Masi Costasera Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 'Lunar New Year' 2017

Venetian Wine

Veneto is in North Eastern Italy and is a high producing, multi-faceted wine region that does several different wine varieties well.

In whites you have the indigenous grape, Garganega, which is the main grape in Soave wines. Today you can find great value Soave wine but also producers focussing on low yield, high quality winemaking in the original Soave zone called Soave Classico. Wines made here are complex, exhibiting flavours such as ripe pear, yellow peach, melon or orange zest and have smoky and floral aromas with a fresh mineral finish. Much of Italy’s famous crisp and refreshing Pinot Grigio also comes from this region.

In red wines, Valpolicella is the most notable. This uniquely Italian wine is made from a blend of Italian grapes, predominantly Corvina with a minority of Rondinella, Molinara, Corvinone and other indigenous varietals. Valpolicella is made in a wide variety of styles. On one hand, you have light-bodied wines resembling Beaujolais Nouveau with a sour cherry flavour, alcohol content often around 11%. On the other hand, you have full bodied Recioto (desert red wine) and Amarone (dry red) that reach 15-16% alcohol. Both of these heavier wine styles have achieved DOCG status. Amarone is rich and intense with flavour and aroma notes often compared with Port.

Prosecco which has been quite a popular sparkling wine variety in Australia in recent times also comes from the Veneto wine region.