Accordini Ripasso Valpolicella 2006

Ilaria De Nardi Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore is made from 60% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, 20% Corvinoni

Intense red color with garnet hints. Almond and fresh walnut aromas. Full-bodied with a good structure.
This is an excellent red wine with a supple body. The techniques used to produce this wine is typical from the area.

Excellent with cold cut, fresh and mature cheeses. Perfect with red meat and game.

Late harvest style Corvina aged on Amarone lees. The must of Amarone remains in the vat and instead of being pressed, it is topped up with high quality Valpolicella before being left to referment for about 10-15 days.

Pairs well with roasted meats.

Antica Vigna Valpolicella Ripasso DOC Superiore is made from 50% Corvina, 45% Rondinella and 5% Merlot.

Ripasso Superiore DOC is an elegant and refined wine, showing a beautiful and intense ruby color. Spicy, with cherry hints and wild berries notes, it features great personality and complexity. In the palate it is rich, very fruity, elegant and still young but already very well-orchestrated, with the typical notes of wild berries that blend well with the complexity of the wine.

 20% in steel· 80% in wood for 6 months of which 2/3 in American and French barriques, half of which are used for the second and third time 1/3 in large barrels
Aging:
Fermentation time: about 7/10 days the first and 15 days the second.
Fermentation: at a controlled temperature of 18/20° and second fermentation on the skins of Amarone at 18/20°C.
Vinification: soft crushing of destemmed grapes to obtain Valpolicella.
Drying: the grapes are not dried but vinified fresh.
Harvest: mid-September with manual harvesting of the grapes.
VINIFICATION AND AGENG:

Vineyard management: sustainable agriculture and great attention to natural cycles
Vine density: 4,000 to 5,400 vines per hectare
Vine planting year: from 1972 to 2009
Vineyard training system: guyot and pergola
Soil type: limestone
Exposure: south
Height: 350/400 meters asl
Geographical location: Tenuta di Mezzane, Tenuta di Cazzano di Tramigna
THE TERRITORY:
Pairs well with grilled and roasted meats, as well as cheese.

Bertani Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore Catullo is made from 70% Corvina Veronese, 20% Corvinone, 10% Rondinella.  Valpolicella Classica, Tenuta Novare Estate in Arbizzano di Negrar.

Wine of medium structure with elegant spicy notes of vanilla and chocolate accompanied by typical notes of cherry, sour cherry and white pepper. The palate offers the easy drinkability typical of Valpolicella and, at the same time, silky tannic structure and intense, prolonged aromatic persistence. The finish is fresh, soft and savory. A wine in the classic style, elegant, balanced, harmonious.

Review:

If I was forced to choose a number of wines that can steer the anachronistic Ripasso category into a brighter future, this would be among a very few. A mid-weighted, streamlined expression with just enough fruit on the bones. Think strawberries, lilacs, Asian plums, cloves and a hint of licorice. A noble, almost alpine bitterness lifts the finish. Brilliant. Drink or hold.

-James Suckling 95 Points

Antica Vigna Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva is made from 65% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, 10% Corvinone, 5% Merlot.

Amarone DOCG has maintained unchanged its typicality, so that “the essence of the territory” of Valle di Mezzane and Cazzano di Tramigna powerfully emerges. Rich in color, firmly structured but with fresh notes. 

WINEMAKING AND AGING:

Manual harvest early October with selection of the best bunches.
Drying: natural drying in fruit cellar for 3/4 months with a sharp drop in weight of around 30%.
Vinification: soft crushing of destemmed grapes in the months of January and February.
Fermentation: at a controlled temperature of 18/21°C. Fermentation time: about 30 days
Aging:· 80% in oak barrels for 30 months of which 2/3 in American and French barriques, half of which are used for the second and third time, 1/3 in large

THE TERRITORY:
Geographical location: Tenuta di Mezzane, Tenuta di Cazzano di Tramigna
Height: 350/400 meters asl
Exposure: south
Soil type: limestone
Vineyard training system: guyot and pergola
Vine planting year: from 1972 to 2009
Vine density: 4,000 to 5,400 vines per hectare Vineyard management: sustainable agriculture and great attention to natural
cycles

Pairs well with grilled and roasted meats, as well as cheese.

