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Valpolicella

Viniculture
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Valpolicella is a red wine from Veneto, Italy, often light and fruity, but also produced in richer styles like Ripasso and Amarone.

Detailed Definition
Valpolicella’s poetic charm lies in its versatility—from simple, juicy quaffs to complex Ripasso versions that revisit the lees of Amarone. Its name evokes the “valley of many cellars,” and poets have used it to depict the lush, rolling hills near Verona, the setting of Shakespearean romance. Its cherry and almond notes conjure orchards in bloom, while its lighter body suggests fleeting pleasure and everyday conviviality. In verse, it appears as a humble companion to rustic feasts, embodying the earthbound joy of Italian pastoral life.
Example
Example in poetry:
Valpolicella|"Valpolicella, the valley of many cellars, is a wine of the Veneto, its cherry and almond notes a poem of the hills around Verona."; "The poet finds in Valpolicella the taste of Shakespeare's Verona, a wine for lovers and for the drama of the stage."; "Valpolicella's light, fruity character makes it a wine of everyday pleasure, a subject for poems about the simple joys of life."; "The poet uses Valpolicella to evoke the stone terraces and the olive trees of the region, a landscape of ancient beauty."; "Valpolicella, in its Ripasso style, is a poem of transformation, a second fermentation that adds depth and character."; "The poet compares Valpolicella to a pastoral eclogue, a gentle celebration of rural life and its modest pleasures."
Additional Notes
Valpolicella is a red wine from the Veneto region of Italy, made primarily from Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara grapes. The wine is known for its light, fruity character, but it also has richer expressions, such as Ripasso (which undergoes a second fermentation on the lees of Amarone) and the concentrated Amarone itself. For poets, Valpolicella can evoke the gentle hills of the Veneto, the medieval town of Verona, and the rich history of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." Its range of styles, from the everyday to the profound, offers a versatile poetic subject for exploring themes of simplicity, transformation, and the hidden depths beneath a modest surface. Related terms include Amarone, Ripasso, and Veneto.
Also Known As
Valpolicella Classico Amarone
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