# Catullo Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore DOC (2021)

- **Producer:** Bertani
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella
- **Region:** Veneto, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €25
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** plum, cherry, white pepper, mint, vanilla, chocolate, cedar, tobacco

## About this wine

Bertani, founded in 1857 and now part of Angelini Wines & Estates, created Catullo as an homage to the ancient Roman poet Gaius Valerius Catullus, who was born in neighboring Verona. Sourced from the Tenuta Novare estate in Arbizzano di Negrar in the historic heart of Valpolicella Classica, this bottling represents authentic Veronese winemaking traditions and regional character.

## Interesting facts

- Named in honor of the Roman poet Gaius Valerius Catullus, who was born in nearby Verona.
- Exactly one bottle of Catullo is produced for every bottle of Bertani's flagship Amarone Classico.
- Uses the traditional Ripasso technique, re-fermenting young wine on Amarone pomace every spring.

## Food pairing

The wine's rich fruit profile, balanced acidity, and refined tannic structure allow it to cut through rich fats in roasted or braised red meats while complementing aged savory cheeses and slow-cooked sauces.

## Wine making process

Grapes are hand-harvested starting in mid-September. In March, young Valpolicella Classico wine is re-fermented on the fresh pomace of Bertani's flagship Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, sticking strictly to a one-to-one ratio with Amarone production. The wine ages for 12 months in 75-hectolitre French oak barrels, followed by 12 months in 100-hectolitre concrete vats and at least 6 months of bottle aging prior to release.