Corte Adami, Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore, 2023
Corte Adami, Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore, 2023
- Red Still
- 75.0cl
- 13.5%
- Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara
Ripasso is one of Valpolicella's great ideas: take already-fermented Valpolicella and pass it over the spent skins and lees left from making Amarone, triggering a second fermentation that deepens the colour, lifts the alcohol, and adds a dried-fruit richness the original wine simply doesn't have. Corte Adami's version is a proper expression of the style — full without being heavy, structured without being austere. Corvina leads the blend, as it should, giving that characteristic bitter cherry edge that keeps everything lively.
Serve it with something substantial — braised meats, aged cheeses, a proper ragu — and it will repay you generously.
- ❖ ABV: 13.5%
Grapes
Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara
Vintage report
We're still getting to grips with 2023 in Veneto, but early signs suggest a vintage that kept producers on their toes. The growing season brought its share of challenges, with variable weather patterns that demanded careful vineyard management and precise timing at harvest. What emerges is a year where the best producers really earned their stripes, navigating conditions that rewarded experience and penalised complacency.
The wines we've tasted so far show promise rather than immediate fireworks. Soave displays lovely mineral backbone with citrus precision, while Valpolicella shows bright red fruit that's more vivacious than brooding. The Amarone producers we work with seem quietly confident about their drying grapes, though it's far too early for definitive judgments there. These aren't wines crying out for immediate attention, but they're building nicely in bottle and should reward patience over the next few years.
Tasting Notes
AppearanceDeep ruby with a hint of garnet at the rim and good clarity.
NoseDark cherry and dried plum come first, with a lifted violet note that is very much Corvina's signature. Behind that, warm spice — cinnamon, clove — and a suggestion of dark chocolate that the second fermentation on Amarone skins has clearly contributed.
PalateMedium to full-bodied with soft but present tannins and enough acidity to keep the fruit from feeling heavy. The dried-fruit richness is there without becoming jammy, and a bitter almond note on the mid-palate keeps it distinctly Veronese. It's generous but not loose.
FinishWarm and moderately long, with spice and a dry, grippy quality that asks for food.
Overall impressionA confident, well-made Ripasso that earns its Superiore designation without making a scene about it.
Food Pairings
In Verona, this kind of wine is poured without a second thought alongside pastissada de caval, the city's ancient horse-meat stew slow-cooked with wine and spices. Locals would also reach for bigoli in salsa — the thick pasta with anchovy and onion sauce — where the wine's bitter edge does a fine job of cutting through the richness. Aged Monte Veronese cheese is a natural partner, as is any slow-braised beef or pork shank that has had time to become properly tender. At a Sunday lunch in the Valpolicella hills, you might find it beside a proper lasagne al forno, which it handles with ease.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve at around 16-17°C — cool enough to preserve the acidity and keep the fruit fresh, but not so cold that the spice and body close up. A short decant of 20 to 30 minutes will open the wine up and soften the tannins without losing its liveliness. A generous Burgundy-style bowl works well, giving the aromatic complexity room to develop in the glass.
The vineyards sit on the volcanic basalt and clay soils typical of the eastern Valpolicella hills, which lend structure and a faintly mineral quality to the wines. Altitude moderates what can be a warm growing season in the Veneto, helping the grapes retain acidity that is essential to Ripasso's balance. The continental climate brings warm summers and cold winters, with the hills providing good diurnal range during the growing season.
Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore is a DOC sitting between the lighter Valpolicella Classico and the full weight of Amarone. The 'ripasso' method — re-fermenting the wine on Amarone or Recioto grape skins — is now officially regulated, and the 'Superiore' designation requires a minimum 13% alcohol and at least one year of ageing. It shares the same grape varieties as its neighbours, Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara, but the second fermentation gives it a body and depth that base Valpolicella simply cannot match. Think of it as the middle chapter in a very good trilogy.
We're still getting to grips with 2023 in Veneto, but early signs suggest a vintage that kept producers on their toes. The growing season brought its share of challenges, with variable weather patterns that demanded careful vineyard management and precise timing at harvest. What emerges is a year where the best producers really earned their stripes, navigating conditions that rewarded experience and penalised complacency.
The wines we've tasted so far show promise rather than immediate fireworks. Soave displays lovely mineral backbone with citrus precision, while Valpolicella shows bright red fruit that's more vivacious than brooding. The Amarone producers we work with seem quietly confident about their drying grapes, though it's far too early for definitive judgments there. These aren't wines crying out for immediate attention, but they're building nicely in bottle and should reward patience over the next few years.
FAQs
What does Valpolicella Ripasso actually mean?
Ripasso means the wine has been re-fermented on the leftover grape skins and lees from making Amarone. This second pass picks up extra richness, colour, and dried-fruit character, giving the wine more body than standard Valpolicella without the full weight and price of Amarone. Think of it as the most satisfying middle ground in the Veronese hierarchy.
What does this wine taste like?
Dark cherry and dried plum with a violet lift, warm spice, and a bitter chocolate edge. The tannins are present but soft, and there is enough acidity to keep everything lively. Grippy and warming on the finish, with a distinctly Italian dry, slightly bitter quality that makes it very good with food.
When should I drink this wine?
It is drinking well now and will continue to improve until around 2029 to 2030, when it should be at its most complete. We would not cellar it beyond 2031 — Ripasso Superiore at this level is designed for medium-term pleasure, not decades of waiting.
What food should I pair it with?
Anything slow-cooked and substantial. Braised beef or pork, a proper ragu, lasagne, or aged hard cheeses all work brilliantly. In Verona they would drink this with slow-cooked meat stews or thick egg pasta. It is also excellent alongside a roasted leg of lamb with rosemary and garlic.
How should I serve it?
Around 16-17°C is ideal. Give it a short decant of 20 to 30 minutes to open up the aromatics and soften the tannins. A large-bowled Burgundy-style glass works well and gives the wine room to breathe.
Is this worth buying a case of?
At the Ripasso Superiore level, yes — it rewards a few years in the cellar and makes an excellent mid-week bottle that punches above its weight. Buying a case gives you the pleasure of tracking how it develops, and the practical benefit of having something this versatile and food-friendly on hand whenever you need it.
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