Shakespeare told the story of Romeo and Juliet who, for love, took their own lives: Juliet with a dagger, Romeo with a vial of poison.
Probably the two lovers weren’t well acquainted with the typical local wines, otherwise they would have drowned their sorrows in good Veronese red wine!
Verona is not “just” art and history, nor “just” opera and tragedies.
If I were to put Verona in a glass and look inside, I’d see Amarone, with hints of Valpolicella and Recioto, typical Veronese wines.
The choice for good drinking in Verona is certainly not lacking.
Walking through the Veronese countryside, the herringbone stone walls mark the paths and terraces with vineyards and olive trees.
Here the typical Veronese wines are produced, and following their aroma you can discover all the natural, historical, and artistic beauties of these places.
In these areas are born theAmarone, the Valpolicellain all its varieties, and the Recioto.
The production is divided into three zones:
- Valpolicella Classica which includes the municipalities of Fumane, Marano, Negrar, San Pietro Incariano, and Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella. The label assigned is VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO.
- Valpolicella without the CLASSICO designation which includes the neighboring municipalities of Dolcè and Pescantina and the municipalities of Cazzano di Tramigna, Colognola ai Colli, Illasi, Lavagno, Mezzane di Sotto, Montecchio di Crosara, San Martino Buon Albergo, Tregnago, and Verona.
- Valpantena which includes the northern part of Verona and carries the designation Valpolicella Valpantena.
TYPICAL VERONESE WINES: AMARONE
Among the typical Veronese wines, the best is certainly Amarone. A perfect wine to enjoy in a balloon glass, comfortably seated and chatting, or to accompany roasts, game, and flavorful aged cheeses. Amarone is a dry wine due to the complete fermentation of sugars and is also used in cooking some meats and first courses (risotto with Amarone being the prime example). It is marketed after at least two years of aging and has an average alcohol content of 15-16 degrees. It can last 15-20 years.
TYPICAL VERONESE WINES: VALPOLICELLA
Valpolicella is produced with grapes that do not have the characteristics to produce Amarone and Recioto. Ruby red in color, it pairs perfectly during meals and is suitable for typical pasta and beans and soppressa, a typical Veronese product.
From Valpolicella you can get Valpolicella Superiore and Valpolicella Ripasso. The former has good body, a garnet color with ruby red reflections. Its spicy aroma and warm flavor, along with an alcohol content of 12-13 degrees, pair perfectly with rustic soups, red meat, and grilled dishes.
Valpolicella Ripasso refers to a refermented wine obtained by combining fresh grapes with the pomace of the just-fermented dried grapes.
TYPICAL VERONESE WINES: RECIOTO
A must to accompany desserts, not suitable for long transport or export, Recioto is paired with typical Veronese sweets and spicy and blue cheeses. Young Recioto has a fruity flavor, while those aged in barrels or barriques have more vanilla and fruit jam notes.
Grappas also belong to the typical Veronese wines. They are produced with grapes destined for Amarone and Recioto that are dried.
The wines are very often kept in cherry wood barrels. Not by chance, in autumn the dominant colors in the countryside are those of ripe grapes, while in spring the white cherry blossoms prevail, another typical product of the territory.
So what can we say: all that’s left is for you to come and delight your palate and eyes in the splendid land of Verona!