It’s hard to find a good Ripasso. Usually it tastes like a plain Valpolicella.
And, I dislike Valpolicellas almost as much as I dislike Chianti.
However, give a mid-level Amarone a try…something like Masi.
I have had good Ripassos however, and “B”, if you have a suggestion
for a good Ripasso, please let us know.
Also, the process of making Amarones and Ripassos is very interesting. Look it up.
Agreed. Basically because there aren’t almost any.
Nah. It tastes like a plain Valpolicella with an added dose of residual sugar. I like many plain Valpolicellas, but Ripassos are like jammy crowdpleaser versions of the same wine with less acidity and more sugary sweetness. Yuck.
Lol. If someone was planning on getting an Amarone, my advice would be to buy almost anything as long as it’s not Masi (or some cheap no-name market Amarone).
Well, Masi do make some impressive higher-end Amarones, but their regular Costaseras are true underperformers in the genre.
I’m not necessarily saying it’s good but Tinazzi makes a pretty flavorful Ripasso that you can tell.
Kdfenn,
As you can see. With wine, it’s different strokes for different folks.
You gotta drink what you like.
Indeed. That’s why I have refrained from giving specific suggestions, just good general pointers. I personally think that when newcomers to wine don’t yet know what they like, it’s much better if they explore the world of wine themselves instead of following the taste of one single person.
(And if one wants to really know what stuff is good, it doesn’t take that much effort to see which producer / wine names pop more often on this board.)
Specific recommendations has the benefit of helping what is typical, not typical, etc. Sure, it’s best to learn what you like for yourself, but some people do need a little guidance to start.
It will take some time, and lots of tasting.
I hate to generalize…but I will.
I suspect that Otto likes Old-World wines,
and I certainly prefer New-World wines.
My interpretation: (talking reds here)
Old-World wines are generally dryer, less fruit-forward and better with food. Usually European wines.
New-World wines are perhaps smoother, more fruity (often thought of as sweeter), and more likely to be drank as an aperitif (without, or before food). Wines from the US, South America and Australia.
I know, that’s a crass generalization, but it’s a distinction that might be helpful.
That’s true, though.
However, from that view point I think Ripasso might not be the most logical suggestion. It’s a relatively new invention, mainly catered for the international tastes (they are super popular here in Finland and Scandinavia) and from what I’ve seen from my visits to Veneto, the local people really don’t drink them.
It’s an easy and accessible style for sure, but if you want to give some guidance for newcomers, it would help if you also mentioned that this producer / wine / style of wine is typical or not typical of the region, etc.
And if one wanted to suggest wines with great typicity, Ripasso would be somewhere in the bottom percentile of my list.
But it’s a wine that gets you into how it’s made and more in-depth then saying
“Any Argentinian Malbec” A lot of people don’t have a good starting point, but I do understand where you’re coming from. I mean this is Beaujolais time of year (hopefully not nouveau).
Find a great wine shop near you, and get to know a geek or two working there. I’ve been in the trade for 40 years and I buy wine from my retail customers all the time.
I don’t know if Ripasso is a wine that gets into how it’s made any more or less than any other wine. I know tons of people who drink Ripasso all the time and didn’t know a thing how it is made. And I know people who know how other wines are made. Plus I really don’t see how learning how a random style of wine is made helps one to understand which wines they like or don’t like. To me your reasoning just sounds weird.
I don’t understand. If anything, right now is exactly Beaujolais Nouveau time of year.
Conversely the entire year is Cru Beaujolais time of year!
Sure it’s the time…
but I’ve been burned pre-ordering cases of it and it’s just banana runts flavored… I’m like great… this will be impossible to sell.
We are all so earnest in our desire to help. But what are the odds @Kdfenn is ever reading this or coming back to discuss?
Hopefully he does. But I guess if he doesn’t, this is still a good primer for someone else who might be reading and have similar questions.
Dude just wanted a suggestion for a bottle to buy.
Welcome and no need to apologize.
Find a local wine shop that has tastings and taste as many wines as possible. Figure out what varietals you like and don’t like.
The sweet spot for me is $30 to $40. I have been disappointed with many cheap and overly expensive wines. Some wineries I buy from occasionally have sales and you can get a good discount.
A no brainer for me is Vina Alberdi Rioja at $20.
