---
title: "From 1968 to Today: Valpantena, a Historic Wine Appellation Just Minutes from Verona"
description: Northeast of Verona, where the last hills rise towards the Venetian Pre-Alps and the Lessinia mountains, this valley has preserved a wine-growing vocation that has been officially recognised for more than half a century.
author: Valpantena
url: https://www.valpantena.org/en/experiences/food-wine/from-1968-to-today-valpantena-a-historic-wine-appellation-just-minutes-from-verona
---

There are places that tell their own story, and Valpantena is one of them. Northeast of Verona, where the last hills rise towards the Venetian Pre-Alps and the Lessinia mountains, this valley has preserved a wine-growing vocation that has been officially recognised for more than half a century.

The date of its birth is precise. The regulations establishing the Veronese appellation came into force with the **Decree of the President of the Republic of 21 August 1968**, published in the Official Gazette on 21 October of the same year. Since then, Valpantena has been recognised as a distinct subzone, with an inseparable bond between the wine and the place where it is produced.

The production area is limited and highly distinctive. It includes the hamlet of Stallavena in the municipality of Grezzana and the Veronese districts of Marzana, Quinto di Valpantena, Santa Maria di Stelle and San Felice Extra. A compact geography of sun-exposed hills, limestone soils and a tradition of small-scale farming that has shaped the landscape over the centuries.

### **Grape Varieties and Identity**

The valley's wines are born from a blend that reflects the traditions of the Verona area. Corvina Veronese remains the leading variety, accounting for between 45 and 95 per cent, with the possibility of using Corvinone for up to 50 per cent as a substitute. Rondinella completes the blend with a share ranging from 5 to 30 per cent, while other authorised red grape varieties from the area may account for up to a maximum of 25 per cent. These are figures carefully defined by the regulations, because those percentages determine the very character of the wine.

The cooperative tradition also has deep roots in this history. In 1958, a group of local winegrowers founded the cooperative that bears the valley's name, an organisation that still brings together hundreds of agricultural businesses across the hills of the Verona area. It is a concrete example of how, here, working together has long been part of the local culture.

### **A Tourism Destination on the Rise**

Valpantena is part of a broader landscape that is currently experiencing a favourable moment. According to data compiled by the Verona Chamber of Commerce based on figures from the Veneto Region and Istat, in 2025 the province came close to **20 million overnight stays**, recording a 1.9 per cent increase compared with 2024 and growth of more than 10 per cent compared with 2019, the last year before the pandemic.

International demand is the main driver, with more than **15.7 million overnight stays by foreign visitors**, up 2.2 per cent and accounting for almost 80 per cent of total tourism flows. The city of Verona recorded a particularly strong performance, with growth of 6.4 per cent and more than 3.3 million overnight stays, driven by the return of international visitors.

Another figure speaks directly to the valley. The hilly area known as the **“4 Marchi” of the Verona region** recorded the strongest percentage growth in the entire province. A sign that tourism in the area is gradually broadening its horizons beyond Lake Garda, towards the hills and the experiences they have to offer.

### **Just Minutes from the City Centre**

One of Valpantena's greatest strengths is its proximity, something few wine regions can claim. Quinto di Valpantena is just a handful of kilometres from the centre of Verona, around a 15-minute drive, while Grezzana can be reached in approximately 20 minutes. For visitors to the city, the valley therefore becomes an easily accessible day-trip destination, ideal for a wine tasting, a walk among the vineyards or a visit to an olive mill.

The area's offering goes far beyond wine. Walking and cycling trails cross meadows, woodlands and vineyards; olive mills tell the story of Verona's olive oil culture; villas and historic villages create a landscape where nature and heritage intertwine. The valley's medium-bodied, fragrant wines naturally complement local flavours, from cured meats and medium-aged cheeses to risottos and slow-cooked meats.

### **A Valley That Works Together**

Valpantena's strength lies in the ability of its local players to work together. Wineries, agritourisms, olive mills, hospitality businesses and artisans share an idea of quality that begins with the land and reaches the guest. This is the vision that **Rete Valpantena** carries forward, bringing together the valley's outstanding businesses under a single project and giving them a coordinated voice.

More than half a century of official recognition, a compact and accessible territory, and steadily growing tourism in the Verona area: the valley has all the ingredients to establish itself as a leading food and wine destination, close to the city yet deeply faithful to its own identity.

Valpantena has a long story to tell, and today it has all the tools it needs to make itself heard.

*Sources: Production Regulations, D.P.R. 21 August 1968 (catalogoviti.politicheagricole.it; assovini.it); Verona Chamber of Commerce, press release of 24 February 2026 (vr.camcom.it).*