I particularly liked this wine at the last Co-op press tasting and found myself looking for it every time I went into my local Co-op afterwards. It proved surprisingly elusive. I finally spotted it while on holiday in Dorset, so I snapped up a bottle.
The Palazzo Maffei name comes directly from the historic estate once occupied by the Marquises Maffei. The Maffei family was prominent among Verona’s aristocracy, and the estate itself appears on maps dating from around 1600.
This 2021 vintage is a blend of 60% Corvina, 30% Corvinone and 10% Rondinella. The Superiore designation means it has to meet stricter production rules and higher quality standards than the standard version of the wine, although that doesn’t necessarily mean it will taste better.
It is made using the traditional Ripasso refermentation method, then aged for 24 months in tonneaux and cylindrical-conical wooden tanks. It finishes up at a fairly substantial 14.5% ABV.
It has some impressive credentials. At the MUNDUS VINI Spring Tasting 2025 it was named “Best of Show Valpolicella Ripasso”, with the Meininger/MUNDUS VINI award entry also showing its gold-medal status. It was also featured by Olly Smith on Saturday Kitchen, where he chose it to go with roast venison loin. It currently carries a high 3.9 score on Vivino.
The label includes a back-label description in Italian, which adds a nice touch of authenticity. However, the English translation underneath, describing the wine as “well bodied”, raised a smile.
The wine was much as I remembered it from the press tasting. It is great straight from the bottle, with no airing needed. The colour is just beginning to brown slightly at the edges. Morello cherry, plum, chocolate and spice come through, along with a clear oaky character. The flavour is richer and more velvety from the refermentation on Amarone skins, with a dry to off-dry sweetness, medium to full body and low to medium tannins. The finish is long, warm and spiced, with an almost Amarone-like intensity. Importantly, it comes across as dry to off-dry rather than sweet, as some Ripasso wines can be. In fact, it seemed more savoury than I remembered, which made it even more lovely.
This can be a difficult wine to find, but it is worth the search. It is available for £14 from Co-op, although Olly Smith quoted £12.75 on Saturday Kitchen. I do know Co-op wine prices can vary from store to store.
