Valpolicella Ripasso and Recioto: The Region's Other Two Styles

This guide from Verona Wine Tours explains the two Valpolicella wines that often sit in Amarone's shadow. Ripasso is a dry, structured red that gains its character from a second fermentation on the skins of Amarone or Recioto. Recioto is the sweet, concentrated ancestor that gave birth to Amarone when a forgotten cask fermented dry. Both are produced under strict rules, and the best way to understand them is a tasting that pours all three styles side by side.

What kind of wine is Valpolicella Ripasso?

Ripasso is a dry red wine born from the Valpolicella tradition, where a young Valpolicella wine is refermented on the marc (skins) left over from Amarone or Recioto production. The process adds body, alcohol (min 12.5%, 13% for Superiore) and layers of dried fruit, spice and a slightly bitter finish, yet it costs far less than Amarone.

The word ripasso means "repassed" in Italian. The technique is a single re-fermentation of a finished Valpolicella DOC wine on the pomace that has already been used to make Amarone della Valpolicella or Recioto della Valpolicella. The marc still holds residual sugar and aromatic compounds, and the second fermentation extracts extra colour, tannin and complexity. By law, the liquid fraction added by the marc must be between 10% and 15% of the volume, and the total volume of Ripasso produced cannot exceed twice the volume of the Amarone or Recioto that supplied the marc. The base wine must reach at least 11.5% alcohol before the ripasso process, and the finished Ripasso must have a minimum of 12.5% alcohol. The dry extract minimum is 24 g/l, underlining the wine's structure.

The grape blend is the same as Amarone: Corvina and/or Corvinone 45–95%, Rondinella 5–30%, with a maximum of 25% other non-aromatic local reds permitted within the disciplinare. In practice, Ripasso sits between a fresh Valpolicella and a full-blown Amarone: it has Amarone's dried-fruit character but with a lighter body and a more approachable price. The wine can show dried cherry, plum, Christmas spice, and a gentle bitterness on the finish, a hallmark of the local grapes. It is often aged in large oak casks, adding a touch of vanilla or toast, though the disciplinare does not require wood. Many producers release their Ripasso after one year, making it an early-drinking alternative to Amarone's mandatory two-year minimum aging.

The result is a versatile food wine that pairs with everything from pasta with meat sauce to roast chicken and aged cheeses, without overpowering the dish. It is also the most efficient way to experience the Amarone flavour profile without the Amarone budget, a point that makes it a favourite among locals in Verona's trattorias.

Is Ripasso considered a high quality wine?

Yes, Ripasso is a respected DOC wine that can age well, though it lacks the lengthy aging requirements of Amarone. It represents a value proposition, often costing half or less than Amarone and delivering a similar flavour profile in a more approachable frame, and the best examples come from the Classico zone.

Ripasso's quality has been recognised by the Italian wine authorities since the DOC was formalised. The regulations are tight, and the best examples come from the Classico zone, the historic heartland of Negrar, Marano, Fumane, Sant'Ambrogio, and San Pietro in Cariano. Producers such as Tommasi, Tedeschi, and Speri make Ripasso that can hold its own against many Amarone wines, especially in years when the dried-grape selection is not at its peak. The Superiore designation requires a minimum of 13% alcohol and 26 g/l dry extract, which signals a denser, more cellar-worthy wine. Some producers age their Ripasso Superiore in barrel for a year or more, and these bottles can develop for five to eight years.

The price gap is the most obvious argument for Ripasso. A bottle of Amarone della Valpolicella Classico typically starts around $30–$40 (checked September 2026), while a Ripasso from the same estate often costs $15–$25 (checked September 2026). That makes it a daily-drinking luxury for those who enjoy the Amarone style but not the Amarone budget. For a deeper look at the region's flagship, see our guide to Amarone della Valpolicella.

Tasting related wines together makes the production differences easier to recognise. Check the listed pours: the hillside flight explicitly includes Ripasso and Amarone, while the two-winery lunch outing explicitly includes a Recioto pairing.

The San Giorgio half-day includes at least four Valpolicella wines, food pairings and van transport from the Pagus office. The four-hour tour from Via Teatro Ristori 7 visits two wineries and includes Amarone. Neither should be described as guaranteeing every Valpolicella style unless the booked option lists those pours.

