2017 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS
"rich, smooth a little bit velvety"
Mr Robert Donnelly (16-Sep-2020)
"Nice everyday drinker. Not the most sophisticated wine, and you can certainly pay more for a better Ripasso, but at this price it has a really nice fruity richness, some warmth to it, enough weight to deal with heavy food, but also very good to drink on its own. Many wines at this end of the price spectrum have a bit of roughness to their aftertaste, which this lacks in agreeable style!"
Mr Ben Williams (19-Jun-2020)
"This was a delight - lived up to its billing as a "baby Amarone". Great value for money. Rich, sweet stone fruit on the palate, with a hint of something more exotic in the aftertaste - a touch of cinnamon, maybe. Went well in a virtual tasting accompanied by cold meats and cheeses."
Mr Charles Allen (18-Jun-2020)
"It's ok... decent value... solid mid week drinker"
Mr Julian Bailey (25-May-2020)
"Big fan of Veneto region wines and this has to be my favorite."
Ms Emily Stead (28-Apr-2020)
"As a new member of the society I was very keen to try this particular wine from my first order. Being a fan of Amarone and having visited a major producer and being shown the care and expense that goes into making such an iconic wine I was keen to taste this 'baby amarone '. We had it with a slow cooked lamb tagine, double decanted the wine and the first taste was just lovely. I hope the other bottles we bought will be just as good. Will definitely be buying again."
Mr Richard Barwick (17-Feb-2020)
2016 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS
"Delightful easy drinking red: good body, sweetness and damson and black cherry flavours with oaky undertones and a lingering finish. I'm a repeat buyer, despite the price - if it could be brought in around £7-8 it would be a 5 star all day long."
Mrs Heather Carr (14-Dec-2019)
"A very positive wine with definite fruits - the cherry is obvious, but it has other essences - maybe vanilla & liquorice. In spite of the glowing start, I do feel that it is overpriced, but it's a nice interesting purchase."
Mr Nick Parkin (12-Nov-2019)
"I like this. Easy drinking and no surprises. Long finish. Not too strong a taste and enjoyable with or without food."
Mr James Hilton Clegg (25-Oct-2019)
Mrs Victoria Storer-Young (25-Sep-2019)
"Bought a case of this recently . Learning to decant the wine some 12 hours before use to gain the most from the ripasso sweetness and the flavours of dark cherries and blackberries .
"
Mr Michael Cohen (15-Jul-2019)
"Very pleasant wine, smooth, fruit and well balanced"
Mr David Henderson (16-Jun-2019)
"Dark, rich wine with a soft tannins and a hint of sweetness. Better with food. Recommended. "
Mr Colin Mitchell (11-Jun-2019)
"Complex, medium-bodied. Cherries, tobacco. "
Mr David Beaumont (14-Apr-2019)
"Delicious and gets more complex the longer it's opened."
Mr Jonathan Rippon (27-Mar-2019)
"Nice this, even on first opening. Even nicer the next day. Evoques warm Italian sun and spiced cherries and brambles in the hedgerow. Not a bargain but so many cheaper ones are so disappointing."
Mr Graham Tree (21-Mar-2019)
"Would agree with the other favourable reviews - well structured Ripasso."
Mr Mohammed Suleman (14-Jan-2019)
"This is very nice, very Italian, and the bottle just seemed to evaporate, it was gone so quickly. I had a bottle of this a while back and was rather disappointed (even left a poor review, I'm afraid) but that bottle must have been spoilt. I will get a few bottles of this to share over Christmas as it seems the perfect Christmas wine to go with your ham. Not quite up to the previous years release but that was a 5 star!"
