By Azienda Agricola Monte Zovo
Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore DOC

Wine Presentation
Inspiration, fascination, personality. This characterful and authoritative Ripasso has the color of passion - a perfect blend of the experience and creativity of Diego Cottini. A symphony of colors and aromas in which every note transmits emotions and sensations ever more unexpected and convincing to enthuse those who have the pleasure to taste it.

Wine Description
Tasting Notes: Ruby red with garnet highlights. Aromas of ripe fruit, cherries, plums, dried fruit, spices, vanilla, and cinnamon. Fruity in flavor with notes of vanilla. Supple in its tannins.
Pairing: Fall and winter pasta, rice and soups, roasts, charcuterie, and medium-aged cheese.
Serving Temperature: 18-20 degrees C, 64-68 degrees F
Alcohol: 14.50%

Vineyard Notes
Production Area: The upper Ilasi valley, Mezzane di Sopra, and the hill of Tegnago at altitudes between 350 and 500 meters above sea level
Grape Varieties: Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella
Vineyard Age: Vineyards between 7 and 15 years of age
Exposure: North, south, southeast, southwest
Soil: Calcareous marls
Training: Vines trained to a Guyot pruning system
Vine Spacing: 0.70 x 2.40 meters
Density: 2,400 vines per ha
Yield: 1.0 kg per vine, 6,000 kg per ha
Buds Per Pruned Vine: 10-12
Cultivation Practices: Organic fertilizers, manual pruning, thinning of the grape buds, leaf removal, and crop thinning during the growing season.
Defense Against Vine Diseases: The entire estate is involved in the process of conversion to organic viticulture (and is in the second year of the required three years). It is already certified for its respect for biodiversity according to "biodiversity-friendly" criteria.

Production Notes
Harvest: The harvest usually begins during the second week of September, and the grapes are selected and picked by hand.
Fermentation and Aging: The grapes are picked by hand, destemmed, and then pressed. The must ferments on its skins in stainless steel tanks for approximately ten days. Once the fermentation is finished, the wine is run off its skins, which are then pressed, and goes into stainless steel tanks, where it remains until the month of January. During this period, the wine remains on its lees until the moment in which the grapes for the production of the Amarone are pressed. At this point, it is re-passed ("ripassato") onto the Amarone pomace and remains there for 10-15 days at a temperature of 24 degrees C. The aging in new 130-liter oak puncheons lasts 18 months and is followed by a further six months in bottle before commercial release.
[Information provided by Votto Vines]
[Information is not vintage specific]

Valpolicella Superiore Doc Ripasso 2016
Points: 95
Monte Zovo - Famiglia Cottini - Veneto
Consistency: 33 - Balance: 32 - Integrity: 30
Type: Red
Category: Valpolicella
Tasting date: 12-06-2018
Grape varieties: Corvina e Corvinone 90%, Rondinella 10%
Volume of Bottle: 750.00 mL

MONTE ZOVO VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE RIPASSO 2016
Sunday, November 25, 2018
Country: Italy
Region: Veneto
Vintage: 2016
Score: 90
This shows plenty of ash, black pepper, leather and dried fruit. Full-bodied, chewy and fruit-forward on the finish. Drink now.