The Valpolicella Family

Italy is a wine lovers dream. Within each region one can find gems. What makes Italian wines so special is the amount of native varietals found in the country. This is also what makes Italian wine so confusing.
In the Veneto region, near the town of Verona, is where you find the Valpolicella area. I’m sure many of you have drank Valpolicella or Amarone but could you tell me what grapes go into these wines? The simple answer is Corvina Veronese and Rondinella. More specifically 45-95% Corvina Veronese, 5-30% Rondinella with no more than 50% Corvinone. Italians crafted their wines using the varietals they had on hand as importing vine cuttings wasn’t common practice centuries ago. The first records of Corvina being grown in the Valpolicella area date back to the 1800’s. While Corvina may not be the noblest of grapes, in the right areas it can produce wines with nice floral and cherry notes and good levels of acidity. It is an ideal grape for drying as its small berries and thick skin help resist rot. Corvinone is its own varietal and not a sub-varietal of Corvina. It is similar but it has larger berries and imparts more color and tannin and can reach higher sugar levels. It is for these reasons that producers blend the two varietals together. Rondinella lacks the elegance and aroma of Corvina but it is disease-resistant so it makes it popular with growers. It also dries well but without the high sugar levels of Corvinone.

There are 4 wines in the Valpolicella family. Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella, Valpolicella Ripasso and Recioto della Valpolicella. All these wines are made with the varietals and percentages described above. So what distinguishes one from the other if they are all made with the same grapes? Valpolicella is a DOC wine with a minimum alcohol of 10%. It can be labeled Superiore if it’s aged for at least 1 year and has a minimum alcohol of 11%. Amarone della Valpolicella achieved DOCG status in 2010. The grapes are carefully selected at harvest and then laid out to dry. The wine is made no earlier than December 15 with these dried grapes. It’s a deeper ruby red color than Valpolicella and it has a fuller flavor. This wine ages for a minimum of 2 years and its minimum alcohol is 14%. This is due to the higher sugar content in the dried grapes. The higher the sugar content the greater the alcohol. The Riserva version is aged for a minimum of 4 years. Recioto della Valpolicella also achieved DOCG status in 2010 and is also made with grapes that have been subjected to drying and vinified no earlier than December 15. Recioto is a sweet wine with a minimum alcohol of 14%. It is also produced in a Spumante (sparkling) version. It is great with desserts and chocolate. The last member of the family is Valpolicella Ripasso. This is Valpolicella wine which is allowed to re-ferment on the leftover skins of Recioto and/or Amarone. These concentrated skins add a little extra to the Valpolicella resulting in a more complex Valpolicella. This wine is classified DOC. If you find any one of these wines with Classico on the label, that means it comes from the original and therefore oldest Valpolicella area. Valpantena on the label means it comes from the area of that name.

With the exception of Recioto, all these wines work well with red meats, game and strong cheeses. I recommend serving Valpolicella and Valpolicella Ripasso between 62-66 °F (16-18 °C) and Amarone between 70-74 °F (20-22 °C) decanting first.

If you have never tried these wines before, I hope this has encouraged you to give them a try. And for those that have tried them in the past, may this lead to greater enjoyment in the future.

Salute.