Valpolicella Ripasso practices with a focus on Botrytis, market and food pairing

1. Valpolicella Ripasso DOC
Lorenzo Cinetto, Alexandra Mason, Chiara Tamiozzo, Filippo Zanetti

2. Historical roots – evolution – reputation
● Intense wine-growing activity in the production area of the "Valpolicella
Ripasso" since ancient times.
● The "Retico" wine (vinum raeticum) is the most distant ancestor of all the
wines of Valpolicella and therefore of the "Valpolicella Ripasso".
● The ancient tradition of the maceration of the wine on fermented lees
from dried grapes characteristic of the "Valpolicella Ripasso" is a precise
oenological technique of ancient custom and is an exclusive elaboration of
the winemakers of Valpolicella.

3. ● Traces of this product can be found in the Middle Ages, in some
commercial documents.
● At the time of the Serenissima Republic of Venice, Valpolicella wines are
defined as “vini dogali" - wines beloved by Venetian doges.
● In 1873, at the universal exhibition in Vienna, what was to become the
"Valpolicella Ripasso" was presented.

4. ● In the 1960s the traditional practice at the base of the "Valpolicella Ripasso" was recognized and
regulated by the prefectorial decrees.
● In the 1960s the traditional practice at the base of the "Valpolicella Ripasso" was recognized and regulated by
the prefectorial decrees.
➢ Official approval of the first code of practice and recognition of the Valpolicella DOC.
● On 24 March 2010 special ministerial decrees, with last revision on 7 March 2014
The appreciation in recent years of the "Valpolicella Ripasso" has led to its increasingly massive presence in the reviews of journalists
and wine experts.
● In 1968 identification of the production area and the refinement of the production and vinification techniques of
the "Valpolicella Ripasso”.

5. Area of production
The production area of the controlled designation
of origin "Valpolicella Ripasso" includes in whole
or in part the territories of the Municipalities of:
The production area of the grapes can be
designated with the geographic specification
Valpantena and the mention Classico, and is
delimited.

6. Link with the territory
● The area of production consists of a series of valleys and hills that enter the plain, drawing the
"shape of a hand".
● The climate: generally mild and not too rainy, approaching the "Mediterranean“ climate.
Protection of the Lessini mountain range to the north
Proximity of Lake Garda
Southern exposure of the hilly terrain and the valley floor

7. ● The soils consist on both : - Disintegration of calcareous-dolomitic formations and basalts
- Morainic and fluvial deposits of volcanic origin
Variability aspects, determining a different water contribution to
the vine in the various stages of development and growth of the
foliar system and then during the ripening phase of the grapes.
Valley bottom: Mild and not excessively rainy climate, warmer during the autumn summer season.
→ It determines a fairly regular ripening of the grapes, with good gradations of sugar and phenolic
components.
This gives the wine a low alcohol content, in favour of a balanced olfactory framework.

8. Low and middle hill: Sandy and clay soils.
→ It supplies grapes with a good sugar content with an average acidic picture and a high amount of Malic
acid.
Southern and apical portions of the dorsals: Calcareous soils.
→ Offer excellent ripening courses of the grapes that register a good accumulation of sugar, a good acid
degradation and high accumulations of anthocyanins and polyphenols.
Higher slopes: Marly limestone.
→ Gives excellent accumulations of sugars. Both the grapes and the wine are very colorful and with high
values of total polyphenols.

9. Grape variety
MAIN VARIETIES
The wines of the controlled designation of origin "Valpolicella ripasso" must be obtained from:
- Corvina Veronese (Cruina or Corvina) from 45% to 95%;
in any case, the presence of Corvinone in the maximum
amount of 50% is allowed, in substitution of an equal
percentage of Corvina;
- Rondinella from 5% to 30%.
OTHER VARIETIES
The grapes corning from the following varieties can contribute to a maximum of 25% in total in the making of the wine:
- Non-aromatic red-berried varieties allowed to be cultivated in the province of Verona to the maximum extent of 15%,
with a maximum limit of 10% for every single variety used;
- Red-berried Italian varieties which have been classified as native according to the provisions of law nr.82/06, art. 2,
and are allowed to be cultivated in the Province of Verona, for the remaining total amount of 10%.

