Published by | 30 January 2025 | 3 minutes to read
Valpolicella and its beauty.
Valpolicella is one of the most famous wine regions in the Veneto region, located in the hinterland of Verona and very interesting for the quality of its wines and its long tradition and beautiful landscape.
The first document in which the name is found Val Polesela is a decree from 1117 by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, but there is no trace of its etymology; some believe that Val Polesela originated from Pol Valley, a settlement that today corresponds to Santa Lucia di Pescantina.
Another of the most widely accepted theories attributes the origin of the name Valpolicella to the Latin expression Val Poli Cellae meaning Valley of many cellarsbut there is no counter-evidence as there is no evidence prior to the 12th century.
Some humanists have traced the etymology of Valpolicella to the Greek language and the word polyzelosmeaning land that bears much fruit or land that is much envied, or the union of poly e selas meaning splendidBut even these interpretations are as baseless as all subsequent attempts.
Always Valpolicella is considered a fertile territorythanks to the presence of several waterways which facilitated agriculture and, with it, favoured settlements, even in ancient times.
Signs of human presence have been found in Valpolicella dating back to the Palaeolithic period, while its vines and wine were already known in Roman times.
The most famous and high-quality wines are Valpolicella Classico, Amarone and Recioto.
Valpolicella classica is a light, fresh red wine made from corvina, rondinella and molinara grapes. It has a ruby red colour and a fruity aroma of cherries and sour cherries. It is ideal with light dishes such as appetisers and pasta with light sauces.
Amarone della Valpolicella, on the other hand, is a full-bodied, structured red wine made from the same grapes as classic Valpolicella, but with a different production process. The grapes are harvested and left to dry for a few weeks before fermentation, which gives the wine a higher concentration of sugars and aromas. Amarone has an intense red colour and an aroma of ripe red fruit, spices and coffee. It is ideal with robust dishes such as red meats and mature cheeses.
Recioto, on the other hand, is a sweet red wine made from the same grapes as classic Valpolicella, but left to dry for a longer period. It has an intense red colour and an aroma of ripe red fruit and spices. It is ideal as a dessert wine or to accompany sweet cheeses.
Visit local wine cellars and taste local wines tasting 5 labels tasting 6 labels stay and harvest amarone tour is an experience worth having.
