MARTINO BISCARDO 2008 RIPASSO - VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE, ITALY

91 POINTS ANDRES MONTOYA:
This is a bold, dense ruby-colored wine with terrific plum, fig, black cherry, chocolate, and earth-like characteristics. Rich and full-bodied, it is a gorgeous Ripasso to enjoy over the next 2-3 years. While fleshy and rich, this wine is never heavy and the dried plum and cherry flavors keep on coming. The Corvina and Rondinella grapes used here are picked by hand at dawn to avoid excessive heat. After fermentation in stainless steel, the final step for Ripasso is obtained when the base wine is re-passed or in Italian: "Ripassando" the newly fermented juice on the skins of the Amarone wine. Finally 12 months in oak adds suppleness to the fig-infused, brambly finish. Enjoy with hearty dishes, casseroles and blue cheeses.