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The Veneto has three general 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; and 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. Soave, the most popular of Italian dry whites, ranks third after Chianti and Asti in volume among classified wines (with some 50 million liters a year).
Valpolicella, made from a blend of Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara grapes, has been fourth in volume among DOC's with more than 30 million liters. Valpolicella 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.
Amarone, amply structured and long on the palate, ranks with Italy's most authoritative red wines.
Bardolino from the same basic grapes as Valpolicella, is enviably easy to drink, whether in the light red or dark pink chiaretto version. A recent surge in sales is due largely to its emergence as Italy's first classified vino novello. This DOC on the shores of Lake Garda also ranks high on the list of volume with more than 20 million liters a year.
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