Recioto della Valpolicella

🇮🇹 Italy

DOCG Rare find

DOCG 2010 - Ancient sweet passito, "orecchie" (ears) ripest clusters, Emperor Augustus favorite, Amarone's sweet ancestor

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Region profile

History

Ancient Roman origins pre-1st century BC - Svetonius wrote Emperor Augustus had whole barrels sent for personal consumption. 6th century AD Cassiodorus minister wrote to King Theoderic about sweet wine from dried grapes. Etymology "recie" (ears/orecchie) dialect - ripest grape cluster lobes receiving most sunlight. DOC status 1968 (alongside Valpolicella). DOCG December 2009 (alongside Amarone). Giuseppe Quintarelli set modern production standards, influencing Romano dal Forno and Tommaso Bussola. Slow Food Presidium 2026 debut at Slow Wine Fair Bologna - first DOCG to receive Presidium status. Sweet wine ancestor of Amarone (1936 accidental dry fermentation).

Climate
Continental Veneto; Valpolicella zone north of Verona; same terroir as Amarone; hillside vineyards 150-500m; fruttaio drying rooms 100+ days; extended drying vs Amarone (+1 month)
Signature wines
Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG (sweet red passito, 100+ days appassimento, 50 g/l residual sugar, fermentation arrested); notable producers: Giuseppe Quintarelli (legendary complexity, 300 cases), Dal Forno Romano (Vigna Seré special vintages), Tommaso Bussola
What sets it apart
Emperor Augustus favorite wine ancient Rome (Svetonius); "recie" (ears/orecchie) - ripest grape cluster lobes; 100+ days appassimento (+1 month vs Amarone); fermentation arrested to preserve sweetness (vs Amarone dry); Slow Food Presidium 2026 (first DOCG Presidium); 400k bottles annually; DOCG 2010; ancient origins pre-1st century BC; Quintarelli + Dal Forno Romano legendary producers; sweet ancestor of Amarone (1936 accident); 6th century AD Cassiodorus writings

Facts

  • 400,000 bottles annually (down from 700k pre-2010)
  • DOCG 2010 (promoted from DOC 1968 alongside Amarone)
  • 12 tonnes/ha max yield
  • 100+ days appassimento drying (vs Amarone same)
  • hand-harvested selected clusters
  • "recie" (ears/orecchie) dialect name - ripest grape cluster lobes
  • Slow Food Presidium 2026 debut (first DOCG Presidium)
  • Emperor Augustus favorite wine (Svetonius)
  • fermentation arrested vs Amarone fermented dry
  • Quintarelli 300 cases annually
  • ancient Roman origins pre-1st century BC

Region profile from the Wine Memories wine-data corpus · verified January 2026