What is Recioto della Valpolicella?

Recioto is the sweet ancestor of Amarone, made from dried grapes and stopped before all the sugar ferments into alcohol. It must reach a minimum of 12% effective alcohol plus at least 2.8% potential alcohol left as unfermented sugar, making it a luscious, full-bodied dessert wine that pairs with chocolate, blue cheese, or dry pastries.

The name Recioto comes from the dialect word "recia," meaning ear, referring to the top, most exposed part of the grape cluster that was traditionally set aside for drying. The same Corvina-dominant grapes are dried for three to four months, concentrating sugars and flavours. The must is then fermented, but the winemaker stops the process before all the sugar is consumed, leaving a wine with a minimum of 12% alcohol and enough unfermented sugar to carry at least 2.8% potential alcohol. The grape-to-wine yield is capped at 40%, identical to Amarone, so the wine is equally intense.

Recioto della Valpolicella is the oldest named wine of the area, recorded long before Amarone. According to local lore, Amarone was born by accident when a barrel of Recioto fermented too long and turned dry. Today, Recioto is a DOCG wine in its own right, with the same grape rules and drying requirements as Amarone. The disciplinare allows no pressing before 1 December, and the grapes must have a minimum natural alcohol of 14% after drying, though the finished wine's effective alcohol is lower because of the retained sugar. There is no legally mandated minimum aging period, so the wine can be released when the producer deems it ready.

A typical Recioto smells of macerated cherries, figs, and cocoa, with a velvety texture and a long, sweet finish. It is often bottled in half-bottles and retails for $25–$50 (checked September 2026), depending on the producer. It is a traditional Christmas wine in Verona, served with panettone or pandoro, but it also shines with strong blue cheeses or a bitter chocolate tart.

A tasting that ends with Recioto can show how differently the dried grapes develop when sugar is retained. The winery-and-lunch outing explicitly includes Recioto paired with traditional cake (see Is Valpolicella worth visiting?).

The San Giorgio half-day is a separate regional wine outing with at least four wines and bread, cheese and/or salami. It meets at the Pagus Wine Tours office in Verona and excludes hotel pickup.

For a shorter winery visit focused on the dry styles, the panoramic tasting at Corte San Mattia lists a white IGT, Valpolicella, Superiore, Ripasso and Amarone, with a local-products platter. Arrange your own transport; Recioto is not listed in this flight.

How do Ripasso, Recioto and Amarone differ?

The three wines share the same grape varieties and are born from the same drying tradition, but they diverge in fermentation, sugar, and aging. Ripasso is a dry, second‑fermentation wine; Recioto is a sweet, arrested‑fermentation wine; and Amarone is a dry, fully fermented wine from dried grapes, with a mandatory two-year minimum aging period.

The table below summarises the key legal and practical differences. All figures are taken from the current disciplinari (checked September 2026 for volatile prices only).

The three wines are often displayed together in a tasting room to show the range of the Valpolicella tradition. A standard cellar visit might start with the fresh Valpolicella, then move to the Ripasso to demonstrate the effect of the marc, followed by the Amarone for the full dried-grape intensity, and finish with the Recioto as a sweet counterpoint. This progression, sometimes called the "Valpolicella ladder," is available on several small-group tours.

The historic estate visit at Tenuta Santa Maria / Villa Mosconi Bertani offers a sommelier-led tasting of four or six wines, depending on the option. It excludes transfers and pickup; food pairings are optional, and villa or park access may vary during events.

The Classico zone communes of Negrar, Marano, Fumane, Sant'Ambrogio, and San Pietro in Cariano are the heartland for all three wines, and a drive from central Verona to any of them takes 20–25 minutes. For a broader look at planning a visit, see our guide to Valpolicella wine tours.

Why does Ripasso cost less than Amarone?

Ripasso costs less than Amarone primarily because it skips the costly and risky appassimento process, uses a base wine rather than dried grapes, and carries no mandatory aging requirement. The result is a wine that can be released earlier and sold for roughly half the price, while still delivering the dried-fruit character of Amarone in a lighter frame.

