Valpolicella

Veneto’s bright, juicy everyday red — a sour-cherry Corvina blend and the easygoing cousin of Amarone.

What makes Valpolicella distinctive

It’s the light, high-acid base of one grape family that climbs all the way to mighty Amarone: the same Corvina, just fresh and unconcentrated. The Ripasso version is re-fermented on the leftover skins from Amarone to become a richer “baby Amarone”.

Why it matters

Valpolicella is the friendly, everyday red of the Veneto, the hills just north of Verona in northeast Italy — and it’s one of the best entry points into Italian wine.

What makes it worth knowing is that it’s the base of a whole family. The same grapes and the same hillsides can give you anything from a light, cheerful lunch wine right up to mighty, age-worthy Amarone, just by changing how the grapes are treated. Valpolicella is the simplest, freshest member — the one you reach for on a Tuesday.

• Light and approachable: low in tannin, high in juicy acidity, easy to love. • Brilliant value: great quality for the money, especially the Ripasso step up. • Hugely food-friendly: it’s built for the table rather than for sipping alone.

Think of it as Italy’s answer to Beaujolais — a red so bright and refreshing it almost drinks like a white-wine lover’s red.

What’s in the glass

Expect a pale-to-medium ruby wine that’s light on its feet, not big and bold.

• Body: light-to-medium — refreshing rather than heavy. • Tannin: low — that drying, grippy feeling you get from a Cabernet is barely there, so it’s smooth and easy. • Acidity: high — the mouth-watering tang that makes it so good with food. • Sweetness: dry (basic Valpolicella has no perceptible sugar).

The signature flavour is fresh sour cherry — tart, red and lively — alongside red plum, a lift of violets, a whisper of dried herbs and the grape’s classic bitter-almond twist on the finish.

Step up to Ripasso and the picture warms up: still recognisably Valpolicella, but rounder and fuller, with a hint of dried-cherry and chocolate richness layered over that bright fruit. The basic version is all about freshness; Ripasso adds depth without losing the wine’s easy charm.

Where it comes from

Valpolicella sits in the Veneto, in the valleys north of Verona, between the city and Lake Garda. The name is often said to mean “valley of many cellars” — a fitting nickname for one of Italy’s busiest wine zones, even if the true origin is uncertain.

A few label terms help you buy well:

• Classico: from the original, historic heartland of hills — usually a step up from wines made on the flatter plains. • Valpantena: a respected named valley you may see on the label. • Superiore: slightly riper and aged a little longer, so a touch more substance. • Ripasso: the “baby Amarone” style (its technique is explained next) — the smart-value choice.

The two grand wines of the same area share the name: Amarone della Valpolicella (rich, dry, made from dried grapes) and Recioto della Valpolicella (sweet, from the same dried grapes). Basic Valpolicella is their light, fresh cousin — same family, very different glass.

What shapes it — and how Ripasso is made

Valpolicella is a blend, led by Corvina (the character grape — sour cherry, high acid), with Rondinella and often Corvinone (a close relative that can stand in for some of the Corvina), and sometimes a little Molinara. No single grape is meant to dominate; together they give that bright, herbal, cherry-driven style.

The defining trick of the region is appassimento — “drying.” After harvest, bunches are laid out in airy lofts for months until they shrivel into raisins, concentrating sugar and flavour. That’s how the powerful Amarone is made — but basic Valpolicella skips it entirely, using fresh grapes, which is exactly why it stays light and zippy.

Ripasso (“passed over again”) is the clever bridge between the two. Ordinary Valpolicella is left to rest on the leftover skins and lees from Amarone or Recioto (called the pomace) after those wines are made. A second small fermentation kicks off, lending the lighter wine extra body, colour and a hint of dried-fruit depth — a “baby Amarone” without the cost of drying a whole separate crop.

Good to know

Food: This is one of the most versatile food reds going. Basic Valpolicella loves pizza, cured meats, tomato pasta and weeknight dinners. Richer Ripasso steps up to roast chicken, mushroom risotto and braised or grilled meats.

Serving: A light red that genuinely benefits from a gentle chill — try 14-16°C (20-30 minutes in the fridge). Too warm and it loses its lovely freshness. No decanting needed.

Aging: Drink basic Valpolicella young and fresh — within a couple of years — to catch all that vibrant fruit. Ripasso can hold a few years longer.

Clearing up confusion: Valpolicella, Ripasso and Amarone are not different qualities of the same wine — they’re three styles made in increasing intensity. And don’t assume Amarone is sweet: it’s made from dried grapes but finished dry. The genuinely sweet one is Recioto.