Montresor Valpolicella Classico Ripasso Capitel della Crosara

This long established Veronese family company, headed by Giorgio Montresor, is producing wines which increasingly rival the offerings of the region's more fashionable names. The estate wines, from 100 ha of vineyards in Valpolicella and Garda, offer remarkable value for money, particularly the Capitel della Crosara vineyard near Negrar which produces fine, richly-flavoured Ripasso and a generous, classically-styled Amarone with great concentration and texture.

The grapes are cultivated on traditional trellised vines planted in marl soil at Montresor's 'Capitel della Crosara' vineyard on the hills of Negrar within the Classico zone. Grapes are picked by hand in October.Made by the Ripasso (literally 'repassed') method, which involves adding the unpressed skins from the dried grapes which were used to make an Amarone to a young Valpolicella wine. This helps to add extra flavour and alcohol to the wine (causing it to start re-fermenting) and gradually the luscious flavours of Amarone are imparted to the wine. After this the wine is aged for 16 months in French and American oak casks along with some small barriques.

Try with lamb shank, calf's liver or a mushroom pasta dish.