2022 Alpha Zeta, `R` Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso - Liberty

Alpha Zeta was conceived in 1999 when Liberty Wines set out to produce a range of modern, fruit-driven wines from the hills outside Verona. Working with leading New Zealand winemaker Matt Thomson of Blank Canvas, Alpha Zeta works directly with growers rather than buying bulk wine, the standard for most wines from Verona at this price. In doing so, ripe grapes are obtained by reducing yields and picking later, utilising Matt’s expertise to preserve these flavours in the finished wines. As a result, Alpha Zeta continues to offer great value, quality, balance and typicity.

The unoaked ‘S’ Soave is dry, scented and delicious, while the ‘C’ Chardonnay is melony and impressive, offering outstanding value. The ‘P’ Pinot Grigio, made solely from grapes grown on hillside vineyards in the Alpone Valley, is balanced and quaffable with a lovely pear and bread crust character on the nose and palate. The ‘Terrapieno’ Pinot Grigio is a testament to the close collaboration between Matt and his grower. Having discovered the quality of the fruit from this vineyard, Matt decided to bottle it separately, creating a wine with great intensity and a silky texture. The reds are equally impressive. The ‘V’ Valpolicella has bright, black cherry fruit and velvety tannins, while the ‘R’ Ripasso is silky and scented. New for the 2023 vintage is a Valpolicella hailing from the Valpantena valley. Here, higher elevations lend themselves an elegant and complex profile, enhanced by the use of whole bunch fermentation. The range is rounded out with the ‘A’ Amarone, which is one of the best-value examples available on the market today.

The vineyards are situated at 200-300 metres above sea level in the hills outside Verona in the Valpantena Valley and are south/south-east facing. Cool breezes blow down the valley from the foothills of the Dolomites, which moderate the climate, enabling the grapes to ripen slowly and helping them to retain their aromatic compounds and acidity. The soil is poor and chalky so the vines are put under stress and produce superior quality fruit. The vines are 20-30 years old on average and trained using both the traditional Pergola Veronese and Guyot systems.

2022 was a predominantly dry and warm vintage. The grapes remained healthy throughout the season, with no significant disease pressure or issues. As a result, the harvest delivered fruit of excellent quality.

This wine is made using a modern interpretation of the traditional Veronese ‘ripasso’ method. Historically, young Valpolicella wine was re-fermented on the skins of the Amarone grapes once their fermentation finished in March. Today, the modern technique involves fermenting the young wine with dried grapes in the January following the harvest, adding greater body, richness, and depth. After temperature-controlled fermentation, this Ripasso was aged in oak before bottling. The combination of traditional principles and modern practices results in a wine with freshness, structure, and depth.

Ruby red in colour, this Ripasso opens with a concentrated nose full of aromas of red fruits and dried cherries. Full-bodied on the palate, it shows lovely balance between an opulent cherry-pie character and supple structure. The finish is long with a mouthwatering bitter-cherry twist.