Timeless Notes:

Dark cherry in color, firm on the palate with a vibrant acidity underbelly.  Thought lush on the palate the flavors are complex and elegant from entry to mid-palate with hints of currant and wild berries. The finish brings in a touch of tobacco and leather notes ,classic examples of this region, with more ripe fruit flavors that linger on long strain tannin finish.   Complex with depth and elegance on the palate.  This one is drinking now, but can handle more time in the cellar with ease. An excellent value in the Riserva category.

Cantina di Verona Amarone Valpolicella Vallis Dei is made from 65% Corvina Veronese, 30% Rondinella, 5% Molinara

Color: deep ruby red 
Nose: Dried prune and blackberry with hints of vanilla and spice
Mouth: It is generously structured and velvety.

Yield: 8000 kg of grapes per hectar – after which the grapes are dried “appassimento”
Grapes are raisin-dried for at least 4 months after harvesting, losing at least 40% of their weight. It is made from selected grapes which are left to dry on racks in specially ventilated rooms until the end of winter.
Fermentation temperature between 18° and 22°C
Maceration time: 20 days

The climate in the Champagne region in 2006 was characterised by a hot, dry season, which had a significant impact on the vines. September’s summery conditions were decisive, effectively drying out the outbreaks of botrytis and encouraging exceptional ripening of the grapes. Beginning on 11 September, the harvest stretched out for almost three weeks, the ideal time for a superior-quality crop. This vintage is a perfect example of how a favourable climate can influence the champagne quality.

Dom Pérignon Vintage 2006 Plénitude 2 marks a new encounter between Dom Pérignon and the year 2006, underlining the crucial importance of time in the making of this vintage. Its persistent, suspended light offers us an invitation to contemplation, celebrating the joy of a moment of perfection. This balance between earth and sky is underpinned by a strong tactile dimension, the authentic signature of Dom Pérignon: without touch, flavour does not unfold in either the space or time of the tasting, a perfect mirror of the space and time of its production. Today, Dom Pérignon 2006 Plénitude 2 enfolds us in its warm and luminous light. It then reveals its full-bodied, substantial and curvaceous qualities, leaving in its wake the emotion of a champagne that is both enveloping and delicate.

Dom Pérignon Vintage 2006 Plénitude 2 reveals a soft, warm and reassuring sweet bouquet, rich in subtle nuances. Its aromatic profile boasts a remarkable finesse with floral and mineral tones. This composition rapidly unfolds to reveal delicate notes of wild peach, citron, calisson and mocha, creating a unique and memorable experience on the nose. The palate of Dom Pérignon 2006 is full-bodied, both restrained and tender, developing into a thick texture that gradually becomes firmer. The complexity of the wine increases, revealing a subtly saline nuance. On the finish, an exquisite bitterness and wonderful maturity prevail, enriched by deep aromas of dried fruit, cocoa and toasted hazelnut, which blend harmoniously to offer an exceptional wine tasting experience.

Dom Pérignon Vintage 2006 Plénitude 2 is distinguished by its soft, warm character, ideally expressed when paired with seafood such as langoustine and scallops. This wine pairing harmony continues with veal and Jerusalem artichoke dishes, which highlight its delicate, enveloping nature. The flavours are further enhanced by herbs such as rosemary and basil, while hints of acidity from lemon and bergamot fully reveal its breadth and refined structure. This vintage illustrates Dom Pérignon’s ability to create fine wines that capture and enhance the essence of the ingredients with which they are served.

Review:

A blonde bombshell of a Champagne, hedonistic with its alluring brioche, creamed cherry and glazed tangerine flavors that show embellishments of fragrant saffron, candied ginger, fennel seed and vanilla, yet there's lovely definition and focus via the racy, lemon-infused acidity and plush texture. Long and minerally on the finish, with the rich profile joined by a subtle undertow of smoke, oyster shell and brine. Drink now through 2040.

-Wine Spectator 98 Points