09 June 2025
Veneto is a region of layered identities: Venice and the Dolomites, opera and cicchetti, Palladian villas and vineyards tucked between lakes, hills, and extinct volcanoes. In the glass, too, Veneto is plural – from the vertical freshness of Prosecco Superiore to the deep intensity of Amarone, to the Mediterranean elegance of Lugana. Its strength as a wine region lies in this balance between lightness and structure.
Valdobbiadene: Unesco Heritage Hills
Among the steep rows of vines in Valdobbiadene – where harvesting is still done by hand and slopes often exceed 40% – one of the world’s most beloved sparkling wines is born: Prosecco Superiore DOCG. But this wine’s story isn’t only about effervescence – it’s about rural tradition, winemaking technique, and a love for a landscape now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
One of the key names in this sparkling revolution is Bortolomiol. Founded in 1949 by Giuliano Bortolomiol and now led by his four daughters, the estate helped define the Brut style of Prosecco and continues to champion the region through cultural and sustainability projects – including the Parco della Filandetta, a former silk mill transformed into an urban vineyard and art space.
Lugana e Valpolicella: Still Waters, Dried Grapes
Just a few kilometers away, the landscape shifts. The hills soften, Lake Garda reflects the light and tempers the climate. This is home to Lugana DOC, a white wine of surprising longevity, made from Trebbiano di Lugana grapes grown in clay-rich soils.
At the heart of this unique microclimate, Zenato is one of the families that has done the most to bring Lugana to international attention. But not only that – from their estate in Valpolicella, the Zenatos have also mastered the art of Verona’s great reds, especially Amarone della Valpolicella, a sumptuous and complex wine made from dried grapes.
Among their iconic labels: Lugana Riserva Sergio Zenato and Amarone Classico – both examples of a rare harmony between finesse and power.
Valpantena: Altitude and Minerality
Heading east, toward Valpantena, you discover yet another expression of Veneto wine: steep slopes, limestone soils, forests and olive groves framing the vineyards. This is where Costa Arènte is located – a winery rooted in sustainability, manual labor, and respect for nature.
Their terraced vineyards climb up to 600 meters above sea level and yield deep, long-lived reds. Their Amarone Valpolicella Valpantena DOCG and Ripasso embody the minerality of the soil and the handcrafted precision that defines their cellar work.