Mr Mike Singer (06-Dec-2018)
"A wine of surprising character
Bright yet rich dark tannins on the nose open into a sweet, smooth and equally rich yet light palate that would compliment savoury meats and roasts. Lovely
"
Mr Hugo Allen-Stevens (23-Oct-2018)
"Deep fruity wine
medium+ body and reasonable length with bright finish
cherry and hints of licourice on palate
Pair with autumn and winter dishes like Sunday roast with seasonal roast veg as well as game
"
Mr Hugo Allen-Stevens (23-Oct-2018)
"Just sampling this along with some Chaource and Camembert. Delicious. Does what it says on the label. "
Mr Bob Goudy (26-Sep-2018)
2016 VINTAGE - PRESS REVIEWS
Decanter (1st Jan 2019)
"Showing hints of
ageing in the glass, this is a complex Valpolicella Ripasso with good levels of
grip, dark red berry fruits and attractive sweetness on the finish. There is
good concentration and depth on the palate, with a lengthy finish. - Andy Howard"
2015 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS
"Delicious: chewy, spicy, with sour cherry tones. Very good with roast duck and lamb, even better after a few hours open. I am a big Amarone fan but at £10 you can afford to open a Ripasso a little more frequently ! "
Mr Alex Heath (08-Oct-2018)
"In line with other reviews this wine needs patience and probably a bit of food. I drank the Ripasso over two nights ,on the first night it was fairly average.On the second night it opened into the supple wine I was expecting . I believe this is a fair wine for the price, no more no less "
Mr John Miller (03-Sep-2018)
"I love Amarone & bought this as a cheaper alternative. It certainly lived up to the requirement, given that you can't buy Amarone for £10.50 I will be buying more."
Mr Nick Parkin (03-Aug-2018)
"My bottle had a slight fizz which it should not have had, but it was easily got rid of. However, the big issue is that it is overly oaked for this style, with the oak dominating and quashing the lovely Ripasso flavours. Disappointing, and the Torre del Valasco is far superior to this and I am sorry it is not still offered. A decent wine, but not worth buying more. Certainly not a wine the Society should put its name to."
Mr Mike Singer (23-Jun-2018)
Mr Alex Downham (15-May-2018)
"I'm a big fan of Valpolicella Ripasso and as I was given membership of the Wine Society for Christmas, bought a botle of the Society's Valpolicella Ripasso to try. Having just finished it, it has a dark Cherry and easy going spicy flavour with a long smooth finish. It's not the best Ripasso I have ever had, but at £10.50, it doesn't have to be. I will definitely buy it again and recommend decanting 1 hour before drinking."
Mr Colin Bell (06-May-2018)
"Very nice. Fruity, sumptuous red. Good for cold nights. Great value."
Mr Matthew A Gamble (12-Feb-2018)
Mr Michael Martin (20-Jan-2018)
"Yeah good stuff. A sort of top line red to keep in stock. Good for drinking on its own."
Mr John Arthur (18-Jan-2018)
"A wine of surprising character
Bright yet rich dark tannins on the nose open into a sweet, smooth and equally rich yet light palate that would compliment savoury meats and roasts. Lovely"
Mr Hugo Allen-Stevens (27-Dec-2017)
"A brilliant example of how the Society does its work, the wow factor was there after an hour in decanter. Thoroughly recommended and to be quite honest it’s delicious on its own but went really well with our bbq’d Barnsley Chops!"
Mr Peter Manley (08-Dec-2017)
"Soft, mellow, easy drinking fresh and fruity with a little bit of tannic back-bone. Pleasant with pasta or as a party wine. I liked it."
Mr Peter McFarlane (08-Nov-2017)
"Another winner from the Society - top marks !!
Decanted and allowed to breathe for 30 minutes prior to our evening meal (steak, mash, spinach & peas) - it was breathtaking.
Fairly light and refreshing for a Ripasso - sadly it disappeared far too quickly.
I will definitely be re-ordering."
Mr Alan Pieroni (10-Oct-2017)
"I've reviewed an earlier vintage before. This is for the 2015 one.
Still drinking well - had it with pasta alla Norma and the wine works well with the tomatoes and aubergines.
I realise it probably breaks some Italian food rules - north versus Sicily but I'm not Italian so I can see through this ;-)
A great wine and cracking value for a Ripasso."
Mr Martin Wingate (25-Sep-2017)
"superb"
Mr Gerry Hegarty (18-Sep-2017)
"Top tip: leave for at least 30 minutes after opening and chill to about 16c, then it opens up beautifully. At first it can seem a little thin and unbalanced but after an hour it is rich, complex and mouth filling. As good as anything we've had in Italy!"
