Wine region · Italy

Veneto wine

Veneto is a north-east Italian wine region making Prosecco from Glera, Soave from Garganega and Amarone from dried Corvina grapes. In 2022 it had 97,500 ha of vineyards and produced 11.9 million hl of wine, about 81% of it white, under 14 DOCGs and 29 DOCs.

Country	Italy
Vineyard area	About 97,500 ha (2022)
Climate	Continental, sheltered from the north by the Alps
Main grapes	Glera, Pinot Gris, Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Garganega, Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Trebbiano di Soave
Key appellations	Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella, Recioto della Valpolicella, Soave, Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco, Asolo Prosecco, Prosecco DOC, Bardolino, Lison
Wines on WineGuessr	4

History

In 2009 the grape long called Prosecco was officially renamed Glera. Prosecco is now a DOC wine produced across Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, with the hill zones of Conegliano Valdobbiadene and Asolo as DOCGs. Prosecco output then grew from about 150 million bottles in 2008 to nearly 600 million in 2018, and the Prosecco hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2019. Amarone della Valpolicella is said to have begun as a Recioto that fermented further than intended, leaving a dry wine; it was promoted to DOCG in December 2009. The name Prosecco comes from a village near Trieste, far from today's main vineyards.

Terroir and appellations

The Alps shelter Veneto from northern weather, while the plains towards the Adriatic are warmer. The region has 14 DOCGs, 29 DOCs and 10 IGPs. Around Verona, the Valpolicella hills produce Valpolicella, Amarone and sweet Recioto, the eastern hills around Soave and Monteforte d'Alpone produce Soave, and the shores of Lake Garda give the light red Bardolino. In Treviso province, the steep hills between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene make Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore, with Cartizze as its most prized subzone. The broader Prosecco DOC covers nine provinces of Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Other DOCGs include Lison, Piave Malanotte and Colli Euganei Fior d'Arancio.

Grapes and wine styles

Veneto's five main grapes are Glera, Garganega, Merlot, Corvina and Pinot Grigio, and about 81% of its wine was white in 2022. Prosecco must contain at least 85% Glera and is usually made sparkling by the tank (Charmat-Martinotti) method, which keeps it fresh and affordable. Soave is based on Garganega, with at least 70% required. For Amarone, Corvina (45 to 95%, part of which may be Corvinone) is blended with Rondinella and other grapes, dried for about 120 days, then fermented dry to at least 14% alcohol and aged for at least two years. If fermentation stops early, the same dried grapes give the sweet Recioto della Valpolicella.

4 wines from Veneto on the map

Veneto wine: questions and answers

What grape is Prosecco made from?

Prosecco is made mainly from Glera, which must make up at least 85% of the blend. The grape itself was called Prosecco until it was renamed in 2009.

How is Amarone made?

Amarone is made from Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella grapes dried for about 120 days before fermentation, a process called appassimento. The wine is fermented dry, must reach at least 14% alcohol and is aged at least two years.

What is the difference between Amarone and Recioto della Valpolicella?

Both come from dried Valpolicella grapes, but Amarone is fermented until dry while Recioto keeps its sweetness because fermentation stops early.

What is the difference between Prosecco DOC and Prosecco Superiore DOCG?

Prosecco DOC covers a large area across Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Prosecco Superiore DOCG comes only from the hills of Conegliano Valdobbiadene or Asolo in Treviso province, where vineyards are steeper and harvested by hand.

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Sources: italianwinecentral.com, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org

Last reviewed October 2026.