10. Corvina veronese
Ampelographic characteristics:
● Semi-erect growth habit.
● Medium-sized, five-lobed leaf with lyre-shaped or slightly open "U" petiolar sinus.
● Medium-sized cluster (can reach 200 -250 g) cylindrical-pyramid shape, winged.
● Medium-sized ellipsoid berry with a thick, hard black-blue pruinose skin.
Phenology and agronomical characteristics:
● Late bud break variety, with a medium-late ripening (end of September - beginning of October).
● Good vigour, regular productivity.
● Specific feature of the grapevine is the low fertility of basal buds of the vine shoot, for this reason Corvina needs vine
training systems which allow annual change of the vine shoot and long pruning.
● Considerably sensitive to water stress and to sunburn of the berries.

11. Corvinone
Ampelographic characteristics:
● Semi-erect growth habit.
● Five-lobed elongated leaf with long jaggy "teeth" and an open-V petiolar sinus.
● Medium-large sized cluster (can reach 400 -500 g) pyramid shape, winged.
● Large ellipsoid berry with a thick, hard, dark-blue and pruinose skin.
Phenology and agronomical characteristics:
● From a phenological point of view it does not substantially differ from Corvina.
● Very sensitive to downy mildew, moderately sensitive to powdery mildew.
● Less sensitive than Corvina to water stress but like Corvina susceptible to sunburn damages of the berries if directly
exposed to the sun's rays.

12. Rondinella
Ampelographic characteristics:
● Semi-erect growth habit.
● Medium-large five-lobed pentagonal leaf with deep upper and lower sinuses; “U” or lyre-shaped petiolar sinus; thin
flat foliar limb.
● Medium-large cluster (about 200 g), pyramid-shaped, medium compactness.
● Medium-large spheroidal berry with very pruinose black-purple skin.
Phenology and agronomical characteristics:
● Medium bud break and medium-late ripening (end of September - beginning of October).
● Good, at times high, vigour and good and regular productivity due to the regular fertility of buds.
● Good resistance to water stress and irrelevant sensitivity to sunburn of the berries.
● Very good suitability of the grapes for drying process.

13. Cultivation Method
● “Pergola semplice” system also called "Pergoletta Veronese"
● The bunches are selected in the vineyard, with reduced pruning of the vines and reduction of the load of buds for
strain, in such a way as to limit the viticultural potential in respect of the vegetative-productive equilibrium of the
plant.
● The filtration of the sun's rays on the bunches, ensured by the "Pergoletta Veronese" breeding systems, allows a
gradual maturation of the same and the maintenance of the organoleptic and aromatic characteristics.
● The harvest time traditionally takes place between 3 and 4 weeks of September.

14. Winemaking
Two types of grapes:
● Corvina Veronese Grape from 45% to 95 %
● Rondinella 5 to 30 %
Allowed the presence of Corvinone in Maximum of 50% in substitution of
Corvina
Maximum of 15% from other grapes in the Verona area.

15. This type of winemaking it’s the join
between “Amarone della Valpolicella” and
“Valpolicella Classico”, and the result is
this full body red wine called “Valpolicella
Ripasso”.
The minimum amount of alcohol is 12,5%
The minimum acidity is 5,0 g/l
Amarone Ripasso

16. Focus on Botrytis
Botrytis→ noble aspects to the wine, BUT depends on the environment
● In order to impart good characteristics to the wine, Botrytis must be the “inflavata”
form - no evidence in the skin of the grape.
● It becomes brown-violet and also presents wrinkles (affossamenti) due to the
development of Botrytis Cinerea.
Experiment with different percentages of botrytis-infected grapes, to estimate the
action of this fungus (the composition was 70% Corvina and 30% Rondinella):
● 0% Botrytis
● 20% Botrytis
● 40% Botrytis
● 100% Botrytis (for Amarone Winemaking)
Must from botrytis grapes have more concentrated sugars when compared to normal grapes.
Inflavata
Botrytis Cinerea
Fermentable Sugars in the must
Starting Composition vs Residual
(g/L)
% of Botrytis

17. The effect of botrytis on the sugar concentration in the grapes influences the
alcoholic fermentation of the must. The botrytis-must can stay at least 30
days without fermenting all the fermentable sugars.
● The 0% and 20% - botrytis grapes respect the expectations of the
experiment (that the must can ferment and produce a good final
wine)
● 40 and 100% botrytis do not: fermentation stops, not due to the high
concentration of ethanol but rather from other aspects:
The yeast as S. Cerevisiae are sensible to “Fitoalessine” a compound produced
by the plant to protect itself from infections or from “mycotoxins” produced
by the fungi present in the grapes.
High compounds of “acetic acid” in the fermentative must could stop the
fermentation :
1. Increasing the toxicity of ethanol for the cells.
2. The presence of this acid (acetic) is positively link to the presence of
botrytis.
Teoric Ethanol vs Real (%Vol)
Acetic Acid - Volatile acidity
Ethyl acetate (g/L)
% of Botrytis% of Botrytis