Mr Nigel T Coulthard (13-Jul-2017)
"A beautiful drop. The Ripasso method adds body and a depth of fruit. Smells divine; spiced dark berries. Silky mouthfeel, round and full...delicious. Lashings of this with a spag bol is good, or if you're pulling out the stops, then a wild boar ragu! Bing bong!!!"
Mr Gavin Lewis (29-May-2017)
"Delightful, a scaled down Amarone that is immensely pleasing and all too easily drinkable."
Mr William Ostrom (15-May-2017)
"We have really enjoyed the Torre del Falasco Ripasso from WS. However, on trying to order some more, I found out it was sold out. We were recommended this 2015 Ripasso as a straight alternative at the same price. Unfortunately, we just did not enjoy it anywhere like as much as the Torre del Falasco - maybe it is personal taste but the price point is the same and, in theory, it is a very similar wine (according to the WS) but we won't be it buying again. The Torre del Falasco is a much better wine in our view in all aspects and we will appreciate the couple of bottles we have left!"
Mrs Sarah-Lynn Spruzen (05-May-2017)
"This is such a bargain - a beautiful baby Amarone at a ridiculous price. It is wines like this that are the epitome of the Wine Society and I have drunk this with food and on its own and always great. It is definitely worth opening in advance of drinking."
Mr Colin W Brewer (03-May-2017)
"Thought I'd try this though with low expectations, very surprised at the quality at this price. A fun, 'soft' wine - not a classic but would recommend.
"
Mr Rob Young (30-Apr-2017)
2015 VINTAGE - PRESS REVIEWS
Decanter (3rd Jan 2018)
"This
intoxicating Middle Eastern-style wine has aromatic, spiced dried fruit
flavours emanating from the glass that make you shut your eyes and think of
that 1980s Turkish Delight advert as you sniff. Notes of dates, tobacco and
spice; full of Eastern promise. - Simon Reilly"
2014 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS
Mr Michael Martin (20-Jan-2018)
"Salutory lesson, drink wine upon delivery so you can reorder. Just tried this despite delivery last November, and thought it was very good, particularly the next day, unfortunately it's now out of stock."
Mr Simon Cook (05-Jun-2017)
"I'd leave 3.5 stars if I could. Definitely ripe and slightly dry raisin, full in the mouth with quite a long finish but I would prefer a little more acidity. Can't really complain for a tenner though."
Mr Simon Heape (18-Feb-2017)
"Very nice indeed! Definitely get the fig/chocolatey like smell on the nose and red fruit burst on the palate almost strawberry/raspberry like. Would recommend as an easy to drink wine!"
Mr Daniel Brown (03-Feb-2017)
"Seriously good for the money. Good taste, smooth but not too much so, slightly fruity. A good balance for this wine being not too light."
Mr Clive A Counsell (31-Jan-2017)
"This is a very well balanced Valpolicella, I could not expect any better in this price range. An excellent everyday wine."
Mr Matthew Norman (16-Jan-2017)
"Delicious! Well balanced, beautiful ruby red, fruity, complex in its simplicity...shame it is out of stock now."
Ms Aline Moreira (12-Nov-2016)
2014 VINTAGE - PRESS REVIEWS
Chase Magazine (2nd Feb 2017)
"Produced by passing
young Valpolicella through oak barrels to which the lees and spent grape
pressings from Amarone are added. The wine produced is more intense and complex,
and far cheaper than Amarone. It goes great with strong-flavoured dishes, but I
like it on its own. - David Clay"
2013 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS
"I'm a ripasso fan but this wine can only have had a passing acquaintance with the amarone lees and whilst inexpensive isn't worth the money. If you can find it (not Wine Society currently) the Luigi Richetti 2013 version is superb."
Mr Peter D Hodgson (30-Aug-2016)
"A cheap "amarone" is unusual. It is very light. I would prefer to pay more for a proper amarone."
Dr Gareth Smith (13-Aug-2016)
"very good value - tasting notes spot on"
Mr Christopher Woodhead (11-Aug-2016)
Miss Louise Byrne (11-Aug-2016)
"New to Ripasso, I opened this to go with cheese. The first taste, pre-cheese, had me hooked. Rich and warm, with such a smooth finish. It overwhelmed the milder cheeses, but a nutty vintage cheddar and Blackstick's Blue balanced it beautifully. The manchego really made it shine, bringing out spice and heat, but still with that smooth finish. Have ordered more."
