Veneto

Located in the heart of north-eastern Italy, the Veneto Region has about 70,000 hectares* under vine and a yearly production of over 7.8 million hectolitres*, including also 22 DOC and 3 DOCG wines.

The vine is grown intensively in the plain and hilly area bordering on the Garda Lake. It offers a diversified production of white wines, such as Soave, Lugana and Bianco di Custoza, sparkling wines, with the revival of Prosecco, and young red wines like Bardolino and Valpolicella. Amarone della Valpolicella is certainly worth a mention among the more structured red wines and Recioto di Soave is one of the best expressions of Italy’s raisin wines.

The most popular grapes, from an ampelographic point of view, are the red varieties of Merlot, Raboso, Corvina, Rondinella and Cabernet and the white varieties of Garganega, Prosecco, Verduzzo and Chardonnay.

*2007 figures from the “Corriere Vinicolo” (wine news)