VALPOLICELLA Elegance, complexity and uniqueness

Michèle Shah gives us the lowdown on one of Italy's best-loved wine regions and its unique Valpolicella style of wines

- Michèle Shah

Valpolicella in Veneto, is a wine-producing territory which sits at the foothills of the Dolomites in the northeast and is one of the most beautiful territories. It is also one of the most important and richest in terms of history, wine quality and exports.

There are many theories about the origin of the name Valpolicella. The one I like best is that it derives from the Latin vallispolis-cellae, ‘valley with many (wine) cellars’. Other interpretations mention that the name ‘Valpolicella’ appeared in charters of the mid12th century, which mention in Latin vallis pulicellae, ‘valley of river deposits’. Whichever it is, Valpolicella’s history of winemaking goes back to the Romans or earlier and its economy today is heavily based on wine production.

The Valpolicella DOC and DOCG appellation encompasses 19 municipalities — 5 in the Classico area and 14 in the DOC one. Its territory borders Lake Garda to the west, while to the east and north it is protected by the Lessini Mountains. Think of the Valpolicella as a fan-shaped hilly territory almost entirely planted to vineyards, with a series of valleys opening up to the north of Verona. It is divided into three macro areas: the mountainous limestone areas formed by the Lessini Mountains; the hilly area where most of the vines are planted; the valley bed. Its diverse terroir is the basis of the uniqueness and typicity of these wines.