School is in session. Wine school that is. I’m pouring a glass of Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore from Big Hammer Wines. (Please note at the time of this post I was an affiliate for Big Hammar Wines and received commissions through purchases through my custom link.)
While I usually focus on California wine, last semester I took an Italian Wine class. Honestly I learned so much and it really helped me to expand my palette and try wine styles I was unfamiliar with.
One style of wine that I learned about was wine made with the Ripasso method.
Ripasso wines undergo a second fermentation. Using the partially dried grape skins left over from the apassapineto process (where grapes are left to dry for a period of months) for Amaorne or Recioto. The result is a more complex wine than the original base wine.
This wine here Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore and is some times know as “Baby Amarone” because it picks up some of the dried fruit characteristics from the Ripasso method.
The “classico” on the label denotes that the grapes were grown in the “classic” or traditional area. Note, this doesn’t mean it’s automatically better. “Superior” refers to the alcohol content, wines labled with this have a higher alcohol percentage than the usual requirements of the DOC/DOCG.
Isn’t that interesting?
