Wine: Speri: Valpolicella Classico Superiore “Ripasso” DOC

Veneto

The Veneto is a region with enormous potential and ranks from year to year in the top 3 of Italy’s largest producers, along with Sicily and Apulia. And while the potential for high quality wines exist, much of the region has been driven by cooperatives that have developed large export markets. Yet it is hard to generalize the region as there are many small, proud producers making world-class wines from native varieties. In the hills and provinces surrounding Verona, there are 2 very important movements. Soave is the most popular of Italian whites and has just earned the DOCG status. Yet, controversy exists as many artisan producers feel the rules governing the DOCG do not go far enough insuring the quality standards that Soave can aspire too. As a result, some growers have opted to retain the DOC as they feel the DOCG is not strong enough to protect the integrity of what Soave can and should be in regards to excellence. Much like Soave, the red wines from Valpolicella have long been associated with major cooperatives producing bulk wines. But here too one finds small, family producers focused on quality. And like the debate found within the Soave DOCG, many top producers feel the DOC for Valpolicella and Amarone do not go far enough to insure first-rate wines. While the debate regarding the rules for each category continues, the strides made by various, independent producers demonstrates the merit for elevating the standards for each zone. For several more dollars, one can experience a far superior wine, which in turn makes it hard to understand spending money for the lesser wines produced by the coops. Just as Amarone and Soave are traditional wines made with native varieties, Prosecco is a lightly sparkling wine produced with indigenous grapes from the hills north of Venice. It is a wine usually made in the Charmat method, the best examples hail from the vineyards around Conegliano and Valdobbiadene. Prosecco is growing in popularity in North America and makes a wonderful aperitif or wine for enjoying with a group of friends—no special occasion needed!

Speri

The name Valpolicella comprises the Italian word for “valley”, ‘valle’ or ‘val’. The Valpolicella appellation, however, is not so much a single valley as a number of small valleys fanning out towards the hills behind Verona. Its wonderful climate, abundant sources of water and gently rolling landscape have made this a densely inhabited territory throughout the centuries. Classico is the Valpolicella appellation’s historical core, covering a mere fifth of the DOC’s total territory: select, elevated terrain on the Alpine foothills, enjoying a temperate climate you would not expect at this northerly latitude.
The Speris’ presence in this heartland of fine winemaking goes back to 1874, and the family is in its fifth generation. Today, proprietary surface under vine totals over 148 acres (i.e. 60 hectares) in the finest Classico districts: Fumane, Negrar, San Pietro in Cariano.
The four Speri brothers (and now, their children, who make up the family’s fifth generation) are a shining example of the values and strengths, even today – in fact, all the more so in this age of huge, impersonal conglomerates – of an ancient culture, rooted in the family and the soil. Successive generations have gradually expanded the estate yet were careful to keep it all in the family: Nonno Benedetto, his son Sante, the latter’s four children and now their children have looked after each detail personally, from vineyard to bottle. The fourth generation, in the 1960s and 1970s, invested heavily in clonal selection, state-of-the-art equipment, ever-higher quality criteria. These are watershed years, when the Speris’ in-depth research comes to a head and the brothers decide to vinify each vineyard individually for all wines and not just Amarone. The vineyards themselves are divided into distinct crus comprising La Roverina (now over 24 acres, i.e. 9.8 hectares), Sant’Urbano (47 acres, i.e. 19 hectares), and La Roggia (24 acres).
Carlo Speri will tell you that the vineyard has always been foremost in the Speri philosophy: “the local heritage in terms of terroir is so exceptional, we have always and exclusively grown native Valpolicella clones. We believe that these alone constitute the appellation’s most authentic expression. Our ultimate objective – a pretty ambitious one! – is that of achieving perfect harmony of the soil and its vines.” Throughout the property, the indigenous Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara are planted with a much higher density than the appellation’s average, and a training system specifically devised by the Speris to lower crops and enhance exposure and concentration: the “small, open pergola” (pergoletta aperta) in lieu of the area’s traditional pergola veronese. Moreover, every grape going into the Speri wines (totaling 350,000 bottles yearly) is estate-owned and estate-grown.
NOTE: The end result of the Speris’ great respect for the environment is their CERTIFIED ORGANIC methods.

“Ripasso” is the name of one of the appellation’s most ancient traditions. The word comes from “ripassare”, “going over again”, and refers to Valpolicella that referments with the marc of Amarone, resulting in even greater weight and complexity. In 2007 – with the 2005 vintage – Valpolicella Ripasso has officially become a distinct Valpolicella DOC.
In April 2007, the Speri family issued a 2005 Valpolicella Classico Superiore “Ripasso” of extreme, self-imposed severity – following criteria that are so much more restrictive than those set by DOC regulations, the Speris have rightfully called them a “Carta Etica” or “Ethical Charter”.
Their Ripasso production, in fact, represents a mere 30% of its total potential, quantity-wise. In other words, only 30% of Amarone marc is employed, rather than 100% as allowed by DOC regulations. The Speris have courageously chosen to limit production, in spite of market demand, so as to safeguard the prestige of Amarone and at the same time, produce Ripasso of the highest possible quality.
Most of the fresh marc of Amarone (70%), still imbued with the concentration and richness that characterize the free-run, goes into Amarone itself, endowing it with unique depth, body, color and extract. The rest of the ‘virgin’ marc from the first pressing (30%) is used to referment half of the permissible quantity of Valpolicella. Thus, a very limited quantity of Ripasso is produced, which is abundantly enriched with the ‘juices’ and substance of Amarone.
The wine itself is a blend of 70% Corvina (a.k.a. Corvina Veronese), 20% Rondinella, 10% Molinara and other native grapes, from vines around 13 years of age and various vineyards owned by the Speris in the heart of Valpolicella Classico – more precisely, within the districts of San Pietro in Cariano, Fumane and Negrar. Harvest takes place the last two weeks of September, and the grapes are immediately soft-pressed. The must undergoes 8 days of temperature-controlled maceration on the skins in stainless steel tanks, after which it is placed in vats of vitrified cement to complete alcoholic and malolactic fermentation. The first week of March, the ensuing free-run referments on Amarone marc (“ripasso” method) for 8 days at a temperature of 15° C (59 degrees Fahrenheit), and is subsequently racked into vitrified cement tanks to complete alcoholic fermentation. Finally, the wine ages 1 year in 20-hl. oak barrels, and several months in the bottle.
The final result is deep ruby in color, with a bouquet recalling red fruit, chocolate and spice, confirmed on a silky, well balanced, structured palate characterized by appealing roundness, sweet tannins and unique elegance.

2007 Valpolicella RIPASSO, 90 points -Wine Enthusiast (Oct 2009 -Cover Bottle Shot)

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