Medium to full bodied and with layers of complexity that just keep coming, this deep ruby sensation is a real gem.
What struck me most about this wine upon first tasting was the way in which the rich flavours come through almost in waves, as if it were giving the drinker the chance to experience and savour all the elements of its complexity cumulatively. Youthful cherries
and raspberries and sweet vanilla notes crescendo into stewed cherries, black berry fruits and plums, giving way to hints of violets, tobacco and chocolate - then you realise that all the while the well-blended but noticeable spicy kick on the finish has been
developing in the background. Each flavour rich and distinct, yet simultaneously velvety and well-blended. Diverse but pleasantly accessible,
La Casetta can be savoured on its own or enjoyed with a rich meat dish or strong cheese.
This style of layered flavouring is most likely due to its production process. Developed in late 20th century, the
ripasso (or ‘re-passed’) wines of the Valpolicella region have had an extended maceration using leftover skins and seeds from the fermentation of Amarone wines which are added to a batch of Valpolicella wines. Alcohol levels, tannin and phenolic compounds
are boosted by the additional yeast naturally present in the added skins and seeds. This extended maceration develops more complex flavours and enriches the deep ruby colour.
In late 2009, Ripasso della Valpolicella received its own DOC designation. In recent years the method has come to be internationally recognised as a mark of quality and style in Italian wines, often highlighted with prominence on the label or in the
name of the wine itself. This contrasts its dismissal in earlier decades as a mere side note of the production process, often only mentioned in passing on the back label.
In La Casetta, the Corvina Veronese, Molinara and Rondinella grapes are blended in the
ripasso style in the picturesque hilly villages bordering Lake Garda, a region famous for world-class wines and marble quarrying since the time of the Ancient Greeks and known today as ‘the pearl of Verona’. The grapes are grown on the west-facing
slopes at altitudes between 230 and 270 metres. The Classico Superiore name indicates that the wine has been aged for at least a year before bottling, increasing the stewed fruit and spice notes that support the wine as both background and foreground
flavours.
Matthew Jukes, author and wine critic for the Daily Mail, notes that ‘this massive, intense, mighty red wine from northern Italy is such a heroic creation that it will take your breath away. Decant it for maximum impact and then sip away with your closest friends
and realise that you are drinking a wine from the very top of the Valpolicella ladder!’
Whilst this wine can be laid down in the cellar for anything up to 10 or 15 years, it is really best to enjoy it young to get the most of its firm tannins, flavour balance and crisp acidity. Don’t forget to let it breath before drinking to really enrich those
flavours.
£15.99 for one or buy any two italian wines save 20% £12.79