The appassimento process, drying the grapes for three to four months, is the single largest cost driver in Amarone production. Grapes lose about 40% of their weight to evaporation, and the risk of mould or spoilage means constant monitoring. Ripasso sidesteps all of that: it uses a finished Valpolicella DOC wine as its base, then borrows the marc from Amarone or Recioto for a short second fermentation. The marc adds flavour, colour, and tannin without the producer having to dedicate a portion of the harvest to drying.

The absence of mandatory aging is another cost advantage. Amarone must spend at least two years in the cellar from 1 January after the harvest, and Riserva requires four years. Ripasso can be bottled and sold much sooner, freeing up cash flow and barrel space. The table below shows how the production costs feed through to typical retail prices.

The pricing makes Ripasso the most practical entry point for anyone who wants to drink the Valpolicella style regularly. A bottle opened on a Tuesday evening with a plate of pasta feels entirely appropriate, whereas an Amarone often feels like a weekend or special-occasion wine. For a guide to the region's flagship wine, see our piece on Amarone wineries to visit.

Where to taste all three styles on a tour

A guided outing lets you taste without driving between wineries, but the wine list matters more than the tour label. Choose the hillside flight for a named Ripasso-and-Amarone comparison, or the two-winery lunch outing for its explicit Recioto pairing and Amarone vintages.

Compare the tasting lists as well as the duration: a short hillside flight, a village-and-winery half-day and a longer outing with lunch serve different interests. Do not assume that every Amarone tour includes Recioto.

Beyond the organised tours, many wineries in the Classico zone offer tastings that include Ripasso and Recioto by the glass. The typical cellar visit fee runs EUR 25–80 per person (checked September 2026), with premium verticals and lunch formats reaching EUR 100–150. Reservations are essential, and most estates are closed on Sunday. The wineries around Negrar, San Pietro in Cariano, and Marano are the most accessible from Verona, a 20–25-minute drive.

The Verona area also offers e‑bike rentals that let you pedal between cantinas. The Valpo in Sella rental in San Pietro in Cariano charges EUR 35 for a half‑day and EUR 50 for a full day (checked September 2026), with delivery available for a small fee. It is a self‑guided option that pairs well with a couple of pre‑booked tastings, though you will need to plan your route carefully and book each winery in advance.

For travellers coming from Lake Garda, departure points and return transport need a separate check: a Verona meeting point does not include a journey from the lake. See our guide to Lake Garda wine tours for lake-based options.

Common questions about Valpolicella Ripasso and Recioto

What kind of wine is Valpolicella Ripasso?

Valpolicella Ripasso is a dry red wine made by re-fermenting a finished Valpolicella wine on the marc of Amarone or Recioto. The process adds body, alcohol, and dried-fruit character, creating a wine that sits between a fresh Valpolicella and a full Amarone.

Is Ripasso considered a high quality wine?

Yes, Ripasso is a respected DOC wine that can age well, especially in its Superiore form. It offers a similar flavour profile to Amarone at a lower price, typically $15–$25 a bottle (checked September 2026), and pairs well with a wide range of foods.

What is the difference between Ripasso and Amarone?

Ripasso is refermented on Amarone marc, not made from dried grapes. It has a lower minimum alcohol (12.5% vs 14%), no mandatory aging, and a lighter body. Amarone is a full-blown dry wine from dried grapes, aged at least two years.

Is Recioto always sweet?

Yes, Recioto della Valpolicella is a sweet wine by definition. The fermentation is stopped before all the sugar is consumed, leaving unfermented sugar worth at least 2.8% potential alcohol. It is the sweet ancestor of Amarone and pairs well with desserts and blue cheese.

How should I serve Ripasso and Recioto?

Ripasso is best served slightly below room temperature in a large red-wine glass. Recioto should be served lightly chilled, in a smaller glass to concentrate the aromas. Both benefit from an hour of aeration after opening.

Can I visit a winery to taste all three styles?

Yes, many wineries in the Valpolicella Classico zone offer tastings that include Ripasso, Recioto, and Amarone. Check the exact flight before booking. The panoramic winery tasting explicitly includes Ripasso and Amarone; the two-winery lunch outing explicitly includes Amarone vintages and a Recioto pairing.