Veneto Wine Region, Italy (10 Best Wines, Grape Varieties)

Veneto is the eighth largest wine region in Italy, surrounded by the appellations of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy, and Trentino-Alto Adige.

The Veneto wine region produces a wide range of wines, from lush Prosecco sparklers and delicious Valpolicella to refreshing Pinot Grigio and Soave wines.

In this article, we’ll cover the major Veneto wine appellations, including their wine styles and grape varieties. We’ll also cover the 10 best Veneto wines to buy and their investment potential.

Veneto Wine Appellations: Wine Styles and Grape Varieties

The Veneto wine region is located in northeastern Italy and comprises of incredible appellations with diverse terroirs and distinct wines.

The main appellations and wine styles are:

• Valpolicella
• Bardolino
• Soave
• Prosecco

1. Valpolicella

This famous wine region is located in the foothills of the Alps and north of Verona. 

Valpolicella is one of Italy’s signture wine styles. It is a blend of the Corvina Veronese, Molinara, Rondinella, and Corvinone grape varieties.

Here are the four key Valpolicella wine styles:

• Valpolicella DOC: These red wines tend to be light, fresh, and fruity. 
• Valpolicella Ripasso: This wine style is produced by macerating the leftover grapes from the Amarone and Recioto fermentation with the Valpolicella wine to give it more body and richer flavor profile. 
• Amarone della Valpolicella: This wine style is made with dried grapes to give it a more complex and full-bodied character.
• Recioto della Valpolicella: This is a passito-style dessert wine made from grapes dried for 100-200 days before vinification. 

2. Bardolino

The Bardolino DOC wine region is located along the southeastern shores of Lake Garda. It produces many impressive red, Rose (Rosato), and sparkling wines.

The vineyards are mainly planted with Corvinone, Rondinella, Corvina Veronese, and Molinara red wine grape varieties.

Bardolino DOC produces three distinct wine styles: 

• Bardolino: The traditional Bardolino wines hail from the fertile plains beyond the BardolinoClassico zone to the south.
• Bardolino Classico: Bardolino Classico wines are produced in the historic hillside vineyards around the commune of Bardolino. This DOC has more rigid production regulations than the regular Bardolino classification. 
• Bardolino Superiore DOCG: Bardolino Superiore DOCG wines should have a minimum of 12% ABV and be aged at least a year before release.

3. Soave

Soave is located east of Verona. 

This wine region is popular for its white wine made mainly from the Garganega grape variety. According to the wine region’s DOC requirements, Soave wines must consist of 70% Garganega and up to 30% Chardonnay and Trebbiano di Soave.

Soave wines come in a few different styles:

• Soave: This is a dry white wine style with refreshing notes of ripe lemons.
• Soave Colli Scaligeri: This white wine style has predominant green apple and white peach flavor.
• Soave Spumante: This is a sparkling Soave wine.
• Soave Classico: This wine style comes from the hills right near Castello di Soave (traditional Classico vineyard zone of the Soave DOC.) Soave Classico wines are made predominantly from the Garganega grape variety.
• Recioto di Soave: Recioto di Soave DOCG is a sub-region of the Soave DOC. The wines produced under this label are sweet. 

4. Prosecco

Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions in Northeastern Italy are widely known for their quality Prosecco wines made from the Glera grape variety.

The Prosecco wine region produces two distinct wine styles:

• Prosecco DOC: This wine style is produced in two subregions - Treviso (north of Venice) and Trieste. The regions cover over 23,000 hectares.
• Prosecco Superiore DOCG: This is a luxurious Prosecco wine typically made in the Col Fondo, semi-sparkling, and sparkling wine styles. This wine category is further divided into Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG and Asolo DOCG.

