Peter's Weekly Selection - w/c 23rd November 2015

This week I'm just going to tell you about three wines - all from the same producer - Brigaldara.

This vineyard has a history going back to the 13th Century, but in 1929, the estate was bought by the Cesari family and ever since, they have been buying land and making exquisite wines. The three wines I've chosen for you this week are all Valpolicellas. Firstly a simple, wasy drinking wine - the Valpolicella DOC; medium weight, fruit driven and simple. A delicious mid week pizza wine.

Then there is the Valpolicella Ripasso, this is where the skins and seeds from the fermentation of the Amarone are macerated with a basic Valpolicella and the result is a higher alcohol and bigger bodied wine - think 'Diet Amarone'!

Which brings us onto Amarone. A delicious wine, where the raisined grapes are allowed to ferment to dryness, giving a dark, haunting, unctuous wine full of prune and tobacco flavours.

So why am I 'bigging up' Brigaldara? Simple. They are stupidly good value for money. For the price of a single bottle of Amarone from a producer like Allegrini, you can buy one of each of these and learn all you need to know about Valpolicella!