In the glass

Medium-bodiedMedium tanninHigh acidityDryMedium finish

Aroma: cherry, dried plum, tobacco, vanilla, light cedar

Palate: morello cherry, dried herbs, light cedar, tobacco, sweet spice

Tommasi's Ripasso offers the hallmark refermentation complexity over dried Amarone skins in a well-structured, cherry-tobacco dominated medium red that is one of the zone's best-value offerings in the Ripasso DOC.

What it pairs with

  • Pasta with Bolognese sauce
    Cherry-tobacco notes and medium tannins are classic Italian pasta-pairing territory.
  • Grilled Luganega sausages
    Northern Italian pork sausage with fennel is a natural regional pairing with Valpolicella styles.
  • Mushroom risotto
    The wine's earthy tobacco component finds resonance with porcini or chanterelle mushrooms.

History

Tommasi introduced their Ripasso as the mid-tier between their fresh Valpolicella and the Amarone, building on the zone's tradition of passing wine over the warm dried pomace from Amarone fermentation to add complexity.

  1. 1988 — Tommasi Valpolicella Ripasso first released

Facts

Producer
Tommasi Viticoltori
Grapes
Corvina (45%), Corvinone (35%), Rondinella (15%), Molinara (5%)
Classification
Valpolicella Ripasso DOC
Oak
Aged 18 months in Slavonian oak; refermented on dried Amarone skins
ABV
13.5%
Price
€20-30 at retail
Drinking window
3-10 from vintage
First vintage
1988

Tags

corvina corvinone dry high acid medium body medium tannin medium term molinara mood easygoing mood rustic occasion dinner party occasion weeknight old world pairs with mushroom pairs with pasta red sauce pairs with pork price trade up rondinella still red value pick
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