Valpolicella Ripasso DOC

Region: Veneto

History: Established as a DOC in 2010
Vineyard Area: 7,435 ha / 18,400 acres (2014, C) total for all four Valpolicella DOPs
Production: 180,000 hl (2012, C)
Principal Red Grape Varieties: Corvina
Styles and Wine Composition: 

RED WINES

• Rosso (Rd): 45–95% Corvina and/or Corvinone (proportion of Corvina must equal or exceed that of Corvinone); 5–30% Rondinella; maximum 25% OARG (of which no single variety can exceed 10% and all aromatic varieties combined cannot exceed 10%)
• Superiore (Rosso)

Subzones:

• Classico
• Valpantena

Significant Production Rules: 

• Ripasso is made by combining finished wine—Valpolicella DOC (typically Valpolicella Superiore)—with the drained but still fermenting lees (unpressed skins) left over after Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG or Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG is racked to a different container for finishing. The resulting second fermentation adds richness and depth to the original Valpolicella wine.
• Minimum alcohol level: 12.5% for Rosso; 13.0% for Superiore
• Residual sugar: Maximum 0.6% potential alcohol (approx. 10 g/l or 1.0% residual sugar)
• Aging: Minimum approx. 1 year (ERD = January 1, V+2)