The roads of wine

A few miles from our guest house is Valpolicella, a hilly area famous for the vineyards that produce the world-renowned Amarone wine. The name of this red wine comes from the Italian word 'amaro' which means bitter; the name distinguishes it from the sweet Recioto della Valpolicella, from which it originated.

In 1968 the official category DOC was approved by law; it stands for 'controlled original identity', to protect illegal productions of the various Valpolicella wines - "Valpolicella", "Valpolicella Ripasso", "Recioto della Valpolicella" and "Amarone della Valpolicella". Another law passed on 24 March 2010 further protects these four wines.
The Amarone della Valpolicella survived unchanged for centuries and has come down to us with its same characteristics that wine specialists and trade journalists continue to praise. In fact, Amarone has been repeatedly included in the most important guides to wines such as Buoni Vini d'Italia Touring Club, Vini d'Italia Gambero Rosso, Veronelli, Luca Maroni, Espresso, and Enogea, Wine Enthusiast.

Two other very popular wines are grown in vineyards on Lake Garda. Bardolino Red and its rosè version Chiaretto are very popular with the Veronese, so much so that there is a festival entirely dedicated to it called the “Festa dell’Uva e del Vino Bardolino” (The Bardolino Grape and Wine Fest), usually held the first days of October in Bardolino, the town with the same name on the eastern side of Lake Garda.

Lugana, which is produced in the area south of Lake Garda near the Lombardy-Veneto boundary, is a splendid white wine- fresh and young, that goes well with first courses (pasta or rice) and fish.

Soave is another popular white wine produced in a large area to the east of Verona in the town of the same name

Custoza, another fresh, beautifully fragrant white wine, with a delicate and floral scent, is a favorite on the table.
Many vineyards and wine cellars offer wine tasting and guided tours of their cantinas, an excellent way to approach the culture of wines. We would be pleased to suggest some of these wine cellars to you.