Some of my favorite wines, especially those from the Veneto region, come from Northern Italy. The well-known wines from Veneto are Soave, Amarone, and the wildly popular Prosecco. There are other notable Veneto wines, and with this article, I want to guide you to the best of Veneto and fill in some gaps in this list.
Soave.
Soave is a white wine made from Garganega, an indigenous Italian grape. It has been a world favorite since World War II. But as its popularity increased, so did the production of lower-quality Soaves, not helping its reputation. Pinot Grigio also edged it out as the 21st century approached. Nonetheless, this delicious wine has lots to offer and should not be overlooked. Â
Soave Classico Superiore.
So when purchasing Soave, let me save you some time. Go straight for the Soave Classico Superiore. This is a great expression of the Garganega grape, more refined, with a beautiful aroma and a more weighty mouthfeel. The term Classico on Italian wine labels means the grapes come from the original areas cultivated eons ago. These are the best-growing sites with well-drained soil on hilltops and maximum sun exposure, resulting in ripe, flavorful grapes.
Superiore on a Soave label means the wine ages for a year after harvest, allowing the wine’s bouquet to develop. Superiore is made from very ripe grapes; thus, it has more alcohol, usually one point higher than the normal Soave.
Prosecco.
What is not to like about Prosecco? It’s light, bubbly, tasty, and even makes delicious cocktails! Try a Bellini made with fresh white peach juice or a Rossini, a mixture of blended strawberries and Prosecco. As for high-quality Prosecco, you must go with Prosecco Superiore; it’s made from the best Glera grapes from the original growing zones.
For example, here are impressive tasting notes from a 94-point $20 Prosecco from producer Nino Franco: “Aromas of white spring flower, Bartlett pear, and citrus waft out of the glass. The racy, refreshing palate is full of energy, offering crisp yellow-apple, lemon drop, and orange zest flavors balanced by vibrant acidity. A perlage of small, refined, and continuous bubbles provides the silky backdrop.” ~ Kerin O’Keefe of wineenthusiast.com
Amarone and Kin.
Amarone is a member of a family of wines called Valpolicella. All are made from the same grapes, but each family member has a unique style. The four grapes of Valpolicella are Corvina, taking center stage, then Rondinella and Molinara, with Corvinone being allowed as a substitute for Corvina. Depending on the style, these are delicious wines with flavors ranging from cranberries to cherries to raisins.
Again, I will skip over the average Valpolicella wine and steer you to its better expressions. There are two similar high-quality Valpolicellas, Valpolicella Classico and Valpolicella Classico Superiore. These are made in a traditional winemaking style of harvesting, crushing, pressing, fermenting, bottling, and aging. Like Soave, the Classico and Superiore versions are from the original Valpolicella production zone. Valpolicella Superiore must be aged for one year and has at least 1% more alcohol, which comes from more ripe grapes. These are the best Valpolicella dry wines.
Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso is an extraordinarily rich, intense, and weighty wine made specially by causing a second fermentation, including partially dried grape pomace or marc (skins, seeds, and sometimes stems) leftover from the fermentation process of an Amarone or Recioto wine.
Finally, there is the intense, engaging, and expensive Amarone della Valpolicella. Amarone is created using the appassimento method. First, whole bunches of very ripe grapes are hand-selected. The grapes are then either hung to air-dry or left to rest on special bamboo shelving for several months to lose a third of their water weight.
These raisin-like grapes are fermented at low temperatures, bottled, and aged for two years or more. Some are aged in small oak barrels for even more depth of flavor, and Amarone Riserva is aged for a minimum of four years before release. Since Amarone is produced with very ripe, concentrated grapes, it is a high-alcohol wine of 15-16% ABV with no sweetness from residual sugar.
Recioto della Valpolicella could be thought of as the sweet version of Amarone. It is also made using the appassimento method, but residual sugar is left in the winemaking. It is sweet.
Imagine heading to Venice
…the capital of Veneto, to soak up the art, culture, and food! Then, add to such pleasure day trips to the Soave, Prosecco, and Valpolicella wine regions. Magari (indicates a strong wish or hope), what a trip!
