Speri Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore DOC 2020 (750ml)

 

Rated 93 Points by Wine Enthusiast

 

Super pretty nose from the start with aromas of ripe red and black-hued fruits that give way to more savory aromas of laurel and green pepper.  An expressive palate with vibrant acidity and a balance between fruit and savory flavors add to the complexity of this expressive and fun wine.

 

Rated 92 Points by Vinous Media

 

Dark and almost smoky in the glass, the 2020 Valpolicella Superiore Classico Ripasso smolders up with a mix of musky red currants and savory herbs lifted by a hint of menthol.  Silky smooth and with a pleasant inner sweetness, this soothes with ripe red fruits and saline-infused acidity.  Licorice and lavender nuances are left to linger as this finishes only lightly structured and with finesse.

 

Rated 91 Points by James Suckling

 

A fragrant red with notes of dried raspberries, strawberries, earth and dried flowers.  Medium body with silky tannins and fresh acidity.  Crunchy, with plenty of redcurrants in the finish.  Not quite complex, but tasty, laid-back and easy to drink.  From organically grown grapes.  Drink or hold.

 

Speri Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore DOC 2020

 

This wine is produced using the Ripasso technique, which is intentionally more restrictively applied in relation to the standard production method.  The wine is obtained by going over again, once only, the premium Valpolicella Classico over the same quantity of Amarone marc.  As a result, an authentic local wine is produced which elegantly exhibits a delightfully complex fruity aroma and spicy tones complemented with a good acidity and just the right alcohol content.

 

Vineyards

 

Vineyards owned by the Speri family in Valpolicella Classica area, lying at between 120 and 350 m./a.s.l. in the municipalities of San Pietro in Cariano, Fumane and Negrar.

 

Grape Varieties

 

Corvina Veronese 70%, Rondinella 20%, Molinara and other indigenous varieties 10%.

 

Vinification

 

The grapes are picked by hand and then immediately destemmed and crushed, prior to maceration at controlled temperatures and undergoing complete alcoholic and malolactic fermentation.  In beginning of March the Valpolicella Classico wine is pumped over the pomace from the Amarone and consequently referments.

 

Ageing

 

12 months in 20 hl. Slavonian oak barrels.  Maturation in bottle for 6 months.

 

Alcohol Content:  13.5%

 

Tasting Note

 

A deep intense ruby red color, with hints of red fruit, spices and cocoa on the nose.  Warming and smooth on the palate, nicely balanced by rounded tannins.

 

Serving Suggestions

 

Ideal with meat and cheese.

 

Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Wines

 

Valpolicella Ripasso Classico wines are produced under the Valpolicella Ripasso DOC, specifically from grapes grown within the traditional classico vineyard area of the Valpolicella ('Valley of Many Cellars').

 

Valpolicella's Ripasso wines are more complex than their regular Valpolicella counterparts, and are generally higher in tannins due to the ripasso production process used.  In this method, the wine is re-fermented on the pre-fermented, tannin-rich skins of grapes used to make the area's dried-grape passito wines (see Recioto della Valpolicella and Amarone della Valpolicella).

 

Because Valpolicella's wines have traditionally been light in body, local winemakers have employed various techniques to create greater depth and complexity. 

 

The passito and ripasso methods have been the most successful by far.  The former is used in Recioto della Valpolicella and Amarone della Valpolicella, and the latter used to make Valpolicella Ripasso.

 

Valpolicella is the most famous red wine to come out of the Veneto wine region in the northeast of Italy.  The defining character of all quality Valpolicella is its fragrant, tangy cherry aroma, a quality which is carried through into the ripasso wines, particularly those from the classico viticultural areas.

 

 

The Speri Winery

 

The Speri Winery, one of the historical families of Valpolicella, is an authoritative and faithful interpreter of Valpolicella Classica wines that has become, due to its uninterrupted traditions and strong territorial roots, a landmark in Italian winemaking.

 

The Speri Winery, with a story that begins in the first half of the 1800s, has now entered its seventh generation making wine from about 60 hectares of vineyards in the most select Valpolicella Classica areas.

The Winery strength has always been, and still is, a matter of teamwork, today engaging three generations – Carlo, Alberto, Giampaolo, Giampietro, Laura, Chiara, Luca and Giuseppe – that manage all stages of production activities, from the vineyard to the bottle.

 

In 2015, after practicing years of sustainable farming, the Winery achieved organic certification for all of the production.

 

The Speri family, respecting its territorial heritage, has always cultivated exclusively the native grape varieties of the Valpolicella zone (Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Molinara and other indigenous varieties), making wine only from grapes coming from its own vineyards and itself overseeing the entire production process.

 

 

Rated 93 Points by Wine Enthusiast

 

Super pretty nose from the start with aromas of ripe red and black-hued fruits that give way to more savory aromas of laurel and green pepper.  An expressive palate with vibrant acidity and a balance between fruit and savory flavors add to the complexity of this expressive and fun wine.