Campagnola 2023 Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore DOC 750ml

Ripasso is one of Valpolicella's genuinely distinctive traditions — a technique where the wine is passed over the fresh, still-warm skins left behind from a completed Amarone and Recioto fermentation, absorbing real color, structure, and richness in the process. Campagnola's own Ripasso follows this method precisely, sourced from selected hillside vineyards in the Marano di Valpolicella valley, at the heart of Valpolicella Classica, planted on calcareous soils at 200 to 350 meters elevation — the same historic terroir that's carried the Campagnola family through five generations since founder Carlo Campagnola first established the estate's presence in the local wine trade in the late 19th century.

The 2023 vintage is a blend of 80% Corvina and Corvinone with 20% Rondinella, hand-harvested from the estate's own hillside sites. Following fresh-grape vinification and a 10-day skin maceration, the wine rests in stainless steel and cement tanks until February of the following year, at which point it undergoes the genuine Ripasso process — refermenting on the fresh pomace just left over from Campagnola's own completed Recioto and Amarone. The wine then refines in large oak barrels of 20, 30, and 50 hectoliters for a full year, followed by four additional months of bottle aging before release.

James Suckling awarded a genuine 91 Points for this exact wine. Campagnola's own official tasting notes describe "intense ruby red colour," with a "spicy bouquet" carrying "intense aromas of ripe cherry and jam," the palate "dry, full, soft" with "a very pleasant bitter finish." The Vine Press's own description called it "a gorgeous medium weight, smooth dry red, made with the finest, hand selected, red grapes," noting a "spicy bouquet with intense aromas of ripe cherry and jam" and "long" length at 13.7% alcohol. A separate independent taster, sampling the wine directly, found it delivering genuine "fruit cake, chocolate, sweet spice," concluding simply: "this is decadence." Annandale Cellars' own copy calls it "rich and concentrated," praising the way Ripasso's "unique and intense character" comes through in every glass. This is genuinely serious, richly layered Ripasso — real depth and structure at a price point considerably more accessible than the Amarone whose pomace helped shape it.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Campagnola Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore DOC 2023 is produced by Giuseppe Campagnola, a historic family-run winery founded in 1907 in Marano di Valpolicella, at the heart of the Veneto's famed Amarone region, now guided through five generations by the Campagnola family. The wine is a blend of 80% Corvina and Corvinone with 20% Rondinella, hand-harvested from selected hillside vineyards planted on calcareous soils at 200 to 350 meters elevation.

Following fresh-grape vinification and a 10-day skin maceration, the wine is racked and rests in stainless steel and cement tanks until February of the following year. At that point, it undergoes the traditional Ripasso technique, refermenting on the fresh pomace left over from Campagnola's own just-completed Recioto and Amarone fermentation. The wine then refines in large oak barrels of 20, 30, and 50 hectoliters for one year, followed by four further months of bottle aging before release. Bottled at 13.7% ABV.

Critics Reviews

James Suckling — 91 Points

Campagnola (official tasting note):
"Intense ruby red colour. Spicy bouquet with intense aromas of ripe cherry and jam. Dry, full, soft flavour in the mouth, with a very pleasant bitter finish."

The Vine Press (extended tasting note):
"Intense ruby red colour. Spicy bouquet with intense aromas of ripe cherry and jam. Dry, full, soft flavour in the mouth, with a long finish. This is a gorgeous medium weight, smooth dry red, made with the finest, hand selected, red grapes."

Annandale Cellars (extended independent tasting note, Chris L):
"Rich and concentrated Valpolicella Ripasso from Giuseppe Campagnola. Ripasso is a traditional method used in the region where the wine is passed over the dried skins of the Amarone (top tier Valpolicella) giving it a unique and intense character. Fruit cake, chocolate, sweet spice. This is decadence."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Intense ruby red. A spicy bouquet leads, with intense ripe cherry and jam, alongside fruit cake and chocolate.

Palate
Dry, full, and soft, with rich concentrated fruit and sweet spice carrying real depth and structure from the Ripasso refermentation process.

Finish
Long, closing with a very pleasant bitter note — genuinely rich and decadent, reflecting the wine's Amarone-pomace-driven intensity.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Braised or roasted red meat
• Aged, hard cheeses
• Rich, savory stews
• Dark chocolate desserts