RJ Spagnols RJS Winery Series Amarone

[Dean]

Sadly, the raisin taste is supposed to be there as well. Commercial Amarone is made from dried grapes, so is supposed to taste like raisins. If you do find it not to your tastes, you can always cook with it.

 

[Wade E]

Joeswine, did you mean Ripassa? Ive never heard of Represso but that doesnt mean anything as I dont know much about commercial wines honestly. As Dean said, Amarones are made from sundried Grapes usually dried on oak staves.

 

[Dean]

I think he meant Ripasso or Ripassa. Both are Valpolicella wines that are made from regular Valpolicella, but then they put it on the unpressed pomace of Amarone grapes (Molinara, Rondinella, and Corvina). This starts a second fermentation, since there is still a bit of sugar in the skins. It makes for a more tannic and richer Valpolicella.

BTW: the RJS Valpolicella Rippasa is one of the best wines that I've ever had from RJS. I think it rivals even the EPs and Winery series!

 

[tonyt]

Amarone is arguably one of the must unique wines available. there are several reasons for them being so expensive. Just two of the cost contributors is the long time before release, five years or more and the fact that the grapes are dried for four months prior to crush yielding less juice. I come from a family that is "big time" into Amarone. Visiting wineries in the Veneto, creating substantial cellars of Amarone and drinking a fair amount of the stuff at family gatherings. although my wife and I absolutely love Amarone we are not of means to partake as often as we would like. About twice a year we treat ourselves to a bottle. I try to keep a couple bottles stored at all times. When we plan to celebrate and pop open one I replace it with a new bottle. We try to not open any Amarone until it's 10th birthday and 15 is better. Although there are Amarone under $50.00 trust me they don't represent what Amarone really is. I'm usually in the $60 - $75 range which is really on the low end of what we consider "real" Amarone. Under that price are good wines but not a "real" example of that Amarone is. So what is a "real" Amarone to me? Thick and dark like ink. 15% alcohol with no alcohol taste or heat. Fat, musty, fruity aroma. Long, almost everlasting finish. Darn, I wish it was my birthday, there's a bottle somewhere with my name of it.

 

[tonyt]

BTW: the RJS Valpolicella Rippasa is one of the best wines that I've ever had from RJS. I think it rivals even the EPs and Winery series!

+1 for that. I just bottled the RJS VR last weekend. I hated it as it was aging, then I thought I over oaked it, then at bottling it has all changed. It has definitely moved way up on my list of favorites. I took one half gallon of it and blended with a gallon of Rosso Fortussimo (Cab, Merlot, Sangiovesse), added 2 ounces of simple syrup and make an absolutely over the top delicious Rubio. Rubio is not an actual type of wine but the name given to a proprietary blend of L'arco, one of the Amarone makers. Kind of a Super Tuscan of the Venito.

 

[Rocky]

Joeswine, did you mean Ripassa? Ive never heard of Represso but that doesnt mean anything as I dont know much about commercial wines honestly. As Dean said, Amarones are made from sundried Grapes usually dried on oak staves.

As Andrew Jackson observed, "It's a damn poor mind that can think of only one way to spell a word!"

 

[joeswine]

yes and I can think of many a way to spell the same word wrong

thank the god of electronics for spell check if I remember to use it

yes what dean said a second pressing of the amarone blend or to repress.but stated the ITALIAN WAY...... nothing quite like it..

 

[v1rotate]

I think he meant Ripasso or Ripassa. Both are Valpolicella wines that are made from regular Valpolicella, but then they put it on the unpressed pomace of Amarone grapes (Molinara, Rondinella, and Corvina). This starts a second fermentation, since there is still a bit of sugar in the skins. It makes for a more tannic and richer Valpolicella.



BTW: the RJS Valpolicella Rippasa is one of the best wines that I've ever had from RJS. I think it rivals even the EPs and Winery series!

Great information, Dean. I just put a couple of VR kits on my wish list.

 

[Rocky]

This discussion has lead me to consider what wines I will make in the future. I currently have two batches of Amarone going and I am questioning the wisdom of doing so. From what I am reading, I can look forward drinking a minimally well aged wine when I am 79. Heck, I probably would be able to find my wine cellar or remember how to use a cork-screw at that age! I had better stick to Zins and Cabs in the future.

 

[joeswine]

YOU KNOW ROCKY I THOUGHT THE SAME THING,BUT I MADE IT ANY WAY....COME FALL I WILL MAKE 14 GALLONS AND HAVE THEM DRINK IT ON MY FINERAL DAY....ACTUALLY 2 YEARS IS GOOD ENOUGHT ESPECIALLY IF ITS A KIT..THIS ONE IM DOING NOW I WANT TO BE ABLE TO DRINK IN ONE YEAR.......(GOOD WINES GONE BAD) COMING UP ON DAY 7

 

[Wade E]

Yep, I have a few bottles (I think) still of that kit also (maybe, now I have to go check and I believe that has even more age on it, maybe 5-6 on that 1! Joeswine, I wasnt correcting you really, I was just really wondering if there another blend of this stuff I havent tried. I type very fast with 2 fingers (LOL) so I use spell check often to but wish the dang thing would always stay on as lots of times it doesnt show any problems with my spelling or just doesnt notice there is a problem.

 

[Repsolal]

I have a Cru select amerone, brunello and a barolo
along with a mosti M Barolo
all in carboys at the 60-70 day mark. While browsing the local liquor store, I see Amerones for $49, brunello $38
there is no darn way im paying that for a bottle of wine
so hopefully these kits somehwat resemble the commercial ones because this is as close as im coming to tasting one

 

[joeswine]

wade ,never any harm taken the fact is I can't spell for sh-t and if it wasn't for spell check which I do forget to use at times you would be talking to a real droken italian accent (at least in print)

. also to our friend their sometimes one most treated ones self to a little luxury and that my friend is at the bottom of the aramone price list...

at $50.

 

[smcalli1]

Rocky, I'm getting ready to start the same kit with the jar of grape skins and the raisin pack. The instructions don't mention raisins, per se, just dried fruit which they say should be rehydrated in hot water and added before the yeast . . . loose I'm presuming. After chopping yours up, did you rehydrate the raisins? Thanks.