Valpolicella - Superiore - Campogadis - Ernesto Ruffo

Ernesto Ruffo's Valpolicella Superiore DOC Campogadis is the most convincing demonstration that Valpolicella — when it comes from a serious artisan producer, a specific vineyard, and appropriate aging — can achieve a complexity and elegance that go far beyond its reputation as an everyday wine.

"Campogadis" is the name of the specific parcel from which this wine comes: a vineyard in the heart of Valpolicella, on the calcareous and clay soils typical of the hills around Verona, where Corvina, Corvinone, and Rondinella grapes are carefully cultivated by Ernesto Ruffo — the same producer of the great Amarone — with the same respect for tradition and the land that distinguishes all his wines. The Superiore designation indicates a minimum aging period of one year, which in this case takes place in new French oak barriques for a period of 36 months, giving the wine structure and roundness without covering its varietal aromas.

On the nose, it is fragrant and inviting: fresh and ripe cherry, sour cherry, sweet spices, aromatic herbs from the Verona area, and a delicate hint of wood that integrates perfectly with the fruit. On the palate, it is soft and well structured, with fine, already well-integrated tannins, a lively acidity typical of high-quality Corvina, and a persistent, satisfying finish with notes of red fruit and spices. A distinctive Valpolicella Superiore that can be opened immediately or left to age for 3-5 years to gain further complexity.

The ideal introduction to the world of Ernesto Ruffo for those who are not yet ready to take on the power and aging time of the great Amarone.