Veneto is in the far north-east of Italy, stretching from the Dolomites mountains to the Adriatic coast.
The Veneto region is one of 20 regions in Italy, and it is situated in the far north-east corner of the country. It borders Trentino-Alto Adige to the north and Friuli Venezia Giulia to the east, and it stretches from the Dolomites mountains to the Adriatic coast. Veneto is the fifth largest region in Italy, with an area of 18,398 square kilometers.
The region’s vineyards are mostly in the eastern half of the region, along a band running from Lake Garda to Treviso.
Veneto is in the far north-east of Italy, with its vineyards mostly in the eastern half of the region, along a band running from Lake Garda to Treviso. Venice itself has DOCs for grapes other than wine, but these are very minor; otherwise, most of the Veneto’s production consists of Valpolicella and Soave (both white), Bardolino (light red) and Amarone della Valpolicella (big red).
Venice itself has its own DOCs, but these are mainly for grapes other than wine; its best-known wine is Valpolicella, although it does not come from Venice itself.
Venice is a great place to try wine, but it isn’t a wine region itself. However, it does have its own DOCs (protected designations of origin) for things other than wine, such as dry biscuits and rice cakes. One of the city’s most popular wines is Valpolicella, which actually comes from outside Venice in Verona province. The best way to experience Venetian wine culture? Go on one of the many canal cruises through the city and enjoy some fine local food with a glass of your favorite bottle from the region.
Valpolicella is made in several different ways, but the best is ripasso – where partially dried grapes are fermented together with Amarone lees (or sometimes with whole Amarone must).
To make any style of Valpolicella, you must first choose the right grapes. Ripeness is key here; under-ripe grapes will make a wine that’s unpleasantly tart and bitter. The variety most often used is Corvina, which accounts for up to 50% of the blend, although other varieties such as Rondinella, Molinara and others (up to 15 in total) can be included.
The best-known style of Valpolicella is ripasso – where partially dried grapes are fermented together with Amarone lees (or sometimes with whole Amarone must). Why do this? Because it gives the wine a deeper colour, more intense fruit flavours and higher alcohol. Other styles include Classico Superiore (up to 10% alcohol more than standard Valpolicella), Valpolicella Classico Recioto and so on.
Valpolicella is typically low in tannins and high in acidity, making it a good match for foods that might overwhelm other wines – rich tomato sauces or creamy pasta dishes, for example. Look out for names such as Allegrini or Tedeschi – they tend to be excellent examples of ripasso.
Amarone is an extremely long-aged wine, which can only be made by pressing dried grapes.
One of the most prestigious types of wine from Veneto is Amarone. If you’re interested in learning about this variety, here are a few things you ought to know.
Amarone is made by pressing grapes that were harvested and dried for several months before being fermented, which gives it its high alcohol level. It also means that only certain grapes can be used to make an Amarone DOCG, because not all varieties can survive this long without rotting.
Amarone is always a DOCG wine with an alcohol level between 15 and 17% (the highest allowed). It must have been aged at least two years before selling and is traditionally released four years after the harvest date. However, there are three subcategories: Riserva (must be aged at least five years), Riserva Passito (made from very ripe dried grapes) and Recioto della Valpolicella (made from dried red grapes).
Prosecco, an increasingly famous sparkling white wine, comes primarily from the hills around Conegliano and Valdobbiadene.
In Italy, you’ll go through two major wine regions: Lombardy and Tuscany. If you’ve been to either of those places, there’s a good chance you’ve seen an acronym in reference to the region: Soave, or Sforzato. It stands for “Soave Classico,” or “Soave DOCG.” For those who don’t know Italian beer jargon, an acronym is a group of letters that stand for a word or phrase. Every region has one or more designations with acronyms that help determine the style of wine being produced, which is why you see Soave near Conegliano and Valdobbiadene on your bottle labels.
Soave is made solely from grapes from the Veneto region of Italy—specifically from the hills around Conegliano and Valdobbiadene. The famous sparkling white wines are made using only one type of grape: Falanghina.
Veneto was once famous for Soave; now Valpolicella and Prosecco are on the rise.
At one time, Soave was the most famous wine in Italy. It is still common, but there are many other wines to try.
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Among these are Prosecco and Valpolicella, each of which comes in a variety of styles.
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Veneto produces lots of reds but whites remain popular there too, with Pinot Grigio accounting for more than half of all grapes planted in the region (the name varies—see “Grape names”).