Kesko Introduces Pirkka Ripasso Wine

Finnish retailer Kesko has announced that it has added a new classic wine Pirkka Ripasso to the Pirkka wine range ahead of Easter.

The Pirkka Ripasso wine is available in Alko's selection and can be ordered online, the retailer added.

In 2003, Kesko started selling wine through Alko, a trading chain specialising in alcoholic beverages.

The sales of Pirkka wines increased 6.5% year-on-year in 2020, with customers purchasing more than 18,000 bottles.

Wines offered in the Pirkka series include Barolo, Amarone, Champagne, Chablis, Roero Arneis, and Riesling.

The most popular Pirkka Barolo is part of the selection in about 170 Alko stores in Finland, while Pirkka Riesling also achieved wide store availability among white wines.

'Solid Customer Base'

Vesa Kaukjärvi, Kespro's product manager for wine imports, said, "The Pirkka wine series already has a solid customer base, and all six previous wines have risen to Alko's standard selection thanks to their good sales, and some in some areas have become shelf products."

"We expect the popularity of Pirkka wines to grow this year as well. The new high-quality Ripasso is easily approachable and lower in price than Barolo and Amarone. Ripasso naturally continues the Pirkka wine series, which has brought customers classic wines from different wine regions to choose from," Kaukjärvi added.

A 'Classic' Product

Pirkka Ripasso is produced by the Sartori di Verona winery in Italy, which also makes Pirkka Amarone.

The winery is one of Veneto's classics and is still owned by the Sartor family.

The Ripasso wines are soft and silky with a slightly spicy tone.

Dried grapes from Amarone wine are used in the fermentation of Ripasso-style wines, which also gives it some residual sugar to round off the taste.

The versatile wine, aged for eight months in oak barrels, complements a variety of dishes including meat and casserole dishes, tomato pastas, antipasti, and ripe cheese.