Staying in the Veneto, we’ll cover one of the best reds, and a good value, Valpolicella.
Valpolicella
To a certain extent, one might think of Valpolicella as a baby Amarone. Made from the same grapes (Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara, and occasionally Negrara) Valpolicella comes in 5 main varieties, covered in order of improving quality.
- Valpolicella – The most basic level. Fruity, light, easy going, and unaged. Hails from anywhere in the region.
- Valpolicella Classico – Made from the original area of Valpolicella, prior to it’s expansion.
- Valpolicella Classico Superiore – Aged a minimum of one year, tends to be richer, with more dried fruit flavors, and a hint of terroir.
- Valpolicella Ripasso – While we’ll talk about Amarone in the next post, it is slightly critical to making Valpolicella Ripasso. Ripasso literally means “to pass over”, and that’s exactly what the Valpolicella does to make it Ripasso. It sits on the pomace (the crushed skins, leaves, seeds) from the Amarone pressing for an extra few weeks. In this time, it sucks up a bunch of tannins, color, and flavor, and becomes a bigger, jammier, with massive texture.
- recioto della Valpolicella – This is a rarer variant, and a sweet one. In the case of recioto della Valpolicella, the grapes are left to raisinate and concentrate before pressing. Unlike Amarone (which goes through a similar process, except all the sugar is converted into alcohol), the fermentation is stopped part way through, giving a sweet wine with a concentrated lushness that flows complex flavors and texture.
In my experience, there’s a lot of great values to be had in Valpolicella, and I’m particularly a fan of Valpolicella Classico Superiore and the Ripasso. Remember, increases in quality with noted regions can result in an increase in price, but don’t expect to pay Barolo or Barbaresco prices here!
La Dama Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore 2012
While it’s no indication of quality, I had a genuine Italian round the house who got extremely excited about La Dama Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore. Mostly for the brand of the La Dama, so is the bestowed hype earned?
Sight: A deep garnet core with a magenta edge
Smell: The nose has a touch of heat, but is highly aromatic, with a vast number of floral notes from rose to violet. Notes of spiced cherries, macerated plums baked with cinnamon and figs, and a subtle mushroom / forest floor element mixed with bourbon soaked raisins round things out.
Sip: A smooth, full palate envelops the tongue, wrapping it in full baked plums and fresh figs. Hints of earth and blackberries join in, as the flavor darkens toward chocolate as it goes. A supple character to the wine allows black pepper and notes of cinnamon to make their way out amongst cherries and more plum notes. Violets run in the background.
Savor: The ending lasts, and is somewhat tannically fierce. The ending pulls in espresso and mocha elements with plum skin and blackberry concentrate.
La Dama Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore is intensely concentrated, ripe, and beautifully constructed. The finish lasts and grows for a solid period. The strength of the dark fruit flavors is aggressive but supple, ebbing and flowing. Floral elements are present throughout. La Dama Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore deserves your attention at the $15 price point, delivering massive value for money.
Verdict: Violets, Blackberries, Chocolate, Cherries, Plums
Rating: 92
Price: $15
Italy
Blend: Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot
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