Massimago 'Mariabella' Valpolicella Ripasso, Veneto, Italy 2021

Founded in 2003 by Camilla Rossi Chauvenet, Massimago is an organic estate in Mezzane di Sotto, a hillside village in the Valpolicella DOC. With a focus on sustainable viticulture and innovative winemaking, Camilla has revitalized her family’s historic property into one of the most dynamic cellars in the region. The wines—certified organic since 2014—balance tradition with a fresh, elegant approach that highlights the estate’s limestone-rich soils and high-elevation sites.

• WINEMAKER: Camilla Rossi Chauvenet
• FARMING: Certified Organic
• VARIETY: Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella
• TERROIR: Estate vineyards in Mezzane di Sotto, on marly-limestone and clay soils; 100–400m elevation; 7,000 vines per hectare; Guyot-trained.
• VINIFICATION: Grapes hand-selected and destemmed. Fermentation and maceration in stainless steel with prolonged skin contact. After several months, Amarone dried grape skins are added to the base Valpolicella to initiate a second fermentation (“ripasso”), enhancing body, alcohol, and aromatic complexity.
• AGING: 12 months in French oak tonneaux and large oak casks, followed by bottle refinement (approx. 6–12 months depending on vintage).
• TASTING NOTES: Bright ruby red. Aromas of fresh and sour cherries, wild strawberries, candied orange peel, and balsamic herbs (thyme, mint). On the palate, red cherry, plum, and clove with balanced savory and sweet notes. Smooth texture, supple tannins, and a lively, dynamic finish.
• FOOD PAIRINGS: Versatile with white meats, roasted chicken, veal stew, aged cheeses, American BBQ, Iranian stews, cured hams, and sausages.