Riondo Valpolicella Ripasso 2017 Review

The Veneto region is home to a huge assortment of amazing Italian wines that could happily find their way into anybody’s collection.

But amongst them all, Valpolicella may stand at the top of the mountain.

This gorgeous red wine may be the most representative of the region’s terroir, leading to it becoming one of the most popular Italian wines both domestically and abroad.

Naturally, this means that many producers from Veneto make it.

This left us with a dilemma when trying to choose which Valpolicella to spotlight in this review. With so many amazing options, how does our team decide which is most deserving of our attention?

Ultimately, pure quality made the decision for us.

The wine we are about to review may be one of the best examples of Valpolicella that we have ever had the privilege of experiencing. But before we get into what makes the wine so special, we should take a look at the company behind it – Cantine Riondo.

The Story

The story of Cantine Riondo is an interesting one because this is a winery that defies traditional expectations.

We often think of the companies that develop the best Italian wines as being those with deep family histories. They are the ones that can boast centuries of experience in the industry and have used this enormous knowledge to refine their winemaking to an art.

And that is certainly the case for many.

But in Cantine Riondo, we see an example of a new winery that is able to stand shoulder to shoulder with some of the industry’s biggest players.

The company was founded in 2008 as an offshoot of the Collis Veneto Wine Group. A consortium that operates on a national level, Collis includes over 2,000 members, all of whom are dedicated to promoting the wines of Veneto all over the world. With the consortium offering its marketing muscle, companies like Riondo are free to focus on their wines. This has led to a great deal of experimentation in a short period of time, resulting in a line-up of Italian wines that is the envy of many more established producers.

As mentioned, Collis is a collective of 2,000 winegrowing partners. 

Together, these partners oversee over 6,000 hectares of vineyards, primarily in Verona, Vicenza, and Padua. The grapes these partners grow are then delivered to five wineries, which handle the vinification process and ensure the grapes achieve their full potential when they finally become one.

Riondo is one of those wineries.

However, as a member of the group it also cultivates its own grapes. And so what we have here is a company that is both individualistic in its wine development while also being one that is actively contributing to, and sharing, the success of the members of the Collis collective. This setup has also proven beneficial for Riondo, as it has allowed it to distribute a wide variety of wines under separate brands, allowing for simpler marketing.

Cantine Riondo operates based on a set of values that permeate all of its winemaking activity.

Energy is the first of these.

The company maintains a young team of innovative wine professionals who are eager to place their own stamp on the industry. Together, this young team brings forth new ideas that create a tangible sense of excitement within the company. This energy is reflected in the wines produced, which are instantly recognisable and energetic in their own right.

Creating a sense of family and belonging is also a key value for Riondo, which may go some way to explaining why the company is part of the Collis collective.

The team at Riondo believes that working together, unconfined by issues of territoriality, is what leads to the creation of truly stunning wines. By encouraging its team to share ideas with others, it also enables the flow of innovations into its own winery. As a result, the family atmosphere the company cultivates is reflected in the joy that is evident in every vintage it produces.

Finally, the company commits to the ancient philosophy of Kaizen.

Finding its roots in Japan, this philosophy encourages continuous and gradual improvement in all aspects of life and business. Instead of focusing on sweeping changes, Riondo aims to create a culture in which continued and small innovations have great value. Whether these innovations lead to new wines or simple changes in process, each has its part to play in the collective success of the winery.

For such a new company, Riondo is one that has a definitive vision for where it wants to go and how it wants the Italian wine industry to see it.

And that vision is likely going to become a reality sooner, rather than later, if it continues producing wines that offer the quality of the one we’re about to review.

The Review

A dry and full-bodied wine, the Riondo Valpolicella Ripasso 2017 stands out from its peers thanks to its complexity. Riondo has dedicated itself to producing a product that is truly representative of the Corvina, Rondinella, and Corvinone grapes used to make it, leading to a wine that encourages exploration at every turn.

The bouquet offers notes of cherry and other red fruits, with various spices present both to complement and temper the sweeter flavours. The wine itself is made using a carefully selected batch of grapes, with only the best from the Collis collective finding their way into the bottle.

Upon tasting, you’ll find your senses awash in this glorious collection of flavours. 

This is not a wine to take lightly. Instead, true appreciation for the perfect harmony within only comes from taking your time and allowing your tongue to explore it. And as a wine with an ageing potential of up to 15 years, the Riondo Valpolicella Ripasso 2017 can provide even more joy to those who are willing to wait a little longer before exploring its full potential.

An absolute steal that is available on the Xtrawine site for less than €10, this wine received a staggering 96/100 rating from our team.

Do not let the low price fool you.

The Riondo Valpolicella Ripasso 2017 is a wine that any Italian winemaker would be proud of.