Valpolicella Ripasso has long been my hero in wine emergencies. Invariably, when I am out with a large and thirsty group I am asked to choose the wine. To me, herding feral cats would be easier. I ...

Amarone has a well-earned reputation for power. After all, it's not uncommon to find bottles that clear 15.5% ABV and approach 16% or more. But the best examples are about much more than sheer ...

Imagine if there was a way you could enjoy big, voluptuous, dry Italian red wines for a fraction of the price of many top Italian wines. Fortunately, this isn't some fantastical tale from a Federico ...

Q: I love Amarone, but bottles are generally pretty pricey. Are there any great and affordable bottles of Amarone out there? And also, if I love Amarone, is there another similar wine that you’d ...

Don’t know what a Ripasso is? Read on. The wine in question is the Solane, Valpolicella Ripasso, Santi 2011 $18, and I opened it after tasting a ridiculous $40 California Cab and an even more ...

In Valpolicella, home of Italy’s revered Amarone, references to the Nebbiolo-based wines of neighboring Piedmont and Lombardy crop up unexpectedly. Perhaps it’s hard for winemakers here not to think ...

Full, round and ripe, with jammy berries, hints of coffee and leather and gently chalky-sticky tannins. Gutsy and well-made. A ripasso worthy of the nickname “baby Amarone.” Perfect for leg of lamb.

It’s that time of year again, when the chill outside makes you want to retreat indoors, light every candle you own and pour something warming into a proper glass. Winter calls for a certain kind of ...

A visit to the venerable house of Masi in Valpolicella, which was celebrating its 250th anniversary, provided proof that quality amarone ages very well. We tasted 35 wines, some single vineyard, ...

Corvina is used in the production of four distinct styles of wine: dry table wines, made from freshly harvested grapes; as well as amarone, recioto and ripasso style wines – these latter three are ...

Amarone is a unique Italian expression of red wine based on a complex winemaking technique. It's also a versatile partner for food. Brian Freedman is a wine, spirits, travel, and food writer; event ...