Valpolicella Classico DOCCorvina, Corvinone, RondinellaSan Pietro in Cariano
Family cellar and shop on Via Don Cesare Biasi in San Pietro in Cariano, open six days a week and unusual in the valley for taking walk-in visitors.
Tip: Open Monday to Saturday 08:30 to 12:30 and 14:00 to 19:30, which makes it the easiest unplanned stop in San Pietro in Cariano.
Valpolicella Classico DOCCorvina, Corvinone, RondinellaValena, San Pietro in Cariano
Estate on Via Valena at San Pietro in Cariano bottling the Valpolicella range plus its own Grappa di Amarone, well off the main visitor circuit.
Tip: Ask for the Grappa di Amarone at the end of the tasting; it is bottled from the estate's own appassimento pomace.
Valpolicella DOCCorvina, Corvinone, RondinellaTregnago
Cellar at Tregnago in the far eastern valleys of the denomination, past Illasi, where higher and cooler sites give leaner wines than the Classico zone.
Tip: Tregnago is 30 minutes east of Verona. Pair it with Illasi and Mezzane rather than trying to add it to a Classico day.
Valpolicella DOCCorvina, Corvinone, RondinellaMezzane di Sotto
Morini family cellar in the Mezzane valley, one of the eastern side valleys that most Amarone itineraries skip in favour of the Classico zone.
Tip: Mezzane pairs naturally with Corte Sant'Alda and Massimago; the three cellars are within ten minutes of each other.
Valpolicella DOCCorvina, Corvinone, RondinellaLuca AnselmiPigno, Illasi
Small Illasi holding worked by Luca Anselmi at Pigno, in the eastern valley that Dal Forno made famous, with its own Grappa di Amarone alongside the wines.
Tip: Illasi is 25 minutes from Verona on the SP10. The valley is quieter than the Classico zone on a Saturday.
Valpolicella Classico DOCCorvina, Corvinone, RondinellaORGANIC CERTIFIEDGargagnago, Sant'Ambrogio di Valpolicella
Certified organic cellar on Via Giare at Gargagnago, working a few hectares in the shadow of the hamlet's much larger neighbours.
Tip: Gargagnago is on the SP4 between Sant'Ambrogio and San Pietro in Cariano, so this fits neatly into a Classico morning.