Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore represents one of the best values coming out of Italy these days. It’s not a wine you mindlessly gulp while yapping away with your girlfriends about the latest episode of who. knows what on Netflix. It is a wine to which you pause and gently pay attention. How often can you reliably find a wine that will compete on finesse and complexity with a Super Tuscan, a Bordeaux, a Napa Cabernet- at a fraction of the price.

Remarkably, and unfortunately however, Valpolicella seem to be lost within that enormous landscape of amazing old world wines that is just beyond the comfortable reach of familiarity for most consumers. Break the shackles my friends, it is time to indulge your taste buds and step out of the mainstream consumption to a world of wonder.

If you are ready to take the red pill and see how far down the rabbit hole goes, head out and find one now. A Valpolicella Ripasso just may launch you into a new and heavenly cosmos that you never knew existed. I remember the bottle that did it to me… A 2011 Cavalotto Barbera d’Alba Superiore. Layer upon layer of cocoa, leather, tobacco, dried berries, and, ahem well, I digress.

If you are ready to step out of the most obvious consumer oriented wines on the shelves at your local liquor store, and you can justifiably bump up your expenditure to the $30-40 range, by all means indulge in a Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore!

If not, take the blue pill, enjoy your California pinot, and have a nice day.

The important distinction is the Ripasso style of winemaking. As in a standard Valpolicella from Pra, the clusters are destemmed and undergo delestage* fermentation. The wine is then fermented a second time by the introduction of Amarone pulp and lees. In this particular wine, elevage continues with five days maceration and twelve months in large tonneaux.Graziano Pra made his name with the production Soave whites, and in 2001 bought the Morandina vineyard to plant the traditional red varieties of the region – Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Osileta – to make the Valpolicella DOC. These vines exist among the higher elevations of the Veneto region and see excellent drainage and a cozy south facing position to enjoy the long afternoon sunshine.

This “Ripasso” technique enhances the wine in wonderful and deep ways. Aromas and flavors are deeper and more elaborately expressed – plum, blackberries, cherries, a slight peppery heat, earthiness and some forest floor hints, a touch of cocoa and tobacco from the barrel treatment. Further tannins, pigments, and phenolic compounds are introduced, and the body is also ramped up to 14% and above because of the added yeast food source to ferment again. As such, this wine can easily stand up to more robust food pairings.

And it’s the perfect time to open a 2011, as the tannins are mellowed to integrate well with the overall structure of the wine. This is a delicious wine to be discovered. Smooth and elegant yet approachable, with a silky lingering finish. A 2011 Pra Morandina Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore, it’s what’s for dinner!

Now having said all that, it may be a challenge to find this exact wine. Chances are it is not on the shelf at your local mass market store, so by all means just grab another Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore to try out. You’ll be glad you did!