Valpolicella: Rosso, Ripasso, and Amarone Explored and Tasted 

Amarone, Ripasso, Rosso - Valpolicella Wines
Support me on my PATREON: / konstantinbaum
Follow me on ...:
/ konstantinbaum_mw
www.threads.net/@konstantinba...
/ konstantinbaum_mw
Check out my website:
www.konstantinbaum.com/
baumselection.com/
I use this wine key: Forge de Laguiole Ebony
I have used this glass in this Video: Nude Glass Powerful Reds
I have tasted the following wines in this Video:
2022 Tedeschi Lucchine Valpolicella Classico, Veneto, Italy
www.wine-searcher.com/find/te...
2019 Tedeschi Capitel San Rocco Valpolicella Ripasso Veneto Italy
www.wine-searcher.com/find/te...
2011 Tedeschi Capitel Monte Olmi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva DOCG Italy
www.wine-searcher.com/find/te...
2018 Allegrini 'Giovanni Allegrini' Recioto della Valpolicella Classico DOCG Italy
www.wine-searcher.com/find/al...
The 100 Point Scoring System (from www.robertparker.com):
96-100: An extraordinary wine of profound and complex character displaying all the attributes expected of a classic wine of its variety. Wines of this caliber are worth a special effort to find, purchase and consume.
90 - 95: An outstanding wine of exceptional complexity and character. In short, these are terrific wines.
80 - 89: A barely above average to very good wine displaying various degrees of finesse and flavor as well as character with no noticeable flaws.
70 - 79: An average wine with little distinction except that it is soundly made. In essence, a straightforward, innocuous wine.
60 - 69: A below-average wine containing noticeable deficiencies, such as excessive acidity and/or tannin, an absence of flavor or possibly dirty aromas or flavors.
50 - 59: A wine deemed to be unacceptable.
It is one of the most popular wine regions in the world but its wines are often misunderstood. A reason for the misunderstandings might be that the bestselling styles are fairly recent inventions. Another reason surely is, that its wines are made using a different approach in the vineyard and in the cellar. So let´s dive into the wines of Valpolicella by tasting them side by side - Rosso, Ripasso, Amarone, to Recioto. Valpolicella is located in the northeast of Italy in the Veneto region
Winemaking has a long history here and many popular wine styles like Prosecco, Soave, and Pinot Grigio are produced in the neighborhood. While the wine styles Ripasso and Amarone might be considered classics of the wine world they don’t have a long history.
Amarone production only started in the middle of the 20th century and the wine received DOC status in 1968 and DOCG status in 2010. Ripasso first became popular in the 1960s when it was developed and championed by the producer Masi and the DOC Ripasso della Valpolicella was only created in 2010. To put that into perspective: Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has been around for roughly the same time as Ripasso della Valpolicella and Amarone was only first officially recognized 13 years before Napa Valley became an AVA.
The wine styles are however rooted in traditional winemaking: Many vineyards are planted in the historical pergola system where the grapes grow high above the ground. The process of drying grapes for the production of concentrated wine also goes back centuries and it is essential for the production of three out of 4 of the main wine styles. In autumn the fully ripe grapes are harvested for wine production. To produce Amarone or Recioto you cannot just ferment those grapes as they would yield a light red wine that doesn’t have much to do with Amarone.
Instead, those grapes are dried - nowadays usually in plastic baskets - in temperature and humidity-controlled, well-ventilated storage facilities. During the drying period, the grapes shrivel as they lose water and the acids and tannins also change - laying the groundwork for the production of a lusciously sweet - Recioto - or a rich and full-bodied dryish wine - Amarone.