18. Another compound linked to botrytis is “gluconic acid”. This it’s an indicator of
infection rate of the grapes and the amount is proportional to the size of the
percentage of botrytis grape used.
This compound reduce the microbial stability because its content could be
metabolized by the yeasts and bacteria and then its content has to be controlled.
Resveratrol is positively correlated to the presence of the fungus.
It seems that the fungus botrytis acts as a stimulus to the plant to form resveratrol
to fight against the botrytis.
Also depend on the activity of the yeast.
Presence and amount of resveratrol in the wine is very complex.
Glicerol (g/L)
Gluconic acid (g/L)
Trans-Resveratrol (mg/L)

19. Ripasso wine is made with the must of Valpolicella Wine and the skins/must of the Amarone,
rendering a similar composition to the ideal described above: wine with 20% botrytis grapes.
Because the skins contain a lot of fermentable sugars which go into to the ripasso wine, also the pH is close to the pH of ripasso.
The Malic acid also is very important, and in the 20% of botrytis wine it is close to the %age of the ripasso must.
Wine composition on the basis of grapes infected from Botrytis (%)

20. The mid-low hills are laden with sandy and clay soils, the grapes are rich of sugars with a good acidic
profile, with a lot of Malic Acid and the conditions for Malolactic Fermentation
Effects:
· DE acidification (lactic acid less acidic than malic acid)
· Microbial Stability
· Complex sensorial aspect
· Lower acidity
· More viscosity (body) creamy mouthfeel → Slightly lowers fruity character of wine
Harmonious character is also a result of the short barrel-ageing time
Loss of fresh fruitiness combined with the formation of smooth mouthfeel and aged characters.
With ageing, “Tannins polymerisation” also occurs: tanin-tanin as well as tannins-anthocyanins
→ decline in bitterness and astringency, increase in body and texture.
Malolactic Fermentation

21. Export of Valpolicella Ripasso
General view 2016
Switzerland
Germany
UK
Sweden
Japan,
China,
USA
Other
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Valpolicella Ripasso
144.480
156.614
181.183
189.304
202.125
210.138

22. Population: around 143 million people; only 30-40 million of these are potential consumers of wine
Wine consumption: 7 liters per capita, equal to 6.8% of alcohol consumption
Import of wine from Italy in 2010: almost 108.23 million liters, for a value of 103.89 million euros
Import of wine from Italy in the first 7 months of 2011: almost 37.52 million liters (40.97 in the same period of
2010), for a value of 48.4 million euros (41.61 in the same period of 2010 ). The reduction in volume is due to the
new import duties and the delay in the renewal of licenses to importers. On the other hand, the increase in monetary
terms was positive.
Channels of sale of imported wine: 80% in organized distribution, even if Italian wine owes much of its success to
the horeca channel.
Export of Valpolicella Ripasso, project 1: Russia

23. Population: around 4.8 million people
Wine consumption: 15 liters per capita, equal to 24% of alcohol consumption
Import of wine from Italy in 2010: 17.85 million liters, for a value of over 59.66 million euros. Italy is the second largest
importer after France, with a market share of around 27% and the first importer of bottled wine, with around 30% of the
total value
Import of wine from Italy in the first 7 months of 2011: almost 10.27 million liters (over 10.59 in the same period of
2010), for a value of just under 34 million euros (33.5 in 2010)
Wine sales channels: retail exclusively through the approximately 260 points of sale of the State Monopoly, which offers
around 10,000 labels
Export of Valpolicella Ripasso, project 2: Norway

24. Full ruby red.
→ Corvina grapes: In the aged wine the ruby red becomes garnet and this means that it is the top of
the maturation.
→ activity of the second fermentation skin extraction from the Amarone marc, which are still rich
in :
Anthocyanins (containing Red pigments in skin cells)
● Found in the skins of red grapes
● Coloured pigments in red wines, but no flavour or aroma
Tannins
● Polymerised catechin molecules that produce the astringency in
wines which gives the wines ‘mouth-feel’ or ‘structure’.
● In wine they come from seeds, skins or the oak aging barrels
The interaction of this two flavonoid stabilise wine
Visual aspect

25. Floral and fruity aromas mixed with others
coming from the aging in barrels.
The fruity aroma over time changes into a more
jamminess and in the aged barrel wine we can also
smell balsamic aromas such as menthol and
eucalyptus.
Aroma aspects

