Valpolicello Ripasso: Affordable Wine with High-end Taste!

I am a firm believer in not having to spend too much money for a good bottle of wine. I have found that $10-$12 can often get you a very enjoyable bottle. I am also one that still appreciates the charm of the old fashioned bottle of Italian wine that is encased in the wicker basket. While many consider it cliché nowadays, I still find it nostalgic seeing the old wicker bottle on the table on a Sunday afternoon with a plate of meatballs and pasta.

With that said, I have also had the opportunity to enjoy higher priced wines at various dinner parties or events, my favorite being Amarone. And yes, there is a difference in taste with higher end wine. The complex, silky smooth texture is one that you can quickly identify with a better bottle. Even if you are not well versed in wine etiquette (which I am not, by the way), your tastebuds just know that something different, something special is happening right at the first sip. But for many (myself included), spending a large amount on a good bottle of wine is just not feasible. Amarone will run you anywhere from $45 up to $120 dollars.

Just recently I came across an interesting article in La Cucina Italiana that offers a practical solution if you are looking to enjoy the taste of a higher end wine, specifically Amarone. Because the grapes used for Amarone wine are so concentrated and full of flavor,  you are able to extract flavor from the grapes a second time around. Not enough flavor to produce an entire new round of wine, but when combined with Valpolicello, a fruity and less complex – and much more reasonably priced – Italian wine, you get what is called Valpolicello Ripasso (ripasso meaning repassed or refermented). While this is more of a one off of a true Amarone, there is enough flavor and texture that is carried through, which gives the traditional Valoplicello a more complex and interesting taste. Valpolicello Ripasso is also a fraction of the cost of Amarone, available for about $25 a bottle.

While this may also be out of the budget for many for an everyday bottle, it is a reasonable price for a nice birthday, anniversary or house warming gift. It is also an affordable option to take along to a BYO. Nowadays you can easily drop $25 on a bar bill for what I call entry-level house wine. With Valpolicello Ripasso, you spend the same amount as you would  for a few glasses of house, but you get a much more enjoyable, and better quality wine!

* You can find the La Cucina Italiana article Amarone con Amore, by Anthony Giglio, by clicking here.

My $10.99 Pick: Casillero del Diablo Carmenere

Whenever I make a trip to the Wine & Spirits shop, I always make sure to grab a bottle of my ‘go-to-wine’, Casillero del Diablo Carmenere. It’s a Chilean red wine whose taste, according to wikipedia, falls anywhere between cherry-like, slightly smokey and spicy, earthy, with a hint of dark chocolate. I, personally, give it a perfect three on the ‘easy’ chart: easy to find; easy to afford; and easy to drink. I’ve brought it to many dinner parties and have often given it out as a gift, and am always told by everyone how much they enjoy it. For $10.99 a bottle (occasionally on sale for $8.99), you can’t go wrong!

For more info on Casillero del Diablo, click here.