Valpolicella: An Italian red in three distinct styles

Valpolicella, in one style, delightfully accessible; in another, titanically age-worthy

​Valpolicella is a red wine from the rolling green hills north of Verona, the northeastern Italian home of Romeo and Juliet. It hasn't always gotten respect, and some producers continue to be content with large production and average quality. Still, Valpolicella, a blend of three traditional grapes, is very flexible wine. It arrives on our local lists and shop shelves in three distinct styles, and it can be one of Italy's most likable and food-friendly wines. It can also be one of the greatest dry red wines in the world.

Traditional Valpolicella is made from a blend of corvina, molinara, and rondinella grapes. The DOC rules set a maximum of 70 percent corvina, but the trend has been to enlarge on the corvina share even if it means making a declassified red wine. You might even find a 100 percent corvina. The rondinella component is fairly neutral, but the molinara adds tart, red fruit flavors to corvina's darker firmness, and I think the blend is greater than the sum of its parts.

Amarone is proof that Valpolicella can be one of the world's great, age-worthy reds.

​Valpolicella is not a terribly serious wine, but it is convivial and, if made with attention to crop levels and vinification, a perfect partner to a wide range of food. The Classico zone is surely the one to go for. Slower fermentation, sometimes in steel rather than wood, protects its innocent, refreshing quality.

The most potent form of Valpolicella is a recioto, made from grapes that are picked at heightened ripeness and set to dry on mats for up to two months before being pressed to make wine. Traditionally, recioto produces a concentrated, spicy, somewhat sweet wine. I think of the taste as holiday fruitcake with a touch of cocoa, licorice, or burnt sugar. A recioto is not so sweet that it can't be a dinner wine. It suits rich, savory, cold weather cooking.

In the mid 1800s somebody left a vat of recioto to ferment until it was entirely dry. The result was a concentrated, zesty, dry, and slightly bitter red wine: Amarone (amaro means "bitter"). Corvina grapes add something unique to the production of Amarone in that only they can develop the magical botrytis rot during the drying process. Amarone, unlike a sweet recioto, is fermented with skin contact for up to 50 days. You may imagine the intensity that this wine achieves. Its expensive and incredibly age-worthy. As a young wine Amarone can sometimes be difficult to match with food; it can be overpowering. But with time it integrates and knits its complex layers of savory, dried fruits and can be magical with earthy, roasted, stewed, or braised dishes. Amarone is a hugely sensuous experience.

A "Ripasso" brings more richness to the bright, red fruit of Valpolicella.

​A Valpolicella Superiore is most often made in the ripasso style, a word that means "passed over." Sometimes labeled as Superiore, sometimes as Ripasso, this is a wine that is fermented on the pressed grape skins following the fermentation of Amarone. It's really a nicely balanced Valpolicella, with some added richness, ripeness and concentration, but without the big price tag of Amarone.

Try a Valpolicella and you will likely want to try a second and third bottle. It's a good wine for a table full of friends eating a variety of dishes. While some producers skate on the details, it isn't hard to find very competent examples in our market. Here are just a few locally available versions made in the various styles.

Campo Santa Lena Valpolicella Classico 2008 ($12)

Santi Solane Ripasso, Valpolicella Superiore 2008 ($15)

Roco Sveva Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore 2007 ($19)

Tomasi Amarone del Valpolicella 2006 ($70)

Villa Monteleone Amarone del Valpolicella 2005 ($65)