26. Sensorial description
VISUAL EXAM
Valpolicella wines are characterized by an intense and dark ruby color, in some cases
impenetrable. Corvina, a variety with good coloring properties, is the grape most responsible for
the color of Valpolicella.
OLFACTORY EXAMINATION
Valpolicella wines have an olfactory profile characterized by aromas of flowers and fruits which
are joined in some cases by the tertiary notes deriving from the aging in cask. The Valpolicella
mainly present aromas of blackberry and violet, accompanied by aromas of plum and black
cherry. We can also find blueberry and cherry, along with floral notes of violet, red rose and,
more marginally, cyclamen.
GUSTATIVE EXAMINATION
On contact with the palate, Valpolicella and Valpolicella Superiore are often characterized by an
appreciable astringency and a certain alcoholic warmth. The first sensation of Valpolicella
Ripasso is more harmonious, balanced by a pleasant softness, the result of the particular
technique of vinification and aging in cask. Good correspondence with the olfactory sensations
that makes us find the initial identifying flavours of blackberry, plum and black cherry. Served at: 16-18°

27. Pairings
Grilled Meat
Beef
Rabbit
Boar
medium fermentation cheeses

28. Why these pairings?
● Alcool: 14%
● Total Acidity: 5,60%
● Dry extract: 30 g/l
● Strong flavour pattern

29. Professional opinions:
Preston Mohr, Paris By The Glass
“...it offers the fruit-forward, full bodied flavor that
people have come to like AND costs so much less than
amarone. I think, like many wines, no one really
understands how they are made. Ripasso is a unique
wine and its production style basically only exists in
your area. It also has a long history behind it, which
would interest consumers.
For food pairings, I would opt for hearty dishes, meat
oriented. Or hard cheeses. Since it's pretty high in
both tannin and alcohol, it can stand up to stewed and
braised meats and game dishes. I'd also recommend
hard, aged cheeses from either cow or sheep's milk. “
Cristian Galliani, Feast on History
“..Ripasso is particularly valuable either in wine retail or
on restaurant wine lists I've curated.
It's body, structure, and most importantly it's affordable
price point are great reasons to include it. It's versatility-
as a crossover wine for California, or Australian wine
drinkers is fabulous. Being able to offer it as a junior
version of Amarone for guests that are cost conscious is
another reason I love it.
Some of my faves include Tomasso Bussola, and Santi.
It generally pairs well with spicy dishes due to its fruit
forward nature, also hearty ragus like lamb or classic
Bolognese-or minerally meat dishes due to its body and
tannic structure... “

30. Thank you for your attention !
Let’s taste some wine

31. References:
http://www.agraria.org/vini/valpolicella-ripasso-doc.htm
http://www.agraria.org/vini/valpolicella-ripasso-doc.htm
http://www.vinicartasegna.it/malattie-del-vino-difetti-alterazioni/
https://www.beverfood.com/documenti/focus-vini-valpolicella-consorzio-territorio-vini-aziende-mercato_zwd_90236/
http://portale.provincia.vr.it/files/newweb/Area-servi/Servizio-A/Atti-e-pub/Pubblicazi1/Enologia/Principali-effetti-di-botritys-cinerea-sulla-composizione-dell-amarone.pdf
http://archivio.consorziovalpolicella.it/it/
http://www.valpolicella.it/
http://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/atto/serie_generale/caricaDettaglioAtto/originario?atto.dataPubblicazioneGazzetta=2010-04-13&atto.codiceRedazionale=10A04276
https://www.dominiveneti.it/abbinare-valpolicella-ripasso-gustarlo-al-meglio/
http://www.consorziovalpolicella.it/it/eventi-news/18-news/145-export
https://www.quattrocalici.it/schede-degustazione/valpolicella/
https://www.google.it/search?q=bistecca+alla+brace&hl=it&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwizoInO5rnYAhXFaxQKHVw6BmYQ_AUICigB&biw=1536&bih=734#imgdii=01UA-IEX
_Fqv4M:&imgrc=uLfhGl6cbBZqJM:
https://www.google.it/search?hl=it&biw=1536&bih=734&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=AsFLWp-eI83QkwW1n4GADg&q=brasato+di+manzo&oq=brasato+di+manzo&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0l7j0i8i30k1j0i30k
1j0i24k1.84003.93441.0.94291.36.22.1.3.3.0.101.1509.18j1.21.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..17.17.1022.0..0i67k1.77.ZqPi-iCQlYM#imgrc=VSLV-_13RaI5DM: