Bottega Ripasso Valpolicella Superiore 2013

From - Veneto, Italy
Grape - Corvina
Alcohol - 14.5%
Available from - lebonvin.co.uk (£24.50) Milan airport shop! (20euro)

Appearance - Clear, deep, ruby

Nose - Clean, medium+ intensity, youthful.  Sweet cherries, violets

Palate - dry, medium+ intensity, high alcohol, medium acid, medium+ intensity, medium+ tannin, full body, long length.  Red cherries, raspberries, chocolate, bramble.  Drinkable now, but could be aged.

Delicious, silky Valpolicella.  Really splendid but very expensive at £24.50 so one to drink when in Italy.  The alcohol is very well integrated and it has considerable, and very pleasant, length. 

Valpolicella Ripasso is so called because the wine is re-fermented with the skins of grapes used for 'passito' wines - (for example, Amarone).  This provides greater flavour and character.

 

Allegrini Corte Giata Amarone del Valpolicella 2011

From - Valpolicella, Verona, Italy
Grape - Corvina
Alcohol - 15%
Available from - thewinesociety.com
Price - £23

Appearance - Clear, deep, ruby.  Legs observed

Nose - Clean, medium+ intensity, youthful.  Black fruit (blackberry, black cherry, plums)

Palate - Dry, medium acid, medium+ tannin, medium+ intensity, high alcohol, full body, long length.  Black fruit (plums, cherry) sweet spice (vanilla), pungent spice (pepper).

Oustanding quality, can drink now but potential for ageing.

Having blind-tasted a dozen wines today, this was my favourite and I managed to grab the remaining half-bottle to take home.  I know it is pricey but it is sensational.  So super-smooth and full in your mouth.  It has a big score on the alcohol but you wouldn't know, as the alcohol on the palate is in great balance with everything else. A bit of time out of the bottle the black cherry flavour comes through so wonderfully.  The grapes were clearly nicely ripened as the tannins, although significant, are smooth rather than bitter.  Being an Italian wine it is a good food wine but I just sat with the bottle and a glass, and savoured the delicious flavours and long length.

I will be buying an Amarone again soon.