Valpolicella’s Legacy: Tradition, Terroir, and Amarone
Italy is a country where history, art, and wine are woven together seamlessly, and few regions embody this as vividly as Veneto. Situated in the northeast of the country, Veneto is a place where grand canals and gondolas coexist with rolling vineyards and centuries of winemaking tradition. From the bustling city of Venice to the quiet hills where Garganega and Corvina thrive, this region offers not only a feast for the eyes, but also a remarkable variety of wines that reflect its geography, climate, and cultural heritage.
The Veneto region takes its name from Venice, its capital city. To the east lies Friuli-Venezia Giulia, to the south Emilia-Romagna, to the west Lombardy, and to the north Trentino-Alto Adige. Venice itself is one of the most important tourist destinations in the world, drawing about 50,000 visitors daily. Its highlights, St. Mark’s Basilica, the Grand Canal, and Piazza San Marco, among countless others, make it a city of endless fascination. Even the Venice Film Festival, renowned for its prestige, adds to the cultural allure. But while Venice dazzles with its art and architecture, our focus here turns to the wines of Veneto, which hold their own place in the region’s legacy.
Much of the gently rolling land that surrounds Venice is dedicated to Prosecco, produced from the Glera grape. The scale of Glera plantings far surpasses any other grape in the region, with volumes that at times outpace even Champagne. Moving westward, around Soave and Soave Classico, the Garganega grape dominates, making it the second-most-widely planted variety in Veneto.
Farther west and southeast of Lake Garda lies Valpolicella and Valpolicella Classico, where the red varieties take center stage: Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, and Molinara. A notable feature of this region is the Valpolicella Consorzio, a producers’ association representing around 80 Percent of wineries. By pooling resources for marketing and promotion, the group helps lower costs, while strengthening the reputation of Valpolicella wines.
By the early 1990s, Amarone della Valpolicella accounted for just 1–2 million bottles, about 6 percent of production. As demand surged, vineyards expanded beyond traditional boundaries. By 2015, Amarone had risen to nearly 25 percent of production. This prompted the Consorzio to expand designated areas, though not without controversy. The changes sometimes disconnected Amarone from the terroir that gave it character. Rules were adjusted, such as lowering the required percentage of Amarone grapes from 65 percent to 50 percent, but production challenges persisted. To distinguish tradition, “Classico” was added for wines made in the original valleys of Fumane, Marano, Negrar, and the hills of Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella and San Pietro in Cariano.
Geographically, Veneto is diverse. Its climate is generally a moderately warm continental one, tempered by natural influences. Breezes from Lake Garda help moderate temperatures, particularly in western vineyards, creating warmer autumns and milder winters. The Alps to the north shield the region from harsh winds, while the limestone reliefs exceeding 2,000 meters contribute to ideal conditions for viticulture. Around 15 percent of Veneto’s land is rolling hills, especially in Soave, where altitude and diurnal temperature shifts give white wines freshness and complexity.
The plains, which make up more than half of Veneto, extend from inland continental climates to the Adriatic coast. Here, rivers like the Po, Adige, Piave, Brenta, Mincio, and Tagliamento play an important role by moving air, reducing frost risk, and shaping vineyard conditions. Closer to the Adriatic, fog becomes a greater challenge, heightening the risk of fungal disease. Lagoon areas along the coast bring hot, muggy summers, requiring careful vineyard management and increased spraying to combat threats such as esca, a vine disease.
It was within this landscape that Amarone evolved. Seeking greater body, complexity, and alcohol content, winemakers turned to the appassimento method, where grapes are dried after harvest. The word Amarone derives from amaro, meaning “bitter.” Traditionally, grapes were dried on straw mats in lofts for 100–120 days, though modern technology has largely replaced straw with pallets and steel. The drying process concentrates sugars, tannins, and flavors, transforming the grapes into the foundation of Amarone and Recioto.
Amarone is fermented to dryness, producing a bold, complex wine with flavors of raisins, dried fruit, and spice. Recioto, by contrast, is sweet, created when fermentation is halted before all the sugars convert to alcohol. Amarone is then aged for at least two years, often in barrels. Traditional large Slavonian oak casks, capable of holding up to 30,000 liters, provide subtle oak influence, while modern producers often prefer smaller French barriques for more pronounced spice and tannin.
Another unique expression is Ripasso, or “re-passed” wine. After Amarone is drained, younger Valpolicella wine is poured over the remaining skins, extracting flavor and body much like steeping tea. The result bridges the gap between lighter Valpolicella and the power of Amarone.
Stylistically, Amarone falls into two broad camps. Traditional Amarone leans toward paler hues, dried fruit aromas, refined tannins, and higher alcohol levels, sometimes reaching 17 percent. Advances in grape selection and drying technology have reduced the presence of botrytis notes once common in this style. Modern Amarone, on the other hand, emphasizes fresher fruit, earlier harvests, shorter drying times, and barrique aging. These wines are darker, juicier, and more approachable in their youth, though often with firmer tannins. Producers like Massimago exemplify this newer style.
At the heart of Amarone and Valpolicella are its grape varieties. Corvina forms the backbone, contributing cherry and plum fruit, violets, herbal notes, high acidity, and moderate tannins. Corvinone, unrelated despite its name, adds tannin and red fruit, but requires careful harvesting due to uneven ripening. Rondinella, reliable and disease resistant, brings structure and sugar for higher alcohol, while Molinara, though less used today, provides acidity and red-berry freshness. Together, these grapes define the unique personality of Veneto’s red wines.
Veneto’s story is one of balance between tradition and innovation. From the shimmering canals of Venice to the drying rooms of Amarone, the region blends culture, geography, and history into every bottle. Whether it’s the crisp sparkle of Prosecco, the elegance of Soave, or the depth of Amarone, Veneto’s wines reflect both place and people. To taste them is to experience not just the flavors of a grape, but the character of a region that has shaped, and been shaped by, centuries of artistry.
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