedeschi, which was founded by Nicolo Tedeschi in 1824. A product of indigenous and local grapes – 30 percent each of Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella, with the remainder a smattering of Rossignola, Oseleta, Negrara and Dindarella – this wine exudes cherry, blackberry and black currant accents, and feels refreshing to the nose. Its ruby red color is quite pleasing to the eyes, and offers a sharp contrast to the dense dark color of an Amarone. It has a great balance between alcohol and acidity. Most important, it has a long finish that I particularly like. Capitel San Rocco would resonate especially well among wine enthusiasts who may not be in favor of the high alcohol content and the dense quality of an Amarone.

While Capitel San Rocco goes well with veal and other red meat dishes, I find that it works best with the Asiago cheese, another of the Veneto’s home grown products. My own experience lends credence to the adage that wines can be most enjoyed and appreciated if they are accompanied with food produced in the same region.

Priced around $22, I would recommend this wine who would like to try out new reds that have complexity. It is a refined wine that one can share and enjoy with others. 

Rengo Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore (2012)

Capitel San Rocco has extended my horizon of good wines, and has led me to try out other Ripassos. And the experience has been mostly rewarding.  In particular I have been intrigued by the depth, complexity and finish of another Ripasso, Rengo Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore (2012).  This is a first-rate value wine as it goes for around $12, one of the most economically priced Ripassos imported today.

The Rengo is made from 70 percent Corvina and 30 percent Rondinella and refermented on Amarone lees. Aged in large oak barrels for 18 months, this Ripasso  is full bodied, rich, intense and full of aroma. It’s also well rounded, well-balanced and well structured. With an alcohol content of 14% it is dry enough to go with a range of foods, from tasty dishes, red meat, turkey and of course medium and hard cheese. 

The wine has a level of pronounced oakiness that can be softened by opening the bottle an hour before serving. The wine will also evolve after opening. When my wife and I sampled the wine again one day later, the oakiness had disappeared, leaving behind a smoother and more refined wine. 

Rengo Valpolicella should serve as an excellent introduction to Ripasso for those who are not familiar with the Ripassos and are interested in broadening their wine horizons. It should make them interested in trying out other Ripassos that are fully capable of offering varied complexities, if my own experience is any indication. 

Next time, on to Amarone?