Valpolicella - Ripasso - La Tonega - Colle Cerè

The Valpolicella Ripasso DOC La Tonega from Colle Cerè is the middle wine in a winery that knows how to do things on a grand scale - the same winery that produces the 2020 Amarone Classico with 60 months in Slavonian oak barrels and 16.5° of natural power. Seeing Colle Cerè apply the same production seriousness to its Ripasso confirms a consistent vision from the entry-level wine to the top of the range.

"La Tonega" - a Veronese place name probably referring to a specific area or vineyard parcel around the winery - carries this wine's territorial roots in its name. The blend is classic and balanced: 50% Corvina for fruit and freshness, 40% Corvinone for structure and tannic complexity, and 10% Rondinella for floral notes and acidity - the same proportions as Colle Cerè's Amarone, giving the Ripasso an immediate, recognizable stylistic consistency within the range.

The Ripasso is produced using the traditional Veronese method: the base Valpolicella made from Corvinone, Corvina, and Rondinella is refermented on the still-fresh, rich pomace of the recently racked Amarone, absorbing additional structure, tannins, and an aromatic concentration that brings it closer to the great appassimento wine. It is then aged for 24 months in oak barrels - a period considerably longer than the minimum required for Ripasso DOC and comparable to that of many small-producer Amarone wines - giving the wine tannic roundness, aromatic complexity, and a structure that enable it to develop positively in bottle for years. This is followed by 4 months of bottle aging before release.

The nose is rich and enveloping: black cherry preserve, blackberry, plum, cocoa, sweet spices, tobacco, dried violet, a hint of vanilla, well-integrated oak, and a balsamic undertone of Veronese herbs. On the palate it is full and structured for its category - 14.5° well integrated, tannins present but already smoothed by the 24 months in barrel, a harmonious glyceric sweetness that coats the palate, fresh acidity that balances the structure and ensures longevity, and a long, persistent finish with notes of concentrated red fruit, spices, and integrated oak. Serve at 17°C. A serious Ripasso that deserves a few years in the cellar, or at least an hour of decanting before drinking.

At €20 for a Ripasso aged 24 months in oak barrels from the same winery that produces a quality Amarone, it is one of the smartest buys in the mid-range section of the catalog.