2017 Tommasi Valpolicella Ripasso

2017 Tommasi Valpolicella Ripasso

2017 Tommasi Valpolicella Ripasso

Intense ruby red, the Ripasso has a nose that recalls spicy black pepper and raisin, while the palate is intense and spicy, with lots of sweet red cherry flavors.

Vinous (91/100)
The 2017 Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso is deeply alluring with dusty purple-tinged florals, sweet spices and black currants. Here I’m finding silky, cool-toned textures, further accentuated by vibrant acids, as mineral-tinged wild berries and hints of lavender soothe the senses. There’s beautiful symmetry and persistence, coming across as powerful and dense yet remaining energetic, as dark fruits linger long. This is really quite beautiful and a great value in its category.

Drinking window: 2022 – 2028

Tommasi Viticoltori (Tommasi Vintners) is a family viticultural company founded in 1902. Tommasi is located in Pedemonte village in the heart of Valpolicella Classico region, on a small piece of land in the northwest part of Verona, between the Lessini mountains and their plains near Lake Garda.

From grandfather Giacomo’s tiny vineyard, the Tommasi estate has grown steadily over the course of years and today extends over 135 hectares of vineyards blessed by mother nature not only by a magnificent landscape, but more importantly, by its perfect suitability for grapes. The estate is run by the 4th generation of the Tommasi family, 6 members working together in complete harmony

Among the ranks of Italy’s quintessential red wines, Valpolicella literally translates to the “valley of cellars” and is composed of a series of valleys (named Fumane, Marano and Negrare) that start in the pre-alpine Lissini Mountains and end in the southern plains of the Veneto. Here vineyards adorn the valley hillsides, rising up to just over 1,300 feet.

The classification of its red wines makes this appellation unique. Whereas most Italian regions claim the wines from one or two grapes as superior, or specific vineyards or communes most admirable, Valpolicella ranks the caliber of its red wines based on delimited production methods, and every tier uses the same basic blending grapes.

Corvina holds the most esteem among varieties here and provides the backbone of the best reds of Valpolicella. Also typical in the blends, in lesser quantities, are Rondinella, Molinara, Oseleta, Croatina, Corvinone and a few other minor red varieties.