Ripasso: the red wine between Valpolicella and Amarone

Prà Valpolicella Ripasso Morandina is an elegant and charming red wine that opens with pepper and clove and light floral notes that mask the delight of the cherry pomegranate. The juicy, fragrant Valpolicella Ripasso Morandina is not aged in oak. A wine of great intensity due to the low yields of the Morandina vineyards. Herbal aromas lead the nose to a ripe wine bursting with raspberries and plenty of black cherry. Also featuring a tight, balancing acidity, deliciously fresh, lively fruit, and a bitter twist at the finish.

A wine with plenty of “plush”. A unique wine of its kind, that’s for sure.

That being said, although Graziano Prà is primarily known for his white wines, it is his red wines from Valpolicella which are perhaps a greater revelation?! He bought these vineyards, located in the subzones of Mezzane and Tregnano at an altitude of about 500 meters. This is because the soil was formed by glacial runoff and contains a high percentage of active limestone. So while most wines from this region are about power, ripeness, and muscle, especially the Amarone, the red wines of Prà have a bright freshness and a mineral core. The pure Valpolicella Ripasso Morandina is a pure delight to drink. Think of fresh, crisp, Cru Beaujolais-style fruit with a bright, chalky core.

Prà, Veneto

The Prà wineryAlthough only started in the early 1980s, it has not only become one of the top producers in the Soave appellation, but also one of the most important and visionary white winemakers in all of Italy (now expanding into red wine as well)! The winery is run by Graziano Prà, whose family has owned the vineyards for generations. However, the wines had never been commercialized in bottles. The vineyards are located in the heart of the appellation, in Monteforte D’Alpone. In addition to Soave, the winery also produces Valpolicella and Amarone from a vineyard he purchased in 2001. Only now are the truly remarkable results being discovered.

• The Prà holdings consist of 30 hectares in Soave and 8 hectares in Valpolicella. Graziano has always been a strong advocate of natural viticulture and its positive effect on the wines. He has cultivated organically from the very beginning. His vineyards in Soave and in Morandina in Valpolicella are certified organic. All grapes are harvested by hand, both in Soave and for the Valpolicella Ripasso Morandina.

Terroir

The terroir in Monteforte d’Alpone in Soave features classic, very black, volcanic soils that lend the wines an underlying power and minerality. As Ian D’Agata of Vinous points out: “Prà is particularly adept at ensuring that the wines also display a remarkable degree of finesse.” Much of the planting was done in the late 1970s, so the average age of the vines is quite high, especially for the region. Also try the Amarone van Pra! Of, de witte frisse Soave!