Veneto

The region (Ital. Veneto) is located in the north-east of Italy and is divided into the provinces of Belluno, Padua, Rovigo, Treviso, Venice (metropolitan city), Verona and Vicenza. It borders the four regions of Friuli Venezia Giulia to the east, Trentino-Alto Adige and Lombardy to the west, and Emilia-Romagna to the south. The northern tip borders on Austria. The landscape or climate is also shaped by the 150-kilometre-long Adriatic coast. The lush vineyards were already cultivated by the Etruscans. Later the Romans came and appreciated the ancient wine Raeticum mentioned by Pliny the Elder (23-79), supposedly a precursor of today's Recioto wines. In the 15th century, the galleys of the Republic of Venice ("Serenissima" = the "Illustrious") dominated the Mediterranean. At that time, viticulture experienced a heyday.

The vineyards cover 94,600 hectares of vineyards on stony, calcareous soils covered with reddish-brown earth. Veneto is thus the third largest Italian wine-growing region. They are located in the plains on the Adriatic coast, on the Po and in the mountains around Lake Garda. The foothills of the Alps in the north protect against harsh weather. In the hilly hinterland with a cooler climate, mainly white wines are produced and on the warmer coast mainly red wines. The best-known Veneto wines are the two reds Bardolino and Valpolicella from the Garda area, and the sparkling versions of Prosecco. DOC/DOCG wines account for around 60% of production. Around two thirds come from the area around the city of Verona, which is considered the wine centre of Italy. The Vinitaly wine fair is held here every year.

In the regulations of the numerous DOC and DOCG areas or wines, a great many autochthonous varieties are permitted. The most important red wine varieties are Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Cavrara, Corbina, Corvina/Cruina (Corvina Veronese), Corvinone, Enantio, Groppello di Mocasina or Groppello di Santo Stefano, Groppello Gentile, Incrocio Manzoni 2.15, Manzoni Bianco, Manzoni Moscato, Marzemino, Merlot, Molinara, Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir), Raboso Piave or Friularo, Raboso Veronese, Recantina, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Rondinella, Rosetta (Rossignola), Sangiovese, Schiava Grossa, Schiava Gentile, Schiava Grigia, Tai Rosso (Garnacha Tinta) and Turchetta.

The most important white wine varieties are Bianchetta (Bianchetta Trevigiana), Chardonnay, Cortese or Bianca Fernanda, Durella, Friulano/Tai/Tuchì resp. Sauvignonasse (formerly Tocai Friulano), Garganega, Glera or Serprina (formerly Prosecco Tondo), Glera Lunga (formerly Prosecco Lunga), Malvasia Istriana (Malvazija Istarska), Manzoni Bianco, Manzoni Rosa, Marzemina Bianca, Moscato or Moscato Bianco (Muscat Blanc), Moscato Giallo (Gold Muscat), Moscato Fior d'Arancio (Muscat Fleur d'Oranger), Müller-Thurgau, Nosiola, Perera, Pinello (Pinella), Pinot Bianco (Pinot Blanc), Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris), Raboso Piave, Raboso Veronese, Riesling Italico (Welschriesling), Riesling Renano (Riesling), Sauvignon (Sauvignon Blanc), Trebbiano di Soave or Boschera (Verdicchio Bianco), Trebbiano Toscano, Verdiso, Verduzzo Friulano, Verduzzo Trevigiano and Vespaiola. The IGT (country wines), DOC and DOCG (quality wines) areas are

• Alto Livenza - also Friuli Venezia Giulia (IGT)
• Amarone della Valpolicella (DOCG)
• Arcole (DOC)
• Asolo Prosecco - until 2014, Colli Asolani Prosecco was also permitted (DOCG)
• Bagnoli di Sopra or Bagnoli (DOC)
• Bagnoli Friularo (DOCG)
• Bardolino DOC)
• Bardolino Superiore and Bardolino Classico Superiore (DOCG)
• Bianco di Custoza or Custoza (DOC)
• Breganze (DOC)
• Colli Berici (DOC)
• Colli di Conegliano (DOCG)
• Colli Euganei (DOC)
• Colli Euganei Fior d'Arancio or Fior d'Arancio Colli Euganei (DOCG)
• Colli Trevigiani (IGT)
• Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Prosecco (DOCG)
• Conselvano (IGT)
• Corti Benedettine del Padovano (DOC)
• Delle Venezie - also Friuli Venezia Giulia and Trentino (DOC)
• Gambellara (DOC)
• Garda - also Lombardy (DOC)
• Lessini Durello or Durello Lessini (DOC)
• Lison - also Friuli Venezia Giulia (DOCG)
• Lison-Pramaggiore - also Friuli Venezia Giulia (DOC)
• Lugana - also Lombardy (DOC)
• Marca Trevigiana (IGT)
• Merlara (DOC)
• Montello e Colli Asolani (DOC)
• Montello Rosso or Montello (DOCG)
• Monti Lessini (DOC)
• Piave or Vini del Piave (DOC)
• Piave Malanotte or Malanotte del Piave (DOCG)
• Prosecco - also Friuli Venezia Giulia (DOC)
• Recioto della Valpolicella (DOCG)
• Recioto di Gambellara (DOCG)
• Recioto di Soave (DOCG)
• Riviera del Brenta (DOC)
• San Martino della Battaglia - also Lombardy (DOC)
• Soave (DOC)
• Soave Superiore and Soave Classico Superiore (DOCG)
• Trevenezie - also Friuli Venezia Giulia and Trentino (IGT)
• Valdadige or Etschtaler - also Trentino-South Tyrol (DOC)
• Valdadige Terradeiforti or Terradeiforti - also Trentino-Alto Adige (DOC)
• Vallagarina - also Trentino/Trentino Alto Adige (IGT)
• Valpolicella (DOC)
• Valpolicella Ripasso (DOC)
• Veneto (IGT)
• Veneto Orientale (IGT)
• Venezia (DOC)
• Verona or Provincia di Verona or Veronese (IGT)
• Vicenza (DOC)
• Vigneti della Serenissima or Serenissima (DOC)
• Vigneti delle Dolomiti or Vineyard Dolomites - also South Tyrol/Trentino Alto Adige (IGT)

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