| Valpolicella Tasting Report |
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Our Valpolicella tasting was for me, a lot of fun. I
was looking forward to it because, only having a
limited amount of experience with the wine, I wasn’t
sure what to expect. Our staff members with the
exception of maybe just one, had never even tried a
Valpolicella wine before and that always makes
these tastings a bit educational as well as
interesting. We had the usual assortment of Italian
appetizers to compliment the wines. This consisted
of smashed cherry tomato bruscetta, Portobello
mushroom pizza, and tiny pepperonis with Port and
smoked Fontina cheese.
We tried seven different Valpolicella wines ranging
in price from $6.00 to $24.00 and covering the three
basic styles, Valpolicella, Valpolicella Classico and
Valpolicella Superiore made in the “Ripassa” style.
For the most part, the quality of the wines broke out
along the lines of their categories with the best being
the lone Superiore style and the worst being a
regular Valpolicella. I think we all thoroughly
enjoyed the wine style and would recommend the
first five wines in our tasting results with glowing
compliments.
Check them out and decide for yourself:
was looking forward to it because, only having a
limited amount of experience with the wine, I wasn’t
sure what to expect. Our staff members with the
exception of maybe just one, had never even tried a
Valpolicella wine before and that always makes
these tastings a bit educational as well as
interesting. We had the usual assortment of Italian
appetizers to compliment the wines. This consisted
of smashed cherry tomato bruscetta, Portobello
mushroom pizza, and tiny pepperonis with Port and
smoked Fontina cheese.
We tried seven different Valpolicella wines ranging
in price from $6.00 to $24.00 and covering the three
basic styles, Valpolicella, Valpolicella Classico and
Valpolicella Superiore made in the “Ripassa” style.
For the most part, the quality of the wines broke out
along the lines of their categories with the best being
the lone Superiore style and the worst being a
regular Valpolicella. I think we all thoroughly
enjoyed the wine style and would recommend the
first five wines in our tasting results with glowing
compliments.
Check them out and decide for yourself:
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| Zenato Valpolicella Superiore Ripassa 2000 – Valpolicella, Italy |
Nose – Delicate oak aromas of caramel,
nutmeg and vanilla
Taste – A touch sweet upfront with a fat,
full-bodied frame. Plush raspberry jam
mid palate with licorice notes that take
you out on a long, lovely finish.
Wonderful! Very exotic. This was by
far everyone’s favorite wine in the
tasting and of course it was the most
expensive, but it tasted like it was. For
dinner options, stick to full-flavored
meat dishes.
nutmeg and vanilla
Taste – A touch sweet upfront with a fat,
full-bodied frame. Plush raspberry jam
mid palate with licorice notes that take
you out on a long, lovely finish.
Wonderful! Very exotic. This was by
far everyone’s favorite wine in the
tasting and of course it was the most
expensive, but it tasted like it was. For
dinner options, stick to full-flavored
meat dishes.
| Score A- |
| Price $24.00 |
| Mazzi Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2000 – Valpolicella, Italy |
Nose – Penetrating aromas of big bright
red fruits, inviting you in.
Taste – This light crimson red wine
shows you it’s age with a nice balanced
acidity, delicate dried cherries and
stewed plums that linger on the dry
finish.
Very solid. A great all-around food
wine. Unpretentious in everyway. This
wine could transcend the lighter foods
on the food-pairing list with the heavier
ones. Can’t miss with this wine,
everyone was pleased.
red fruits, inviting you in.
Taste – This light crimson red wine
shows you it’s age with a nice balanced
acidity, delicate dried cherries and
stewed plums that linger on the dry
finish.
Very solid. A great all-around food
wine. Unpretentious in everyway. This
wine could transcend the lighter foods
on the food-pairing list with the heavier
ones. Can’t miss with this wine,
everyone was pleased.
| Price $16.00 |
| Score B+ |
| Agricola ca’ La Bionda Vigneti di Ravazzol Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2001 |
Nose – Subtle pine box aromas with
enough hints of milk chocolate to bring
the ladies running.
Taste – With its light garnet hue, this
wine starts your tongue tingling with a
vicious acidic assault on your taste
buds. Once you get past that though,
you will find a treasure trove of
blackberries and licorice accents.
