I’ve had the privilege of visiting Italy twice, with my most recent trip in the fall of 2022 for the Wine Media Conference held in Lake Garda. One of the highlights of the conference was uncovering the remarkable diversity of wine regions in northern Italy that are conveniently located near Lake Garda.

I was already acquainted with the wines from several regions, including the three highlighted in this post – Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, and Piedmonte/Langhe. However, there were numerous others I eager to visit in the future, such as Oltrepò Pavese, Franciacorta, and Valtenesi, among others.

The combination of diverse terroirs, quality-focused practices, iconic grape varieties, a balance between innovation and tradition, and cultural significance distinguishes northern Italy as a unique and esteemed wine-producing region.

Disclosure: These wines were provided as a media samples. No other compensation was received. All opinions are mine.

Veneto

The Veneto wine region, encompassing a vast area of northeast Italy, is primarily situated around the cities of Verona and Venice, stretching up to the Austrian border. To the east, Friuli-Venezia Giulia extends up to the border with Slovenia, while to the west lies Lombardy.

The Valpolicella Ripasso D.O.C. originates from the Veneto region of Italy, more precisely from the renowned Valpolicella area within Veneto, celebrated for its rich and robust red wines.

Valpolicella Ripasso wine stands out due to its distinctive process, where it undergoes a secondary fermentation on Amarone grape skins. This method enriches the wine, imparting depth, structure, and intensity, ultimately yielding a velvety texture and indulgent flavors of dark fruit, mocha, and spice.

Famiglia Pasqua Valpolicella Ripasso DOC Superiore 2021 – Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Ripasso della Valpolicella Superiore

Medium ruby color with dried Morello cherry, blackberry, blueberry and charred wood aromas with a hint of menthol. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied with bright acidity and velvety tannins with Morello cherry, blueberry, plum and subtle spice flavors. Medium finish. Blend of 60% Corvina, 20% Rondinella 10%,Corvinone, and 10%,Negrara. 13.5% abv |SRP – $25.99|(89 pts.)

We enjoyed this wine alongside cast iron-grilled rib-eye finished in the oven, and it proved to be an excellent pairing!

Emilia-Romagna

Nestled between Tuscany to the south, Lombardy and Veneto to the north, the Adriatic Sea to the east, and Liguria to the west, Emilia-Romagna stands as a paradise for both wine and food aficionados.

Emilia-Romagna boasts a viticultural legacy dating back to the seventh century BC, positioning it as one of Italy’s oldest and most storied wine regions.

Lambrusco is the most renown wine in Emilia-Romagna. However, the wine comes from Romagna DOC in the south-eastern part of the region. It was crafted from Sangiovese, which is by far the most important in the region in terms of both quality and quantity.

Sangiovese Riserva must come from either the Longiano and Modigliana subzones. This wine holds the highly regarded classification of “Superiore Riserva,” indicating that its grapes originate from specific subzones believed to produce better fruit, and it has undergone aging for approximately three years.

2019 Poderi’ dal Nespoli Sangiovese di Romagna Superiore Riserva Il Nespoli – Italy, Emilia-Romagna, Sangiovese di Romagna

Deep garnet color with black and red fruit, sandalwood, tobacco, mocha, dried herbs and a hint of sun dried tomato aromas. On the palate, it’s medium bodied, with vibrant acidity and chewy tannins with red currant, sour red cherry, blackberry, subtle plum, mocha and savory herb flavors. 14.5% abv|SRP – $34.99|(88 pts.)

Piedmont/Langhe

Piedmont, aptly named for its geographic features (“pied” meaning foot and “mont” meaning mountain), lies nestled at the base of the Western Alps, which envelop its northern and western borders. It is one of the world’s premier wine destinations, and home of more prestigious DOCG wines than any other Italian region. Barolo wine, named after the village from which it originates, is crafted from Nebbiolo, often heralded as Italy’s most esteemed grape variety. It is renown its complexity, ability to reflect its terroir, exceptional aging potential and its characteristic flavors of red fruit, tar, roses, and earthy notes.

Langhe is a sub-region within Piedmont that includes several notable wine-growing areas, including Barolo.

2019 Ricossa Barolo – Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

This wine seems to straddle the line between a “classic” and “modern” Barolo. Its tannins are softer at an earlier age and it’s a bit more fruit forward.

Medium garnet with color with sour cherry, raspberry, dried rose, licorice, claypot, espresso, and subtle spice aromas. On the the palate, it’s medium-bodied with bright acidity and well integrated firm tannins and sour cherry, raspberry, licorice, spice, espresso flavors with hints of vanilla and cacao. 100% Nebbiolo. Aged for 38 months. 13.5% abv| SRP – $45.99|(88 pts.)

This wine truly shone when paired with Mushroom Risotto!

Whether you’re savoring the Veneto’s Valpolicella Ripasso, a vibrant expression of the same esteemed terroir that produces the rich Amarone wines, exploring Romagna’s captivating interpretation of Italy’s beloved Sangiovese grape, or indulging in Barolo, hailed as Italy’s “King of Wines” and the “Wine of Kings,” these three enticing Northern Italian red wines promise to delight your palate!