Valpolicella’s Classico Zone sits at its western end near Lake Garda and to the northwest of Verona. Purists would (reasonably) argue that this is the true Valpolicella, with a centuries-old reputation for producing wines from raisined grapes. Its four north-south valleys, running from the Lessini Mountains to the Adige River – Sant’Ambrogio (home of Masi), Fumane (Allegrini), Marano (Ca’ La Bionda) and Negrar (Quintarelli) – will sound reasonably familiar. San Pietro in Cariano –  effectively the lower end of the Fumane and Marano Valleys – is home to many established concerns like Bolla, Santa Sofia, Speri, Tommasi and Tedeschi. None of these toponyms, save maybe Negrar, is more famous than the star producer(s) located there.

Valpolicella’s expansion to the east of Verona occurred in 1968 when it achieved DOC status, overlapping with the concurrently formed (and similarly expanded) Soave DOC. This was largely for commercial reasons, namely that export markets were hungry for light, easy-drinking Valpolicella reds (not so much Amarone, which was a nascent category at the time). Many in the region, particularly producers in the Classico Zone, have sought to characterise this area as an endless expanse of warm, fertile alluvial plains. While it is sometimes true, especially in Italy, that the extension zone lacks the quality potential, or at least the distinctive traits, of the original, a quick look at the map reveals that the picture here is more complex.

First, some genuine differences. The Classico Zone is distinguished by Garda’s moderating influence and cooling late afternoon breezes, especially in westerly Sant’Ambrogio where they inform the ripe but fresh style epitomized by Masi. Eastern Valpolicella is more continental and warmer overall. It is also true that many Eastern Valpolicella vineyards are on flatlands, typically farmed for quantity rather than quality. Finally, the eastern valleys focus more on Corvinone than Corvina, naturally shifting the balance towards a dark-fruited, more tannic style than the red-fruited, silky Corvina blends of the Classico Zone. Tenuta Sant’Antonio’s Campo dei Gigli shows off Corvinone at its blue fruited, energetic best, and there are in fact ever more producers here and in Classico turning their attentions to this more disease-resistant, robust variety.

However, the critical distinction is arguably not so much between Classico and everything else but between hills and alluvial plains. The Classico Zone’s San Pietro in Cariano and parts of Sant’Ambrogio have their fair share of flatlands. Meanwhile, the upper reaches of the Tramigna, Illasi and Mezzane Valleys – the easternmost parts of Valpolicella, from east to west – are extremely hilly, with plenty of vineyards in the favoured 300-400m above sea level (asl) range and even higher vineyards to rival their peers in the Classico Zone. Massimago and Le Guaite di Noemi, both in Mezzane, show off the advantages of altitude in warmer climates. Hoping to mitigate climate change, many producers are finding more (and more affordable) opportunities in Eastern Valpolicella to plant up high, like Hannes Pichler who planted virgin land at 500-550m asl for his Contrada Palui around a decade ago. The eastern valleys’ relative narrowness, especially compared to Negrar and Fumane, also allows them to rapidly funnel cool air from the Lessini Mountains to their lowlands, boosting diurnal variation. This dynamic can produce potent wines with razor sharp acidity; Illasi icon Dal Forno remains a poster child for this style.

A notion also exists that the split between limestone-driven geology in the Classico Zone and volcanic in Eastern Valpolicella yields another stylistic division between the two. Like virtually all geopedology applied to wine, this is an oversimplification. Most genuine volcanic outcroppings sitting further to the east in the heart of Soave. Mezzane has some, possibly giving wines like Corte Sant’Alda’s Mithas a spicier, more robust profile. However, it’s probably easier to find volcanic soils in the upper Marano Valley than in the high hills of Eastern Valpolicella – try Novaia’s Corte Vaona for an example. It is true that the western alluvial plains are more calcareous and the eastern more basaltic but I suspect the quality ambitions of individual lowland producers have a greater impact.

Finally, there is the Valpantena, directly north of Verona, which represents both a figurative and literal middle way. In 2010, thanks in part to lobbying by Bertani, it was deemed sufficiently historical and stylistically unique – with an elegance attributable to cooling Lessini mountain breezes and calcareous marls – that it received its own subzone. The wines of La Collina dei Ciliegi, Brigaldara’s Cavolo, Pasqua’s Famiglia Pasqua and Bertani’s own Valpantena bottling are characteristic.

Overall, I think it is fair to say that more investigation (preferably glass in hand) is warranted and this year’s report presents ample options from these three valleys, plus the even less well known Marcellise (Musella) and Squaranto (La Giuva). Though we are not yet at the stage where it is possible to draw very clear distinctions between the Mezzane, Illasi and Tramigna Valleys, identities are starting to coalesce. Massimago’s Camilla Rossi Chauvenet says that in their group of 13 Mezzane producers she has started to see real commonalities. Given the Consorzio is considering 11 subzones, there will doubtless be much more exploration to do in future, but for now, keep an eye on the Estesa.

The wines that fared best in this report were those with a clear, site-driven identity, whether aligned with recent stylistic shifts or not. For instance, Dal Forno, Zýmē and Tedeschi are hardly emblematic of Amarone’s recent ‘shift to the light,’ still producing bold, powerful wines balanced by equally potent acidity. Meanwhile the fresher, redder style of Secondo Marco, Rubinelli Vajol and Ca’ La Bionda was about preserving natural freshness rather than shoe-horning wines into a trendy shape; wines that tilted redder but merely felt like diluter versions of their former selves scored lower. That said, quality was more evenly distributed than in last year’s report, where iconic, monumental bottlings dominated. The 94-point tier is particularly exciting; alongside familiar names (Allegrini, Santa Sofia, Pasqua), fresher faces like Contrada Palui, Massimago and Terre di Leone speak to a region showing ever greater strength in depth.

Tasting notes and scores from Club Oenologique’s Amarone della Valpolicella Report 2025 (featuring only those wines scoring 90 points and above) are available to all registered users of The Collection, the online home of our premium wine and spirits content. To register, click here.