Prá Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso Morandina 2021

Graziano Prà is best known as one of the key producers behind the modern revival of Soave, but since the early 2000s he has also developed an important presence in Valpolicella. Prà began producing his own wines in the 1980s and became sole owner of the family estate in 2007. In 2001 he purchased the Morandina vineyards in the hills of Mezzane and Tregnago, looking specifically for a cooler, higher elevation site capable of producing fresher, more elegant red wines.

The Morandina vineyards sit around 450 meters above sea level with southeast exposure on calcareous, rocky soils influenced by cool air descending from the Lessini Mountains. The vineyards have been farmed organically since Prà acquired them, with hillside plantings, hand harvesting and low yields central to the estate’s approach. The site is planted to the traditional Valpolicella varieties corvina, corvinone, rondinella and oseleta.

The 2021 Morandina is made using the traditional ripasso method: the finished Valpolicella is refermented on the recently pressed skins from Prà’s Amarone, with approximately five days of additional maceration. Rather than seeking the heavier style sometimes associated with Ripasso, Graziano emphasizes freshness and terroir. The wine undergoes élevage for 12 months in Allier oak tonneaux; the estate’s detailed technical sheet also notes an additional two months in large 20 hectoliter casks.

The wine shows ripe black cherry, sour cherry and plum, with black pepper, spice and a slightly herbal, rhubarb like character. It is rich and concentrated but retains lively acidity and savory freshness, with supple tannins and a long, gently bitter cherry finish. The overall impression is polished and substantial without losing the lifted character of its high altitude site.