Some of Valpolicella's Best Wines

Villabella: Villa Cordevigo Bianco and Fiordilej Passito del Veneto. Neither wine is available in the U.S. currently, though you can find several other Villabella wines. It's a shame, because both are world-class white wines that will stun the few pundits who still think Italian whites are characterless and boring.

Grotta del Ninfeo: Valpolicella Ripasso

Zeni: Cruino. The single best wine I tried in Valpolicella, it's made from the difficult Corvina Grosso grape.

Tenuta Sant'Antonio: Scaia Bianca, Monti Garbi Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso, La Bandina Valpolicella Superiore

Besides the wines above, here are a few very famous Amarone wineries. Great Amarone makers usually make great, less expensive wines, so look for Valpolicella, Valpolicella Classico, or Valpolicella Ripasso from any of the following winemakers: Allegrini, Ca'La Bionda, Dal Forno Romano, Masi, Quintarelli, and the locally imported L'Arco.