Italy — wine

Valpolicella Classico DOC

The historic heartland of Valpolicella — the three original valleys (Negrar, Marano, and Fumane) west of Verona that produce not only the base Valpolicella but also the appassimento wines Amarone and Recioto from Corvina, Corvinone, and Rondinella. The Classico designation distinguishes the historic zone from the expanded Valpolicella DOC; wines from old-vine parcels on limestone and clay hillside soils show a freshness and terroir character absent in flatter valley-floor examples.

Year Rating Notes
2022 Outstanding Valpolicella Classico year — warm, dry summer with ideal harvest conditions. Both fresh styles and appassimento bases of exceptional quality.
2019 Very good to excellent — classic growing season producing well-balanced Corvina. Allegrini's La Grola and Speri's Sant'Urbano both at their finest.
2017 Hot year; wines are richer and earlier-drinking than typical. Excellent for the fresh Superiore styles; Amarone from this year is particularly powerful.
2015 The great Valpolicella vintage of the modern era — ideal conditions produced Amarone and Superiore of unprecedented depth. Allegrini and Speri both produced 100-point wines.