WTN: Ripasso anyone?

Translucent ruby in color. Rich plummy and black cherry nose with hints of spice, especially cinnamon. Luscious midpalate with dark fruit (lots of purple plums), juicy acidity, and moderate tannins. Medium length finish of fruit with a finishing flush of fine grain tannins. Nicely balanced medium weight wine.

With food: This wine shines with food as it nicely matches with pasta topped with a tomato-based meat sauce. Perhaps best with a salad topped with a balsamic vinagrette that really enhances, in a tasty way, the tannins, transforming the midpalate into a big and fruity experience. Perhaps the most food friendly ripasso I have ever tasted.

Wine; Villa Girardi, Bure Alto, 2007 Valpolicella ripasso 13% abv. $18.00 CAN, I wish I had bought more.

We love Ripasso's. That sounds like a great one. Saratoga Wine Exchange has a great selection if you can get there or if they will ship to you.

We love Ripasso's. That sounds like a great one. Saratoga Wine Exchange has a great selection if you can get there or if they will ship to you.

We love ripassos too. It is my go to wine for Italian food matchs with a red sauce. I call them a poor man's amarone. They are affordable and have a bit more body than traditional valpolicellas.

Translucent ruby in color. Rich plummy and black cherry nose with hints of spice, especially cinnamon. Luscious midpalate with dark fruit (lots of purple plums), juicy acidity, and moderate tannins. Medium length finish of fruit with a finishing flush of fine grain tannins. Nicely balanced medium weight wine.

With food: This wine shines with food as it nicely matches with pasta topped with a tomato-based meat sauce. Perhaps best with a salad topped with a balsamic vinagrette that really enhances, in a tasty way, the tannins, transforming the midpalate into a big and fruity experience. Perhaps the most food friendly ripasso I have ever tasted.

Wine; Villa Girardi, Bure Alto, 2007 Valpolicella ripasso 13% abv. $18.00 CAN, I wish I had bought more.

Hello Brother Tom! I too am a fan of ripasso(a) wines. And I do agree that they are a large step up from regular valpollicella, and for not a lot of extra $$. Don't think I have ever had the one you are reporting on, but will try it if I can find it. Ok, I broke off and went looking for it on the net. got a case of the 2006 for $111 plus $15 shipping. What a deal.

I really like Ripasso with winter soups. But I haven't found one I like well that I can get here in Seattle.

For my taste, a good basic Valpolicella is a better match with red sauce dishes. I like the Brigaldara quite a bit, and it's readily available and cheap.

Hello Brother Tom! I too am a fan of ripasso(a) wines. And I do agree that they are a large step up from regular valpollicella, and for not a lot of extra $$. Don't think I have ever had the one you are reporting on, but will try it if I can find it. Ok, I broke off and went looking for it on the net. got a case of the 2006 for $111 plus $15 shipping. What a deal.

Hi Brother Bob H.,

I hope you like this ripasso. You can get such good deals in the US. I am pretty much stuck with LCBO here in Ontario. I do bring a few special order bottles over the border sometimes. But that is the exception.

I really like Ripasso with winter soups. But I haven't found one I like well that I can get here in Seattle.

For my taste, a good basic Valpolicella is a better match with red sauce dishes. I like the Brigaldara quite a bit, and it's readily available and cheap.

Hi Lee,

For better or worse, i live in an Italian community. We tend to get a lot of Italian wines at our local wine store, including valpolicellas, ripassos and amarones.

I would agree with you that sometimes basic valpolicellas are better with red sauce than ripassos. Some ripassos tend to be a bit on the over ripe side with raisiny tastes that are hard to match up with some food. But, in my experience, most are good matches with red sauce.

Hi Brother Bob H.,
I hope you like this ripasso. You can get such good deals in the US. I am pretty much stuck with LCBO here in Ontario. I do bring a few special order bottles over the border sometimes. But that is the exception.

Tom, I thought I would come back here and report on the wine I ordered from WineChateau.com. O ordered the 2006 version of the wine you reported on, because of the price. However when the wine arrived, it was not the ripasso I ordered. even so, it was a Valpolicella Classico and for $126 including shipping it wasn't bad at all. In fact I opened a bottle of it tonight to go with my NYD meatloaf, and black eyed peas, and mashers. Since it was not the ripasso I decided to call the store, and complained that they had switched wines on me. I could have shipped it back, but since they offered to refund me the shipping charges, I kept the wine. I will try this place again, but will watch them closely.

Tom, I thought I would come back here and report on the wine I ordered from WineChateau.com. O ordered the 2006 version of the wine you reported on, because of the price. However when the wine arrived, it was not the ripasso I ordered. even so, it was a Valpolicella Classico and for $126 including shipping it wasn't bad at all. In fact I opened a bottle of it tonight to go with my NYD meatloaf, and black eyed peas, and mashers. Since it was not the ripasso I decided to call the store, and complained that they had switched wines on me. I could have shipped it back, but since they offered to refund me the shipping charges, I kept the wine. I will try this place again, but will watch them closely.

Bob was it a Valpolicella Classico Riserva? The reason why I ask is because sometimes Ripassos are labeled that way.

Bob was it a Valpolicella Classico Riserva? The reason why I ask is because sometimes Ripassos are labeled that way.

No Carl, it was labeled Classico, it definitely is not ripasso.

No Carl, it was labeled Classico, it definitely is not ripasso.

Hi Brother Bob,

Mine was definitely labelled ripasso. Virtually all are labelled with ripasso on the label. However, I have had at least one ripasso that was not labelled as such, although I think that it did mention it was a ripasso on the back in the description of the wine.