Speri Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore '19

 
The Speri winery began in the first half of the 1800s and is now in run by the seventh generation of the family, working with about 60 hectares of vineyards in the Classico viticultural zone (the heartland) of the Valpolicella winegrowing area. Speri has always cultivated only the native grape varieties of the Valpolicella zone (Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Molinara, and other indigenous varieties), making wine solely from grapes grown in its own vineyards. The family manages all stages of production, from the vineyard to the bottle. The winery achieved organic certification in 2015.
 
The ripasso style comes from the Italian word for “going over again” and refers to an ancient process of refermenting Valpolicella Classico with marc of Amarone. The result is a wine with greater body, structure, and aromatic intensity. Speri’s Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore is made of 70% Corvina Veronese, 20% Rondinella, and 10% Molinara and other indigenous varieties. The grapes are hand-harvested, then destemmed and crushed for fermentation. In the beginning of March, the wine undergoes the ripasso process and is refermented for 15 days, then aged in 20-hectoliter Slavonian oak barrels for 12 months and matured in bottle for 6 months.

This is textbook Valpolicella Ripasso, with notes of chocolate-covered cherries and minty herbs on the nose. This glides across the palate with a repetition of red fruit, orange peel, and a long savory finish. You can enjoy a glass on its own, and it will pair nicely with a simple chunk of Parmigiana Reggiano, or grilled duck breast with cherry chutney.