Valpolicella
Moderate, with lake influence
Hills west of Verona where dried-grape Amarone is made alongside lighter Valpolicella and Ripasso, all built on the Corvina grape.
Overview
About Valpolicella
Valpolicella runs through the hills north-west of Verona, in a 'classico' heartland (Fumane, Negrar, Marano, San Pietro in Cariano, Sant'Ambrogio) and a wider zone beyond it. Its base wine, light and cherry-fruited, is made mostly from Corvina and Corvinone, with some Rondinella.
The zone's real fame is Amarone della Valpolicella: grapes are dried for months on racks (appassimento), concentrating sugar and flavour before a long, slow fermentation to a dry, powerful, 15%+ wine with notes of dried cherry, raisin and bitter chocolate. Ripasso re-ferments regular Valpolicella over Amarone's leftover skins, giving a fuller, halfway style at a lower price.
Valpolicella is marked on the map.
Italy
Shaded: Verona. Map units are states, provinces or départements, so a smaller place appears as the larger area that contains it.
The land
Climate & terroir
Climate
Moderate, with lake influence
Moderated by nearby Lake Garda, with warm, fairly dry summers. The drying rooms used for appassimento need cool, airy autumn conditions, which the hills provide.
Terroir & soils
What the vines grow in
Limestone and volcanic basalt in the classico hills, giving structure; sandier, more alluvial soils in the flatter eastern zone produce lighter wine.
Go deeper
Rules, years & producers
One grape-drying technique, three wines of rising weight, plus a fourth sweet, rare style.
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG
Dried grapes, fully fermented dry; powerful, high-alcohol and age-worthy.
Ripasso DOC
Ordinary Valpolicella re-fermented over Amarone's spent skins, for extra body and depth.
Valpolicella DOC
The everyday wine: light, fresh and cherry-fruited, for early drinking.
Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG
The original style: dried grapes fermented only partway, left sweet.