Wow, say that wine name ten times
fast. The acidity in this wine was a bit
overwhelming at first, but I think that
because of this it would make an ideal
cooking wine. This could make any
tomato-based dish happy.
enough hints of milk chocolate to bring
the ladies running.
Taste – With its light garnet hue, this
wine starts your tongue tingling with a
vicious acidic assault on your taste
buds. Once you get past that though,
you will find a treasure trove of
blackberries and licorice accents.
Wow, say that wine name ten times
fast. The acidity in this wine was a bit
overwhelming at first, but I think that
because of this it would make an ideal
cooking wine. This could make any
tomato-based dish happy.
| Score B+ |
| Price $18.00 |
| Bolla Valpolicella 2003 – Valpolicella, Italy |
Nose – Generous amounts of licorice
and raspberries.
Taste – Waves of sour cherries with
engaging plum and eucalyptus notes
that follow thru to the finish.
I expected the worst from this wine and
was pleasantly surprised. Considering
it can be found just about anywhere,
makes it just that much more appealing.
and raspberries.
Taste – Waves of sour cherries with
engaging plum and eucalyptus notes
that follow thru to the finish.
I expected the worst from this wine and
was pleasantly surprised. Considering
it can be found just about anywhere,
makes it just that much more appealing.
| Score B |
| From $6.00 to $8.00 |
| Masi – Bonacosta Valpolicella Classico 2002 – Valpolicella, Italy |
Nose – A bit raisinlike with bitter
almonds. A lot better smelling than that
sounds!
Taste – Just a tad sweet upfront with
fragrant and full-bodied cherries and
slight green accents and a nice lingering
finish.
The results on this wine were quite
interesting. Four tasters really liked it
and four didn’t care for it that much,
hence the middle of the pack scoring. I
for one thought it was great and was my
second favorite in the tasting. I liked it
because it was unique and unlike any of
the others. This is a fantastic cheese
wine.
almonds. A lot better smelling than that
sounds!
Taste – Just a tad sweet upfront with
fragrant and full-bodied cherries and
slight green accents and a nice lingering
finish.
The results on this wine were quite
interesting. Four tasters really liked it
and four didn’t care for it that much,
hence the middle of the pack scoring. I
for one thought it was great and was my
second favorite in the tasting. I liked it
because it was unique and unlike any of
the others. This is a fantastic cheese
wine.
| Price $13.00 |
| Score B |
| Borgo Sezza Valpolicella 2002 – Valpolicella, Italy |
Nose – Cherry fruit upfront with a bit of
cedar pushing through.
Taste – Again, another wine with
pronounced acidity with heavy doses of
sour cherries.
I thought this wine was a bit one-
dimensional. I should point out
however, that this wine followed up the
first place wine in our tasting and any
wine would had suffered after the
Zenato. This would be good with tomato-
based dishes.
cedar pushing through.
Taste – Again, another wine with
pronounced acidity with heavy doses of
sour cherries.
I thought this wine was a bit one-
dimensional. I should point out
however, that this wine followed up the
first place wine in our tasting and any
wine would had suffered after the
Zenato. This would be good with tomato-
based dishes.
| Score B- |
| Price $8.00 |
| Montecelli Valpolicella 2003 – Valpolicella, Italy |
Nose – A bit earthy with feint traces of
red fruits.
Taste – Initially very tart and overly so.
It quickly turns flabby and dull before
coming to an abrupt end. No finish and
a very watery body.
It was unanimous! No’ one liked it! I
think it’s interesting that pretty much
for the first time since we have been
doing these tastings, the wines of better
quality and more esteemed background
pretty much took top honors and the
ones in less esteemed regions did poorly.
red fruits.
Taste – Initially very tart and overly so.
It quickly turns flabby and dull before
coming to an abrupt end. No finish and
a very watery body.
It was unanimous! No’ one liked it! I
think it’s interesting that pretty much
for the first time since we have been
doing these tastings, the wines of better
quality and more esteemed background
pretty much took top honors and the
ones in less esteemed regions did poorly.
| Score C- |
| Price $9.00 |