Mr Timothy Strong (22-Jul-2016)
"A bit of a bargain given the price. Have just re-ordered a couple of cases. A really good example of a value for money ripasso. It is very juicy, is smooth and has a decent finish. Definitely recommend in this price range"
Mrs Sarah-Lynn Spruzen (04-Jul-2016)
"My colleagues and I tasted this with other Valpolicellas, including a sister wine, marginally cheaper. We had the latter first, and it was lovely -- but the WS version is smoother, fruitier, with a longer finish. I love ripassos, and this is one of the nicest I have ever had. Don't miss it!"
Professor Alan Hertz (22-May-2016)
"I found this exactly as described by the society - lovely plump juicy fruit, and an elegant finish of dried fruits."
Mr Bryn Jones (20-May-2016)
"My boyfriend and I had this with dinner last night (pork loin chop wrapped in parma ham with stilton and apple) and we were both impressed by it. There is some real elegance here (yet also hearty enough to stand up to and complement the food) as well as great value for money. I really recommend!"
Miss Cordelia Jackson (06-Apr-2016)
"Lovely light red very drinkable so far my favourite 9 out of 10"
Mr Andrew Sully (15-Feb-2016)
"I now believe this is the best Italian red I have ever tasted. Smooth and full of fruit I have drank this with strong cheeses and spag bol'/pasta, but also without food. Under £9 this is a real bargain and just about to top up with a few more after Christmas."
Mr Terry Bates (02-Jan-2016)
"I love this wine ........wonderful with cheese ........great on it's own and very easy to to convince your friends they are drinking £30 bottle of Amarone."
Mr Michael Gould (02-Oct-2015)
"Full bodied but holding a lot of fruit. Versatile and it could handle any robust meat dishes but I also think it would work well with tomato based pasta. I had it with a top quality, 55 day old ribeye-trimmings BBQ'd cheeseburger and some spicy fries. Very good wine"
Mr Martin Wingate (10-Sep-2015)
"Well this is rather lovely - intense dark and fruity with just a hint of sweetness, but leaves a long dry finish. If you like Amaraone, give this a go."
Mr David Woolcock (07-Apr-2015)
"Bingo!"
Mr Stephen Wenlock (12-Mar-2015)
2013 VINTAGE - PRESS REVIEWS
Decanter (27th Apr 2016)
"
Made by
one of Italy's most consistent co-ops, with 700ha. Round and soft yet
complex, this is packed with dried cherry and plum fruit with a hint of
sultanas. It’s showing development but still has freshness, plus cinnamon
spice on the finish.
- Christelle Guibert
"
JancisRobinson.com (23rd Nov 2015)
"Dried cherries. Bit
of rich sweet cherry fruit. Lovely cinnamon note running through. Soft tannins.
Juicy. Bit of anise. Good value. - Tamlyn Currin"
Wine-pages.com (7th Aug 2015)
"A Ripasso, fermented
on the dry skins of Amarone, this is a classic Valpolicella blend of Corvina
and Rondinella aged in barrel and wonderfully deep and autumnal in character.
The nose has hints of mint and tobacco, a plush blueberry darkness of fruit, and
definite hints of violet and kirsch-like lift. In the mouth it makes its
presence felt with 14% alcohol, but that super-sweetness of fruit floods across
the tongue, the bittersweet cherry and plum-skin grip is savoury, and the tight
tannins are spicy and slick. It's a hell of a lot of wine for the money once
again. 89/100 - Tom Cannavan"
The Independent on Sunday (16th Aug 2015)
"The
"ripasso" method is where the young, cherry fruit and
chocolate-flavoured Valpolicello wine is mixed with the residue of venerable
Amarone, giving a richer, more structured taste at a fraction of the price of
true Amarone. Goes with all roast meats and pasta with ragu. - Terry Kirby"
Moneyweek (31st Jul 2015)
"A serious, dense,
brooding stallion of a wine with a full frame and dark, foresty, black fruit.
