Valpolicella: A pleasing Italian vino from up north

Wines from Italy’s northeastern Verona region make a simple statement, “We’re crowd pleasers!”  So if you are new to tasting Italian wines, seriously consider starting with a Valpolicella, a favorite from this part of the country.  As long as you like red wines with a bright, lasting character, you won’t be disappointed.

Even for people who have been drinking Italian red wines for years, picking out a good quality Valpolicella to pair with a rich pasta dish is always money well spent.  Their easy drinking style just works.

There are even those Valpolicellas that are blended using an extra process that makes them more robust and powerful.  This process is known as “Ripasso”, where portions of the grape stock from another harvest are “re-passed” over a new batch of fermented juice.  Ripasso kicks in a 2nd fermentation, making the wine richer and darker.  It also adds more interesting dark fruit components to the bouquet, and at the extreme, a raisin like quality.

If you want to try one of these without breaking the bank, they have an excellent choice on the wine list at the Cibo Urban Pizzeria in downtown Phoenix for $46.  They have it listed as a “Valpolicella Ripasso” and it’s produced by Cesari.  Simply referred to as “Mara”, its taste is as elegant as the maternal grandmother for which it is named.

Boasting a dark fruit bouquet that has hints of fresh country air with a trace of chocolate earthiness, there are not many other wines one can associate with this.  On the palate you get very little of that well-known Italian acidity.  Rather, it has a nice soft tannic structure with a little bitter that combines perfectly with cheese pastas or veggie pizza.  The combination is definitely one to savor.

As a bonus, Cibo’s wine list features many examples great “Italian Standards” from several of the major producing regions.  With a large enough group, it is possible to take a nice “tour of Italy” right at the table.  Cibo can help you setup a full spectrum of flavors “de Italiano” with no problem.

Salute`!

Article by Tom Peiffer, Phoenix Wine Shopping Examiner at Examiner.com

View more of Tom’s articles on Examiner.com by visiting his writer’s page.