The ancient Greeks called Italy Enotria -- the land of wines. It produces more wine than any other country in the world, so the annual VinItaly wine fair held every April in Verona is an understandably prestigious event. The Veneto produces more DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata, zones of controlled name and origin) wines than anywhere else in Italy, particularly the Veronese trio of Bardolino and Valpolicella (reds) and soave (white).
The costly, dry Valpolicello wine known as Amarone comes from the vineyards outside of Verona. Masi is one of the most respected producers, one of many in the Verona hills, whose cantine are open to the public for wine-tasting stops. Visit Verona's tourist information office for a listing of wine estates open to the public. No organized tours are available and you'll need your own wheels, but oenologically minded visitors will want to taste some of Italy's finest wines at the point of their origin.
