Valpolicella

A light- to medium-bodied red wine made near Verona in the Veneto region of northeast Italy. The wine is generally a product of the blending of Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara grapes (though the last are often omitted in higher-quality Valpolicellas). This is generally a wine to be drunk young, though quality Classicos and Superiores can age for several years.

There are three general styles of Valpolicella:

• Valpolicella When it is listed as "straight" Valpo, it means that the grapes were harvested from the plain. These wines have a reputation for being particularly flabby and plain.
• Classico These wines are made from grapes harvested from the hills of the area and are generally considered to be of higher quality.
• Superiore An Italian wine term designating somewhat higher alcohol content than other wines of the same DOC. Valpolicella Superiores are often made using the ripasso technique, using the skins of grapes left over from production of Amarone, another of the region's well-known reds. These wines often have a distinctive sweet-sour taste and fuller body.

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