Zenato Ripassa's 20th Anniversary celebration at Biagio's Nov 25/12

The Date and Time: Thursday, November 15, 2012 1PM to 4PM
The Event: Zenato Ripassa 20th anniversary vertical tasting, with
Alberto Zenato, owner and winemaker, and with his agency J. Cipelli.
The Venue: Biago's
The Target Audience: wine writers
The Availability/Catalogue: very few of these wines are now available
except at the winery and upon request. The current Ontario LCBO
offering is 2009 vintage, at $24.95 +479766.
The Quote/Background: Ripassa is a copyrighted/trademarked term by
Zenato. It is their expression for "Ripasso"; it is done the same way.
The first vintage was in 1992, we started with the next one from 1993.
We had nine ripassas.
The Wines: We began with the Lugana Brut NV sparkler, MC production,
made with a trebbiano clone. It was excellent, between $30 – 35, my
rated at ***1/2 or 89 points.

**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Zenato Valpoliella Classico Ripassa 2001 – aged beautifully, difficult
to separate from Amarone.
-Zenato Valpoliella Classico Ripassa 1995 – dramatically aged, like an
amarone

***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price
Rating terms):
-Lugana Brut MC NV, $30 – 35.
-Zenato Valpoliella Classico Ripassa 1993 – chocolate and spices,
showing age well
-Zenato Valpoliella Classico Ripassa 1997 – rounder, but dried shorter
finish
-Zenato Valpoliella Classico Ripassa 2004 – juicy Italianate
-Zenato Valpoliella Classico Ripassa 2006 – chocolate, NA style
-Zenato Valpoliella Classico Ripassa 2009, $24.95, +479766 – good
Italianate consistency, big wine in style, opens beautifully.

*** GOOD -- Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Zenato Rosso del Veneto IGT, +208579, $11.40
-Zenato Soave Classico DOC, +268417, $12.75
-Zenato Valpoliella Classico Ripassa 1998 – huge nose but tastes old,
some acetone which blew off.
-Zenato Valpoliella Classico Ripassa 2008 – flat but chewy cherries.

The Food: charcuterie, breads, tomatoes and mozzarella.
The Downside: nothing really, although not every RSVP person turned
out.
The Upside: a chance to talk with Alberto Zenato
The Contact Person: dpancer.cipelli@bellnet.ca
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade):
91.

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com