Level 2 · Wine & Spirits Exam Prep
Italian Red Wines: Veneto
Valpolicella, Amarone and the wines of northeast Italy.
Topics covered
- Valpolicella
- Amarone della Valpolicella
- Ripasso
- Soave
Level 2 Study Guide
Sparkling Wine Production
Quick Revision
- Valpolicella: light, red cherry, almond
- Amarone: appassimento (dried grapes), full, dry
- Amarone: 15–17% ABV, dried fruit, chocolate
- Ripasso: refermented on Amarone skins
- "Baby Amarone" = Ripasso
- Main grape: Corvina
Key Facts for the Exam
- Valpolicella: lighter, dry red from Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella; red cherry, spice, almond
- Amarone della Valpolicella: DOCG; made from partially dried grapes (appassimento); full-bodied, high alcohol, concentrated
- Ripasso: Valpolicella refermented over Amarone grape skins — adds body and richness; "baby Amarone"
- Bardolino: lighter, easy-drinking red and rosato from southern shores of Lake Garda
- Amarone ageing minimum: 2 years for standard, 4 years for Riserva
- Appassimento process dries grapes 3–4 months; concentrates sugar, flavour, and produces dried fruit notes
Level 2 Exam Tips
- 1.Appassimento = dried grape method = Amarone. This process is what makes Amarone unique.
- 2.Ripasso = refermented over Amarone skins = more body than regular Valpolicella.
- 3.Know Amarone characteristics: full body, high alcohol (15–17%), dried fruit, chocolate, tobacco.
- 4.Corvina is the dominant grape in Valpolicella/Amarone — a common question about Italian varieties.
Common Exam Mistakes
- ✗Thinking Amarone is sweet — it is fully DRY despite the concentration of dried grapes
- ✗Confusing Ripasso with Amarone — Ripasso is a lighter style using Amarone skins, not the same wine
- ✗Forgetting Bardolino and Valpolicella are both from the Veneto — different sub-zones near Verona
Key Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the difference between Valpolicella, Ripasso, and Amarone?
- All three are from the Valpolicella zone in Veneto. Regular Valpolicella is a lighter, fresh everyday red. Amarone is made by drying the grapes for months (appassimento), producing a concentrated, full-bodied dry wine with high alcohol. Ripasso occupies the middle ground — regular Valpolicella wine is refermented over the leftover dried grape skins from Amarone production, adding body and richness.