Veneto

Veneto’s average annual wine production of 810 million litres (1st in volume among the regions) includes about 30% DOC/DOCG and 60% IGT. White wine accounts for about 55% of Veneto’s production.

Four of Veneto’s wines rank in the top ten for volume among DOC/DOCG appellations: Conegliano-Valdobbiadene (Prosecco) fourth, Soave fifth, Valpolicella sixth and Bardolino tenth.

Venice’s region has solidified its position as Italy’s largest producer and exporter, as well as the leader in volume of classified wines. Heading the flow is Verona’s famous trio of Soave, Bardolino and Valpolicella, augmented by the rapid rise in prominence of bubbly Prosecco.

Veneto has three main areas of premium wine production:
- the western province of Verona in the hills between Lake Garda and the town of Soave;
- the central hills in the provinces of Vicenza, Padova and Treviso;
- the eastern plains of the Piave and Tagliamento river basins along the Adriatic coast northeast of Venice.

Verona’s classic wines are bona fide natives. Soave from Garganega and Trebbiano di Soave, is usually dry and still, though sparkling and sweet Recioto versions are also prescribed. Valpolicella, made from a blend of Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara grapes, is noted as a hearty red to drink relatively young, though grapes from its vineyards in the hills north of Verona can also be partly dried and made into the richly dry Amarone della Valpolicella or the opulently sweet Recioto della Valpolicella, both DOCG. Valpolicella Ripasso is a new DOC for wine produced by the so-called ripasso method in which Valpolicella is refermented with the pomace of Amarone or Recioto to gain body and strength.

Veneto shares six DOC zones with other regions: Garda, Lugana and San Martino della Battaglia with Lombardy, Lison-Pramaggiore and Prosecco with Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Valdadige with Trentino-Alto Adige.