With a wine production of more than 10 million hectolitres in 2019, Veneto is the leading wine-producing region in Italy, thanks to the boom in Prosecco, which in the past 20 years has risen from a production of 50 to 500 million bottles per year. Veneto hosts also the largest wine fair in Italy: Vinitaly. The most important wine district in the region is undoubtedly the province of Verona with the Valpolicella and Garda areas. In your online wine shop find the best labels selected by our sommelier!
Valpolicella covers a wide hilly strip of land from the Lessini Mountains towards the River Adige. This is red wine land. From 20,000 hectares of vineyards cultivated mainly with the native grape varieties Corvina, Rondinella, Corvinone, Molinara and Oseleta, 5 different wines are produced. Ideal, in theory, for accompanying a meal from start to finish. Valpolicella DOC is a light, fresh red wine to be drunk young with starters or simple first courses; Valpolicella Superiore DOC is a soft, structured wine, aged at least one year, the perfect accompaniment for first courses with meat sauces or grilled meats; Valpolicella Ripasso DOC is obtained from a young Valpolicella wine that undergoes secondary fermentation following the addition of must or marc from dried grapes, after which it is aged in the cellar for at least 2 years; it is full-bodied, soft and warm, ideal for sumptuous roasts. The two most prestigious wines are made from grapes that have undergone a long drying process. Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG, aged for years in wooden barrels, is a robust dry wine, with high alcohol, immense complexity and persistence. It pairs well with lavish game dishes and mature cheeses. Or it can simply be enjoyed in the company of friends. Last but not least, Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG is a sweet, fruity, velvety red wine, perfect to accompany a wild berry tart. The same grapes as in Valpolicella are used, on the eastern shore of Lake Garda, to produce Bardolino. Bardolino Chiaretto DOC, the rosé version, is superb. On the southern side of Lake Garda lie the vineyards of Lugana DOC, which is also produced in the province of Brescia. This white wine, highly appreciated by the Germans, is enjoying ever increasing success in Italy too, especially in its more evolved versions.