Veneto

DOC for a wide range of mostly dry red and white wines, located in the Veneto wine-growing region in Italy. The zone includes the hilly area between the Brenta and Astico rivers in the province of Vicenza. It includes the communes of Bassano del Grappa, Breganze, Fara Vicentino, Lugo di Vicenza, Marostica, Mason Vicentino, Molvena, Montecchio Precalcino, Pianezze, Salcedo, Sandrigo, Sarcedo and Rugliano. The varietal wines must contain a minimum of 85% of the stated variety, the remainder can be made up of permitted varieties of the same colour. The varietal wines produced are Cabernet (Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon), Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Marzemino, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Nero, Sauvignon and Vespaiolo (made from Vespaiola).

Torcolato is made from selected and dried Vespaiola grapes (minimum 85%), and is produced in Abboccato, Amabile and Dolce versions. Bianco is made from Tocai Friulano (minimum 85%), as well as optionally from other permitted white varieties, as a blend. Rosso is made from Merlot (minimum 85%), as well as optionally from other permitted red varieties. Some of these wines are also produced in Riserva and Superiore versions. A pioneer in this region is Fausto Maculan, who travelled to France and California to study wine production there, then returned to introduce French standard grape varieties, and is also experimenting with maturation in barriques. A novelty is the sweet botrytis wine “Acini Nobili” produced on his estate (21 ha).