Amarone Valpolicella is one of the most exquisite red wines in Italy

The history of winemaking on the territory of Valpolicella and the deep connection between the vine and the surrounding area are rooted in ancient times. The name "Valpolicella" comes from the Greek and Latin "Vallis-polis-cellae", which means "valley of many wineries".

During the reign of the German king Theodoric (V-VI century AD), who often came to Verona in his castle on the hill of St. Peter, his personal minister Cassiodoro (Cassiodoro) - a writer, philosopher, and a very good oenologist, personally engaged in the organization of the royal table. Cassiodoro was always keen to choose wine from the Valpolicella vineyards.

It was a red wine of purple color, aromatic, noble and full-bodied, at the time it was called “acinatiko”, which fully corresponds to the modern sweet Rechoto. In one of his letters, Cassiodoro describes wine obtained through the use of a special technique of sowing grapes, calling it “winter wort, cold grape blood, blood liquor, drinking purple, forbidden nectar.”

Already in the early Christian period, Verona wines were highly valued, both among the people and among authoritative religious figures. Bishop St. Zenon, patron of the city of Verona, who lived in the fourth century, was interested in vineyards and wine, mentioning them in his writings, promoting wine culture and the use of wine.

Although grapes and wine were already known in the second century BC under the name "retico", the name comes from the tribes of Reti and Aruznati, the ancestors of the Etruscans. These first tribes settled in the heart of present Valpolicella in the third century BC, where they established their administrative center in Fuman, called Pagus Arusnatium. Here they cultivated both lush vineyards and olive trees.

Latin poets Virgil and Catullo, mentioned in their poetry about red wine "retico", praising its inherent characteristics and virtues. Such famous personalities as the Roman politician and guineral Cato and Julius Caesar were great enthusiasts of Verona wine and many others.

Fans who appreciate good wine have probably already heard about such wines as Amarone Valpolicella Classico, Ripasso Valpolicella Classico, Rechoto Valpolicella Classico. These wines are produced in the historic area of Valpolicella Classico in five communities: Negrar, Marano, Fumane, Sant'Ambrogio and San Pietro in Cariano. These wines are also produced in other communities in the Valpolicella supplemental zone. In the middle of this hilly area, one of the most picturesque and visited in Italy, these excellent wines are born from autochthonous grape varieties: Corvinone, Corvinone and Rondinella.

Corvina, also known as the "Queen of the Zone", accounts for 45%-95% of the assemblage, making the wine structural, full-bodied and rich in tannins. Corvina gives the wine an intense ruby color with dark purple shades, filling with the aroma of ripe cherries, prunes, blueberries and black currants.

Corvinone is another important autochthonous grape variety, long considered the clonus of Corvina, but since 1993, thanks to genetic research, it has been recognized as an independent variety of grape varieties. Corvinone is also rich in tannins, giving the structure of the wine and bright pomegranate color. Corvinone has a larger grape and thicker skin.

Red wine Amarone Valpolicella Classico DOCG is recognized as one of the most prestigious wines in Italy, in the wine there are intense aromas of ripe cherries, black currant, tobacco and spices, forest moss and undergrowth, a taste of bitter chocolate and black pepper, and sometimes with a pronounced taste of sweet spices (cinnamon and licorice root).

Amarone in Italian means “very bitter”. It was named so in order to compare it with sweet Rechoto, i.e. if the wine turned out not sweet, then it means “bitter”.

The Verona poet Berto Barbarani wrote about Amaron in 1906:

" Praise the qualities of this wine, the color of sunrise and sunset, wise and eloquent..., lyrical..., melancholy..., subtle....

In the eighteenth century, the Verona writer, Giuseppe Beretta, quoted Rechoto: I will not leave these shores again. It produces sweet drinking balm, which frees the soul and heart from the most ingrained evil.

A quote by the Verona historian Giuseppe Silvestri describes the hilly valley of Valpolicella: “Neither the beauty of the landscape, nor historical events, nor architectural monuments, nor the lines of poets made Valpolicella famous, but it is her typical product: wine.”

See you at the wineries in Valpolicella,

your guide sommelier Christina.

Visit the winery in the historical zone of Valpolicella Classico.