This is more of an autumnal wine, but I would buy it now because I venture that
if you wait it will sell out. - Matthew Jukes"
2012 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS
"Wonderful wine and great value. Terrific fruit and depth of flavour and an intense wine. Snap it up."
Mr Peter J H Devlin (13-Jan-2015)
"Fantastic! Lovely cherry nose with a wiff of smoke. I found it soft, juicey and well balanced with a lingering tang. Delicious."
Mr Timothy Rouse (12-Jan-2015)
"Opened a bottle of this last week expecting a typical Valpolicella Ripaso (a favourite of mine) and was completely blown away. The 'Ripaso' part really brought a strong influence of Amarone with it, but without overpowering the Valpolicella. Only once had a wine remotely like it, and that was in Italy. So I have ordered more - I'd be crazy to let this slip through my fingers! You get a wine like this only once in a blue moon."
Mr Mike Singer (12-Dec-2014)
"Just what I was expecting, a beautifully rich and warming wine bursting with red fruits but with a hint of sweetness from the ripasso method of leaving the grapes to dry in the sun a little thus concentrating the flavours and adding a hint of sweet jammy ripe fruit flavours which are well balanced. Known as baby amarone as the wine has to be passed over amarone lees to add extra complexity and depth. Hearty food wine which we enjoyed with lasagne."
Miss Joanna Taylor (30-Nov-2014)
"Expressive nose with cherry notes, full palate with ripe raspberry and decent length. I typically prefer full reds but it is intense and almost over-concentrated. A previous post mentions it was 'gluggable', disagree. Found it hard to drink on its own. Would probably improve with food but at £9.50 can't help but feel there is better value not far away..."
Dr James Reynolds (15-Nov-2014)
"My wine of 2014 so far. Complex but gluggable. Worth the money!"
Dr Alexander Jones (20-Sep-2014)
"Had bottle of this to go along with a meaty tomato based stew and it worked well. A great food wine, deep, bold and smoother than expected. Worth the money and the hype, will need to buy more of this."
Mr Samuel Black (26-Aug-2014)
"As you would expect from the wine description and Wine-pages press review, this is a fuller flavoured wine than one would typically associate with a Valpolicella. But whatever flavour subtleties the experts can detect, I'm afraid they are lost on me. Just found it to be a pretty average wine and for me personally not worth the money."
Dr Robert Feltham (17-Aug-2014)
2012 VINTAGE - PRESS REVIEWS
Wine-pages.com (13th Jun 2014)
"From Valpolicella in
the Veneto and weighing in with 14% abv, this is mostly Corvina, fermented on
the lees of Amarone. There's a bright, ashy and dry, intense and lifted
character on the nose, hints of smokiness and of bright red fruits. On the
palate it is really dry, with mouth-coating tannins and dry extract, the
cherry-ish hint of plushness giving a softening, sweetening roundness and the
finish long and really quite elegant with a hint of chocolate in there too. - Tom Cannavan"
2011 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS
"A superb wine, complex, delicious, and an absolute steal at the price."
Mr Andrew Woodward (24-Mar-2014)
"Intense, rich, smoky even. Very good indeed."
Mr Brian Donnelly (02-Feb-2014)
"I echo all the comments here - this is delicious and a bargain. My reason for reviewing is to post a request - I would like to see the Society get more from this producer's range - their Amarone is the best value Amarone I think I've ever tasted - delicious and a bargain. I think there is a theme."
Mr James Heath (14-Jan-2014)
"We've just opened our 100th bottle since being members of The Society. It's our absolute stock wine and never disappoints."
Mr Adam Caplan (13-Dec-2013)
"There is only one thing bad about this wine - it is recommended by the Daily Mail!"
Mr Michael Elsom (04-Oct-2013)
"Fantastic value. Black cherries and something I can't quite find a description of on the palate and an excellent match for tomato and pan fried chorizo. Altogether, a top buy."
Mr Kieran Hynes (04-Aug-2013)
"This wine is so good for the price that I don't want to encourage others to deplete the Society's stocks and leave less for me. I can't do posh wine descriptions so I'll just say that it is a smashing spicy perfumed red wine that I would quite cheerfully pay 50% more for. You're potty not to but it."
