Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week

2014 Pasqua Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore ($9)

Valpolicella is an Italian wine generally produced primarily with the Corvina grape and blended with Rondinella, Molinara and sometimes Negrara grapes.

Ripasso, or "repassed," refers to the method of adding grape skins (left over from the production of Amarone wine) to the fermenting Valpolicella Superiore.  The grapes skins are left in contact with the Valpolicella for a couple of weeks to impart extra flavor, color and tannin.  This process yields a rich and full-bodied, fruity, almost Zinfandel-like jammy wine. Along with these fruity flavors, the 8 months that this wine spends aging in oak adds a bit of toasted flavor.

This is another great value wine that's worth checking into.