Veneto

Italy · Wine Auction Prices

The Veneto, stretching from the Dolomites to the Adriatic coast in northeast Italy, is the country's single most productive DOC/DOCG wine region by volume — yet at auction it is defined by a handful of exceptional wines commanding prices rivalling Barolo and Brunello. Amarone della Valpolicella is the region's crown jewel: a dry red wine made from partially dried Corvina, Corvinone, and Rondinella grapes via the ancient appassimento process, resulting in wines of extraordinary concentration, minimum 14% ABV, and remarkable longevity. The Classico zone in the hills west of Verona produces the finest examples. Quintarelli Giuseppe and Dal Forno Romano are the undisputed cult producers, whose Amarone releases regularly fetch $300–$2,000 per bottle at auction, with older vintages from the 1960s through 1990s commanding a significant premium. Ripasso wines — Valpolicella refermented on Amarone grape skins — offer a more accessible price point with similar aromatic complexity. Recioto della Valpolicella, the sweet dried-grape wine that predates Amarone, remains a collector's curiosity from top producers. Soave Classico, made from Garganega on volcanic soils around the medieval town of Soave, produces Italy's finest dry whites outside Tuscany, with Pieropan's Calvarino and La Rocca representing the benchmark. Great Amarone vintages at auction include 1967, 1971, 1988, 1990, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2012, and 2015.