Uncorked: Winter Wine Recommendations

This winter season, one traditional and one more contemporary red should be on your radar from Tommasi, the 4th generation Italian winemaking family: Tommasi Ripasso Valpolicella 2013, a classic red from the Veneto, and Poggio al Tufo Rompicollo 2013, a modern Super Tuscan.

Both bottles are perfect for the fireside this winter, each pairing well with hearty dishes. Think stew, lasagna and lamb...

Tommasi Ripasso is composed of a blend of 70% Corvina Veronese, 25% Rondinella and 5% Corvinone, and made in the traditional fashion of refermenting the wine passed over the grape skins left over from the vinification of Tommasi’s well-known Amarone. The 2013 Ripasso (SRP $33) is medium-bodied wine with aromas of cedar, dried-berry, almonds and flowers with a flavorful finish. The grapes used to make the wine are gathered from Conca d’Oro, la Groletta and De Buris, some of the Valpolicella Classico region’s most prized vineyard locations. Aged for 18-months in large Slavonian oak barrels, the resulting final product is rich in character and personality.

Poggio a Tufo Rompicollo 2013 (SRP $18) is produced at the Tommasi family’s recently acquired vineyards in Pitigliano, an historic city in Maremma. Greatly influenced by the region’s coastal climate, the Poggio al Tufo vineyard yields a contemporary Super Tuscan made of 60% Sangiovese and 40% Cabernet with an intense ruby red color, a bouquet of mature red berries and a well-balanced structure with fruity flavors. As with most Tommasi wines, it is gently aged in Slavonian oak, preserving the best of both grape’s profiles.

Cheers to winter!