Valpolicella, Veneto, Italy – 85% Corvina & Corvinone, 10% Rondinella, 5% Barbera
Aromas of crushed cherry, wild berry — layered with sweet spice, cinnamon and a fine, cedary note of wood. The palate is soft and generous but never heavy: medium-bodied with velvety tannins and acidity holding the balance, finishing on a savoury, faintly cocoa-dusted note that keeps you reaching for the glass. It's the bottle for braised short ribs, mushroom risotto, a proper lasagna, or a board of aged Asiago and Parmigiano.
Demeter-certified biodynamic since 2014, and their approach here is a deliberate step back from the jammy, over-concentrated Valpolicella of the 80s and 90s. Their Ripasso is refermented on Amarone skins for depth, then aged 12 months in French oak of 350, 500 and 3500 litres — the estate calls it "a Ripasso without Appassimento", which is exactly why it tastes rich without tasting dried-out. 13.5% abv.