Muted and slightly muddled on first nose, the 2010 Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore Arusnatico exhibits tones of ripe cherry, sweet spice, tobacco and leather. The style is straightforward and frank, and the wine slowly reveals more of its personality as it takes on air in the glass. A snappy touch of bitter cherry gives it closure. Drink 2013-2017. Behind every great woman is a great man. Valentina Cubi and her husband Giancarlo Vason make a dynamic winemaking duo and have pursued their dream of making fine wines since the late 1960s. Their institutional knowledge of Valpolicella’s best single vineyards and microclimates is hard to beat. They represent a steady and composed “wiser generation” in this tightly knit winemaking community. Yet, despite all this, Valentina Cubi is an exciting, under-the-radar proposition that gets “discovered” by some stray wine writer with frequent recurrence. In my view, they deserve more credit. Along with other important names in Valpolicella, Valentina Cubi is a protagonist in the stylistic revolution that defines modern Amarone. Organic farming started in 2010. Importer: Votto Vines Importing, www.vottovines.com