10 Best Veneto Wines to Buy in 2022

Here are the best wines from the Veneto region you can buy in 2022:

• 1978 Allegrini 'Giovanni Allegrini' Recioto della Valpolicella Classico DOCG
• 2013 Vignalta Alpianae Colli Euganei Fior d'Arancio DOCG
• 2018 GianniTessari Pinot Noir Veneto IGT
• 2012 Bisol Prosecco Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG
• 2005 Bella Sera Pinot Grigio Veneto IGT
• 1969 Giuseppe Quintarelli Recioto della Valpolicella Classico DOCG
• 2003 Dal Forno Romano 'Vigna Sere' Rosso Passito Veneto IGT
• 2014 Bisol Crede Brut Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG
• 1986 Allegrini La Poja Monovitigno Corvina Veronese IGT
• 1985 Maculan Palazzotto Cabernet Sauvignon Breganze

1. 1978 Allegrini 'Giovanni Allegrini' Recioto della Valpolicella Classico DOCG ($152)

This Italian wine is produced by the Allegrini family (present winemaker: Franco Allegrini) It has pleasant sweetness, medium-high acidity, and delicate chocolate, raisin, and cherry flavor notes. 

2. 2013 Vignalta Alpianae Colli Euganei Fior d'Arancio DOCG ($50)

This Veneto wine is made from Muscato Giallo grapes grown in the Colli Euganei Fior d'Arancio appellation. It’s a sweet wine with refined citrus notes and tropical fruit flavors, followed by a beautiful orange blossom aroma. 

3. 2018 Gianni Tessari Pinot Noir Veneto IGT ($15)

This dry Pinot Noir wine has smooth texture and lively acidity. The palate reveals lovely strawberry, vanilla, and leather tasting notes. 

4. 2012 Bisol Prosecco Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG ($40)

This fizzy white wine is made from the Glera grape variety. The white peach, citrus, and tropical fruit flavors are complemented by the medium-high acidity of the sparkling wine.

5. 2005 Bella Sera Pinot Grigio Veneto IGT ($9)

This Pinot Grigio wine is refreshing and crisp. It reveals pleasant citrus and floral aroma intertwined with wine tasting notes of pear, lemon, and pineapple.

6. 1969 Giuseppe Quintarelli Recioto della Valpolicella Classico DOCG ($1,161)

This dessert wine is a Valpolicella blend with wine tasting notes of raisin, plum, and honey. It also has spectacular aroma notes of chocolate, coffee, and vanilla.

7. 2003 Dal Forno Romano 'Vigna Sere' Rosso Passito Veneto IGT ($326)

This rich red wine is produced from the Corvina Veronese grape variety. The palate has intense raspberry flavor with hints of oak and chocolate, medium acidity, and a long finish.

8. 2014 Bisol Crede Brut Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG ($42)

This delicious Prosecco Superiore sparkling wine is made from the Glera grape variety. It showcases rich tropical fruit flavors with refreshing hints of green apples and ripe lemons. 

This Prosecco wine has lively acidity and a bitter finish.

9. 1986 Allegrini La Poja Monovitigno Corvina Veronese IGT ($167)

This bold Veneto wine exhibits creamy flavors of espresso, dark chocolate, and vanilla. It’s a lovely red wine with violet and lavender aroma notes that complement the balanced acidity.

10. 1985 Maculan Palazzotto Cabernet Sauvignon Breganze ($37)

This Cabernet Sauvignon has subtle acidity accompanied by rich blackberry, tobacco, and plum flavor notes. 

Investing in Veneto Wines

The Veneto region produces several superior quality wine styles that have good aging potential.

For example, the Amarone and Recioto Valpolicella wines can be cellared for a minimum of 8-10 years. They also perform well at auctions:

• At a 2020 Christie’s auction, 9 bottles of the Giuseppe Quintarelli Recioto della Valpolicella Classico DOCG sold for $3,197.
• At a 2022 Sotheby’s auction, 6 bottles of the Amarone della Valpolicella 2006 Romano dal Forno were sold for $1,359.

These wines also show a stable price appreciation trend. For example, between 2020 ad 2022:

• The price of 2007 Giuseppe Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva DOCG rose from $598 to $729 -  a 20% increase. 
• The price of 1974 Giuseppe Quintarelli 'Amabile del Cere' Passito Bianco Veneto IGT increased by 63% - from $443 to $1,219.

If you want to invest in Veneto and or other fine wines, check out Vinovest. It’s a leading wine investment website that can help you easily buy, store and sell authentic fine wines with just a few clicks.

Add a Fine Veneto Wine to Your Collection!

The Veneto region continues to attract the international market with the stunning range of wine styles. 

Just pick your favorite Veneto wine and surprise family and friends at your next dinner party! 

Now, if you wish to add some of the most investment-worthy wines from prestigious vineyards around the world to your collection, check out the Vinovest website.