Pra 2020 Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore, Morandina, DOC

Pra 2020 Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore, Morandina, DOC

Item Number: 19237

UPC: 8-032601850083

Country: Italy
Region: Veneto
Sub Region: Valpolicella
Appellation/AVA: Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore DOC
Estate Grown Wine: Yes
Vineyard Designation: Morandina
Vintage: 2020
Grape(s): Corvina / Corvinone / Rondinella / Oseleta
Type: Wine - Red
Bottle Size: 750 ml
Pack: 12
Closure: Cork
Alc by Vol(%): 15
Viticulture: Certified Organic
Soil Type: Glacial; poor limestone
Elevation: 1,470 feet

Vineyard Notes: Besides Soave, Graziano also produces Valpolicella and Amarone from a vineyard that he purchased and planted in 2001. La Morandina is on the high slopes of the Mezzane Valley. Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, and Oseleta grapes are planted in calcareous soils of glacial origin. The limestone and surface marl fossils produce wines of finesse and elegance. Cool breezes from the Lessini Mountains guarantee big ventilation and slow ripening of the grapes. 2006 was the first production year for this vineyard.  

Winemaking Notes: Ripasso is made by adding the pressed dried grapes for Amarone production to the second fermentation of Valpolicella. This enhances the wine's complexity and structure. The skins macerate with the juice for 5 days. The wine matures for 12 months in 500-liter tonneaux of Allier oak and then a few months in bigger barrels (1,500 liters) before bottling.  

Tasting Notes: Aromas of fresh black cherries, plums, rhubarb and spices are prominent on the nose. The wine has more structure and oak than the regular Valpolicella, but there is still the signature Prà mineral nerve and freshness that one expects. This is a flavorful wine that will pair nicely with red meat and meat-based pastas.  

About the Label: The unicorn is a symbol of purity. This label was found in an old Russian book in the Verona library. 

Reviews

  • The Wine Spectator
    Rating: 90 (5/31/2024)

    A fresh, medium-bodied red framed by lightly chewy tannins, with a waft of cured tobacco serving as an aromatic thread that weaves through flavors of plumped cherry, mandarin orange peel and accents of cocoa powder, paprika and mineral.