Who doesn’t love Amarone?

But also, who can afford to drink Amarone regularly? If you haven’t experienced that ultimate richness of dried fruits, tobacco, and Christmas spices, you really should. But in the meantime, if you want to understand what makes Amarone so special…

Enter Ripasso. For $20 you can experience the seductive side of Italian winemaking. 94 points too!

This is a singular style, whereby crazy Italians take an already delicious Valpolicella and repass (ri-pass-o) it through still fermenting, sugar-rich dried grape skins of the Amarone they just made. But unlike Amarone, which costs an arm and a leg (due to the dry grapes having so little juice left), a great Ripasso offers a similarly satisfying complexity at a fraction of the price.

Although not all ripassos deliver the goods.

This Ripasso however, NAILS the so-called “Baby Amarone” style.

Cause apparently, these people INVENTED Amarone!

Let’s visit The Wine Economist for the story: “Take the cooperative winery in Negrar - Cantina di Negrar. This is where Amarone was born in 1936 when the cellarmaster lost track of a tank of Recioto (in theory a sweet wine made from air-dried grapes), which fermented dry by accident instead of the yeasts being stopped with some residual sugar remaining. A catastrophe - except that it was really good. Not bitter ‘Amaro’ but smooth and dry Amarone.”

Smooth and dry indeed. With just a kiss of bittersweet chocolate. Think of it like a sassy American Zinfandel, with a Perceptibly dry but a rum-raisin edge that tricks you into thinking there’s sugar in there.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate elaborates “Cooperative wineries are often seen as the ugly ducklings of Italian wine. But the dynamic Cantina di Negrar with 220 members who farm a total of 600 hectares is maturing into a graceful swan. The co-op is very active when it comes to experimentation with sustainable farming methods and innovative winemaking. I was absolutely captivated…”

So were we! Especially knowing that we can bring this 94-pointer to you for just 20 bucks.

94 Points – Luca Maroni

“Ripasso doesn’t get much better than this highly polished example. Here, Valpolicella Classico is re-fermented on the lees of recioto (rather than Amarone) and the extra sweetness and softness which that brings to the finished wine really suits the ripasso style. It has sweet and sumptuous fruit with a velvety texture and ripe, round tannins. Extremely persuasive and already drinking well. Drink 2021-2025.”