Monte Santoccio, 2018 Valpolicella Classico Superiore DOC, Ripasso


Producer


Vintage

2018

Region

Italy

Appellation

Valpolicella Classico Superiore DOC

Cuvée

Ripasso

Varietal

Corvina, Covinone, Molinara, Rondinella

Farming

Natural farming

Vinification

Large format barrel aged, Stainless Steel Vat Fermented & Aged

Soil Type

Clay, Marlstone, Schist

Note

Last btls

In the late 20th century, a new style of wine known as ripasso (meaning “repassed”) emerged. With this technique, the pomace of leftover grape skins and seeds from the fermentation of recioto and Amarone are added to the batch of Valpolicella wines for a period of extended maceration. The additional food source for the remaining fermenting yeast helps boost the alcohol level and body of the wines while also leaching additional tannins, glycerine and some phenolic compounds that contribute to a wine’s complexity, flavor, color and overall richness. As the production of Amarone has increased in the 21st century, so too has the prevalence of ripasso style wines appearing in the wine market, with most Amarone producers also producing a ripasso. 
Fermented on its skins for 15 days, this wine then has the solid pomace from the Amarone press added to macerate for an additional 20 days. It is then aged 24 months in Slovenian large format barrels.