Lisa's Wine Wednesday
The red wine known as Valpolicella is typically made from four grape varieties: Corvina Veronese, Corvinone, Rondinella, and Molinara. It is a full-bodied wine with deep garnet colors, flavors of wild cherries, jam, vanilla, cocoa, and spice. The Valpolicella region has mostly a mild to cool climate that is influenced by its proximity to Lake Garda to the west and the Adriatic Sea to the southeast.
Amarone della Valpolicella, typically known as Amarone, is a dry red wine that is produced in the northeast region of Italy called Veneto. The grape variety used is mostly the Corvina grape. The production of Amarone is restricted to only a few grape varieties. Per Italian Law, the Corvina grape must make up from 45% to 90% of the Amarone. Up to 50% can be Corvinone, and up to 30% Rondinella. Fertilizers are forbidden in the production of a true Amarone, which makes these wines organic, in a sense. Amarone is usually expensive because it requires more fruit than normally produced wine and it is more labor-intensive to make. It takes twice as many grapes to create an Amarone compared to other wine. This is because the fruit is partially dried (traditionally on straw mats, for 2-3 months after it is harvested. The grapes are then crushed to extract the remaining juice. This concentrates the remaining sugars and flavors. This process is called appassimento or rasinate (to dry and shrivel) in Italian. Amarone della Valpolicella classico must be aged for a minimum of 2-years. Amarone della Valpolicella “Riserva" must undergo aging for a minimum of 4-years. Many of the wines after bottling are stored for an additional 5-years prior to distribution. Amarone pairs well with game meats, beef, and blue cheese. They are ripe, with flavors of fig, raisin, oak, and tobacco, They are full-bodied wines with very little acid. Their minimum requirement for alcohol content is 14%, but these often surpass the 15% mark.
If you don't have the budget for a traditional Amarone, which can cost upwards of $100, another option is to purchase what is often referred to as a "Baby Amarone". You will likely see the words Valpolicella Ripasso, on the label. The basic Valpolicella wine that has been fermented is then poured over these Amarone skins that still contain un-fermented sugars. This then starts a second fermentation. These skins still contain aromatic compounds and tannins, that due to the second, short fermentation are transferred to the simple Valpolicella wine. Ripasso is an Italian word meaning “go over again“. This has often been referred to as the "poor mans" Amarone, but there is nothing poor about this wine. While they are typically half the cost of an Amarone, quality Ripassos can also fetch for $40-$80 depending on the quality of the grapes.
For this blog, I splurged on 3 bottles of wine. A basic Valpolicella, a Ripasso, and a traditional Amarone. Adrienne came over and we opened all three, paired with a local Sicilian pizza. Here is what we found:
2018-Valpolicella. Bolla Vineyards. Veneto, Italy - USD $12-
This wine is 100% Corvina grapes. It is garnet red in color, with a bouquet of black pepper, and hints of raspberries, licorice, and walnuts. It pairs well with poultry, beef, pasta, and veal. I thought this was a delicious wine. It's a tried and true, because I first had this wine in college. I remember thinking it was a bit dry for my taste, but Corvina grapes produce dry red wines. This is a great representation of this wine at a very affordable cost.
2017 Mara Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso. Cesari Vineyards, Verona, Veneto, Italy- USD $40-. DOC.
This wine is 60% percent Corvina grapes, with the remainder from Rondinella and Molinara grapes. This wine has flavors of ripe fruit, cherry preserves, and lingers on the palate with a warm elegance. It pairs well with game meats, beef, and veal. I really enjoyed this wine. Looking forward to opening another in the near future.......
2013 Vigneto Monte Sant'Urbano Amarone della Valpolicella Classico. Speri Vineyards, Veneto, Italy. USD $80-. DOCG.
This wine was incredible. Dried figs and raisins. Robust, complex, full-bodied, and completely elegant. This wine is 70% Corvina grapes, 25% Rondinella grapes, and 5% Corvinone grapes. It pairs well with game meats, beef, lamb, and blue cheese. This was a splurge I was happy to make. This is the perfect example of a classic Amarone and Speri Vineyards is widely known for its quality Amarone.
I hope you enjoyed the journey to Vento, Italy. Much more wine to taste and many more places to go.
Happy Wine Wednesday!
Saluti!!
Xoxo- Lisa