Can y'all explain the difference in the meaning of ripasso and
ripassa?

Have seen both used (in wines I have liked very much, like the
Villabella ripassO) but don't know what the semantic distinction
between the terms is.

Thanks.

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AFAIK, there is no difference. Ripasso is the common spelling, I'm not
sure of anyone outside of Zenato who uses Ripassa.

Leo Bueno wrote:
Can y'all explain the difference in the meaning of ripasso and
ripassa?

Have seen both used (in wines I have liked very much, like the
Villabella ripassO) but don't know what the semantic distinction
between the terms is.

Thanks.

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Visit the MIAMI WINE TASTERS group at
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Hello, I live in the Verona area and I can better answer your question.
I hope my english is good enough to make myself understood.

You can imagine Ripasso being the process - "to pass again" on the
grapes - whilst Ripassa is a name.

As you know, the wine you're talking about is a wine that stands in the
middle in between Valpolicella Superiore and Amarone.

I hope that you'll better understand thanks to the following examples.
You can find four typical cases:

1) The winemaker adds "Ripasso" to the name of the product. In example,
Accordini Acinatico Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso. Accordini is the
winery; "Acinatico" is the "real" name of the product; "Valpolicella
Superiore" is the product; "Ripasso" is the additional process applied
to Valpolicella Superiore.

2) The winemaker calls the product Ripasso. In Example, Tommasi Ripasso
Valpolicella. "Tommasi" is the winery, "Valpolicella" is the product
(actually it is a Valpolicella Superiore); "Ripasso" is the "real" name
of the product. In this case, you understand that the wine also
undergone the Ripasso process.

3) The winemaker does not add Ripasso in the name, in example Begali
Valpolicella Classico Superiore "Vigneto la Cengia". In this case,
"Begali" is the winery;
"Valpolicella Classico Superiore" is the product; "Vigneto la Cengia"
is the name of the product. You must read the description on the label
to understand that this wine undergone the Ripasso process as it is not
explained at all on the product name.

4) The winemaker calls the product with a name that he decides. In
example Zenato Ripassa Valpolicella Superiore. "Zenato" is the winery;
"Ripassa" is the name of the product; "Valpolicella Superiore" is the
product. You will need to read the description on the label to
understand that this wine undergone the "Ripasso" process because
"Ripassa" does not mean anything, it is only a name like "Frank" or
"John" or "Susan".

So... "Ripasso" is a word with a sense in italian (to pass again), but
"Ripassa" does not mean (almost) anything - it is a name invented by
Zenato and applied to their Valpolicella "passed again" wine.

Regards
Andrea

On 9 Sep 2006 08:52:55 -0700, "DaleW" wrote:

AFAIK, there is no difference. Ripasso is the common spelling, I'm not
sure of anyone outside of Zenato who uses Ripassa.

Yes, it was a Zenato where I saw "ripassa" used.

By the way, I picked up the Zenato for about US$20; a very good value
I think.


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Leo Bueno wrote:
Can y'all explain the difference in the meaning of ripasso and
ripassa?

Have seen both used (in wines I have liked very much, like the
Villabella ripassO) but don't know what the semantic distinction
between the terms is.

Possibly Zenato uses "Ripassa" because he is describing the process (3rd
person singular of the verb ripassa il vino ripassa). "Ripasso" as
commonly used is the adjective form (un vino ripasso: male, singular) or
possibly the noun(un ripasso: a repeat).

Reka