I recently opened a bottle of Secco-Bertani 2006 Valpolicella Valpantena Ripasso ($20), and after one sip, put the glass down and went directly to buy some kind of meat to go with for supper. I love these kinds of traditional Italian wines, and with fall in the air, I wanted something seasonal to complement the distinct taste of the wine.

Ripasso is a centuries-old technique in Italy’s Veneto region whereby winemakers add extra flavor and body to Valpolicella wines by re-fermenting young wines on unpressed grape skins leftover from the making of Amarone wines. These days, the trend is toward using partially-dried grapes instead of the skins of “used” grapes, with the theory being that all the good, fruity stuff has already been extracted for the Amarone wines, leaving only bitter tannins for the Valpolicella.

That makes perfect sense to me and sounds like a sensible move. On the other hand, I like the idea of the traditional methods not dying off completely, and every now and then taste a wine like this that makes me glad that someone is still doing it the old way.

The Secco-Bertani 2006 Valpolicella Valpantena Ripasso ($20) offers roasted herbal accents to dried cherry and currant flavors, with hazelnut skin and spice notes on the slightly bitter finish. Ready to drink now and over the next two or three years. Locate this wine online or in your area. Pair with roasted meat, like:

Grilled Spiced Venison Chops
This marinade would add the same wonderful depth of flavor to game birds or beef!

For 2-3 lbs of venison chops, combine:
¾ cup dry red wine
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons light molasses
1 tablespoon crushed juniper berries (or 2 tablespoons gin)
3 garlic cloves, minced
zest of ½ orange
zest of one lemon
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 ½ teaspoons dried rosemary
8 whole cloves
7 whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
¾ teaspoon coarse salt

Whisk together all ingredients. Pour over venison and marinate 6-12 hours in refrigerator.

Remove venison and pat dry. Pour marinade into saucepan and bring to boil. Boil for one minute.

Prepare grill. Grill venison, basting with marinade, for about 7 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.