Ripasso

Some of us still remember how a few years ago Valpolicella used to be that cheap stuff you bought in jugs. Restaurants used it for cooking, you could have not found one on a wine list, and most stores couldn't even spell it on their price tags. Oh, how times have changed! Most producers from the Veneto area offer one in their portofolios along old staples like Amarone.
Amarone della Valpolicella is a very complex wine made using three different grapes: Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara. Italians like to take a lot of breaks, so after they pick the grapes, they lay them on straw mats outside and let them dry. Then, they open a bottle of wine, cut some cheese and prosciutto, get stuffed and take a long nap. Meanwhile the grapes dry up like raisins, which concentrates the sugars. A few days later, they squeeze the grapes and put the juice in barrels. After that, they open another bottle of wine, eat some truffles and take another long break.
The problem with Amarone is that it's very expensive. So, around 1968, they decided to start bottling Valpolicella. The difference is, that after they pick the grapes, they only have a couple of espressos, and get back to work squeezing the grapes. The wines are lighter, fruitier and they can be released after a few weeks just like a Beaujolais Nouveau. In most cases they are aged for around 9 months in barrels. But the wines are cheaper, and the owners couldn't get that new Vespa their neighbor had.
So, in traditional Italian enterprising spirit, they found a niche. Ripasso. Which literally means repassed. The skins left after the fermentation of Amarone, are  added to the  batch of Valpolicella juice. The fermentation boosts the alcohol level, adds body and complexity. The wines age longer then Valpolicella (in my cellar they don't have time to), are medium priced, so they are a great alternative to an expensive Amarone.
They became an official appellation only a couple of years ago,since it takes Italians a bit longer to get moving. Most restaurants carry at least one, in some cases you can even find them by the glass. In the stores, you should pay around $22-23 for the current vintage. Some online merchants offer older vintages, up to $30, and if you find a 1997, give me a call, I will be more then happy to help you drink it.
Pairing? If you are in Venetto, do what the Italians do. Prosciutto, aged cheese, maybe some truffles if they're in season. Then definitely take a nap. If you're home, throw a couple of lamb chops on the grill, open up a bottle, drink it, and THEN take a nap.
Next week, I'm going back to whites but staying in Italy. Grillo.