Mr Colin W Brewer (13-Jun-2013)
"My word, this is delicious. Deep, rich, concentrated black cherry flavours, beautiful balance and a long, lingering fruity finish. Just terrific."
Mr Tim Rowbottom (04-Jun-2013)
"This wine represents exceptional value for money, with the complexity and depth of far more expensive offerings!! This will definately be a regular purchase for me.
"
Mr Gilbert Bosson (10-May-2013)
"Another stunning Italian red from the Society. A wine of great structure, full bodied, subtle tannins, mouth filling fruit. A great marriage with homemade Neopolitian lasagne. Highly recommended."
Mr Malcolm J Davies (01-Apr-2013)
2011 VINTAGE - PRESS REVIEWS
The Observer (2nd Feb 2014)
"A happy mid-point
between the simple cherry freshness of straight Valpolicella and the brooding,
raisiny weight of Amarone. - David Williams"
Daily Mail (18th May 2013)
"There is an awful lot of flavour in this terrific Valpol thanks to the clever Ripasso technique which increases the depth and intensity by passing it over lees and pressings from mighty Amarone wines. Huge flavour, great price – looks smart, too! - Matthew Jukes"
Manchester Evening News (23rd May 2013)
"... Jason Athertons's duck leg with watercress and orange slices ... makes for a tricky wine pairing, [but this] was one of the most satisfying pairings imaginable. Made by one of Italy’s top co-operatives this is a very full-bodied, jammy wine but it retains the requisite bite and acidity to combat food. The aromatic spiciness of the fruit matched the orange flavours superbly. - Andy Cronshaw"
2010 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS
"Unbelievable. Full, round, fruity and spicy, like a really good Brunello di Montalcino. Thouroughbred wine at a third of the price. Why drink watery cheap burgundy when you have this."
Mr Charles Stokes (01-May-2013)
"Worth every penny. Reminds me of a Rioja but with a soft finish. I will buy more."
Mr Richard Morton (14-Apr-2013)
"Thanks to the reviews on the website, we bought a couple of bottles. Wow! What a great wine. Needless to say we have ordered more. Sorry Mr Caplan."
Mr Mark Dibble (17-Feb-2013)
"Just as an update for anyone considering this wine. We have now had at least 25 bottles of this Ripasso. Don't order it! That way there will be more for me! It's been out of stock for a while and my last bottle just ran out. Fortunately it's coming back in shortly, so I'll be ordering large quantities. This is one of the best value wines I have ever come across, amazing value, drinks like a wine twice its price. HIGHLY, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
"
Mr Adam Caplan (22-Jan-2013)
"I have always enjoyed Valpolicella but never tried Amarone, so gave this a try as a 'half way house'. I loved it. Darker and richer than a standard Valpolicella with a firmer structure, and for the price, a bargain. I will be re-ordering."
Mr Aron Hills (28-Dec-2012)
"Thanks to you Mr Caplan. Based on his review I bought a couple of bottles and it has now become a firm favourite."
Mr Andrew Mason (26-Oct-2012)
"We bought six bottles on the recommendation of someone in the Stevenage Cellar. Usually drink Aglianico, Amarone or other full bodied reds. The Ripasso is excellent. It's Amarone Lite, yet extremely enjoyable for that.
We couldn't drink Amarone every day, (price alone would prevent that) yet this ripasso has become one of our favourites. Just bought 3 more cases to see us through. Recommended."
Mr Adam Caplan (26-Sep-2012)
2010 VINTAGE - PRESS REVIEWS
Manchester Evening News (11th May 2013)
"Jason Athertons's duck leg with watercress and orange slices ... makes for a tricky wine pairing, [but this] was one of the most satisfying pairings imaginable. Made by one of Italy’s top co-operatives this is a very full-bodied, jammy wine but it retains the requisite bite and acidity to combat food. The aromatic spiciness of the fruit matched the orange flavours superbly. - Andy Cronshaw"
2008 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS
"A lovely Ripasso. Plenty of fruit with a well rounded sweetness and good length. Not too heavy."
Mr David Manley (03-Feb-2011)