WTN: Masi Campofiorin 2008

Veneto
Masi Agricola

Dark red in the glass.

Smoky, earthy on the nose.

Medium weight, smoky, bacon, black cherry, light bitter streak, dark chocolate, mushroom, forest floor, floral, good acidity, roasted notes, tarry.

With time, the wine became somehwat tangier.

Smoky, roasted meat, mushroom, tarry on the very long finish.

A good, different wine.

Purchased at $17.95 (Canadian).

Is this wine vinified on the lees of Amarone?

Is this wine vinified on the lees of Amarone?

Hi Paul, From winereviewonline.com

"Ripasso refers to a traditional local process of re-fermenting a dry Valpolicella wine by adding the sugar-rich skins that remain from the fermentation of Amarone (which, being made from dried grapes, ferments a few months later than Valpolicella and other wines made from fresh grapes). The double fermentation increases the body and tannins of the wine. Today, the ripasso of Campofiorin involves crushing and fermenting about 70 percent of the wine's grapes when they are fresh; the remaining grapes are semi-dried for several weeks before being employed to instigate another fermentation in the main wine. Boscaini describes the result as a wine that "combines the complexity and spiciness of Amarone with the crispness, freshness and conviviality of Valpolicella." I describe it as a modern classic. "

Good stuff! This site says it goes great with the turkey, I would agree.

[Jenise]

Interesting. I bought the wine for an Italian wine tasting last night, and one of the wines had bad corks (four bottles of each wine for 50+ tasters) such that I ended up back at a wine shop at 4:00 needing to buy a replacement. The selection was broad enough but not if you need four bottles of the same vintage; this wine was actually one of the three possibilities available. What I didn't understand, though, from either prior knowledge or the label was that it was a Ripasso style--had it been more apparent, I would probably be telling you right now how much I agree with you about the wine.

Been drinking this for years. Not really much like an Amarone, but rather a Valpollicella with balls. Works well with cheeses or just as a sipping wine. The selected version, Brolo di Campofiorin is very good (and more expensive) . Zenato also makes a ripassa that is very nice.

[quote="Bill Spohn"]Been drinking this for years. Not really much like an Amarone, but rather a Valpollicella with balls.

Yes definitely nothing much in common with Amarone. I think your description gives a very good idea of the wine. I use this wine pretty much as I'd use an approachable Chianti, with pastas, pizzas and the like. A pretty decent value for the money.

[Jenise]

Been drinking this for years. Not really much like an Amarone, but rather a Valpollicella with balls. Works well with cheeses or just as a sipping wine. The selected version, Brolo di Campofiorin is very good (and more expensive) . Zenato also makes a ripassa that is very nice.

I've had Zenata's before and concur. In fact, Zenata's Ripassa was an option yesterday and I even had all four bottles off the shelf and into my cart--until I discovered that the wines were two each of two different vintages.

Jenise

Campofiorin used to have "ripasso" quite prominently on the front label, but I have just looked at some images on google and I see the word is missing from some of them.

IIRC Masi used to controversially (because it is a traditional term, and given a new meaning in Campofiorin) claim a trademark for the term "ripasso", which led to some producers calling their wines "ripassa" (with an "a" at the end), while others simply continued to use "ripasso" on their labels.

But Masi recently dropped their claim. I wonder it that is when they also dropped the term from their label.

I just checked out the Masi website. Technically they are not using the “ripasso” (re-passed or “used over”) method. 30% of the grapes are just “held back” and allowed to dry and then added to the wine to allow a “second (or extended) alcoholic fermentation” to take place.

Salute

Allegrini's Palazzo Della Torre is also vinified using this method. I don't think that there is any additional alcohol generated from the repasso method, only enriched solids, sort of like "sur lie" in Muscadet. It clearly makes for richer wines, though no increased alcohol. The passito method, which dries the grapes (and concentrates the juice does result in a slightly higher alcohol % (hence Amarone is usually 15% ABV). By using passito for 30% of the grapes will yield 1/2% or so of higher alcohol.

I agree with Richard. It all depends upon what actually is “used over” (pomace, lees etc).
When “re-using” pomace (which is all the “solid” matter remaining) I like to think of the traditional home winemaking “recipe” of a “second wine”. Where the “first run” wine is drawn from the “used" pomace and then a “second” batch of must or juice is added to it. The “used” pomace increases the solid to juice ratio and supplies yeast to conduct the alcoholic fermentation to create the “second wine”.
“Re-using” lees (mainly “fine” yeast sediment) like Richard suggested just think of “sur-lie”. Basically this would give the wine additional “mouth-feel” and “complexity”.
But then again what does “ripasso” really mean? Re-pass, use again or do-over?

Salute