Veneto wine

Veneto is a wine region in north-eastern Italy, one of a group of three highly productive Italian regions known collectively as the Venezie (after the ancient Venetian Republic) and the biggest DOC producer of the three. Although the Venezie collectively produce more red wine than white, the Veneto region produces more whites under DOC and is home to the famous Soave wines.

The region is protected from the harsh northern European climate by the Alps, the foothills of which form the Veneto's northern extremes. These cooler climes are well-suited to white varieties like Garganega (the main grape for Soave wines)^[1] while the warmer Adriatic coastal plains, river valleys, and Garda Lake zone are where the renowned Valpolicella, Amarone and Bardolino DOC reds are produced. In Veneto, two different wine areas are clearly distinguishable: a Eastern part, closed to the Venice Lagoon between the hills of [Treviso]], the plain of Piave river and Adriatic coast, where is typical to produce the famous [Prosecco]] (Glera), and are growth other varieties like Merlot, Carmenere, Verduzzo, Raboso Piave, Refosco, Tocai, Verdiso, Marzemino; and the Western part, closed to Garda Lake and the city of Verona, famous for the wines based on the varieties Corvina, Rondinella, Garganega, Trebbiano of Soave, Oseleta. In the central part of the Veneto it is possible find the change between those two habits. In that area you can find the Colli Euganei, the hills closed to Padua that is a particular Mediterranean microclimatic zone, here, it is even famous for the Moscato fior d'arancio production, a sparkling dessert wine. Another famous area in the North-center of Veneto, closed to Asiago, is Breganze, where a dessert wine, Torcolato is produced with Vespaiolo grape. The traditional trailing system of the eastern part is Sylvoz, today replaced by the guyot system, while in the western part is more traditionally the Pergola system. Veneto's growers are among the most modernised in Italy. While most of the 'classic' wines from this area are based on native grape varieties like Glera (formerly known as Prosecco) and Verduzzo, high demand for Veneto wines in the European and US markets has galvanized the region's producers into experimentation with Cabernets, Chardonnay and Pinot varieties, among others. One of Italy's leading wine schools, Conegliano, is based here and the nation's most important wine fair, Vinitaly, takes place each spring in Verona.^[2]

Veneto is the 8th largest region of Italy in land mass, and a population of 4,371,000 ranks it 6th in that regard. It has over 90,000 hectares (220,000 acres) of vineyards, of which 35,400 are acclaimed DOC. Annual production totals 8,500,000 hectolitres, 1,700,000 or 21% of which is DOC, making it the biggest DOC producer in Italy. White wine accounts for 55% of the DOC production in Veneto.^[3]

See also

• Rossignola, a native grape variety growing in the Veneto since at least the early 19th century

References