Valeria & Amanda’s Favorite Wines
Corvina
The Opposite Twins of Veneto
Valeria and Amanda are twin sisters from Veneto, Italy, who are very different. They have a dog named Coco, and rarely travel outside Italy because of her. Valeria has a slim build and dresses elegantly. She's cheerful and down-to-earth.
Her twin sister Amanda is very different: a famous, celebrity athlete known for the extreme sport of desert trekking. Amanda has an athletic build and is intense during training, but outside of it, she's just as cheerful as Valeria. When she's not out trekking through the desert, Amanda enjoys wine.
In wine terms? Valeria and Amanda are both Corvina, the thick-skinned red grape behind 3 very different wines from the same corner of Italy.
On its own, Corvina is naturally light in tannin with high acidity, and carries tart red cherry, plum, and herbal notes with a touch of almond and pepper.
How the grape is handled changes everything. Made simply, Corvina becomes Valpolicella, a fresh, easy-drinking red. Dry a portion of the grapes for months before pressing (the traditional appassimento method) and it becomes Amarone: concentrated, high in alcohol, with grippy tannin and notes of chocolate, spice, and leather.
In between sits Ripasso, made by pouring Valpolicella back over the leftover skins of an already-fermented Amarone, picking up extra color, body, and flavor along the way.
Corvina is typically blended with Rondinella and Molinara, local Italian grape varieties. Corvina is rarely found outside of Italy.
Now let's find you some bottles the twins would actually approve of.
Valeria & Amanda's Top Picks
We picked bottles from the twins' homeland and beyond, prioritizing Pop Up Wine and filling gaps from Straits Wine. Click any wine name to shop it.
1. For a casual weeknight
Speri : Valpolicella Classico 2022
Veneto, Italy | $49 / bottle
Valeria says: "This is exactly my kind of wine: light, easy, and doesn't take itself too seriously. Red berries and floral notes with vibrant acidity, from a family that's been growing Corvina in Valpolicella since 1874. Rated 3.8 out of 5 on Vivino. Pour it on a Wednesday, no occasion required."
Pairs with: Pizza, bruschetta, or a simple tomato pasta
2. For the Valpolicella connoisseur
Speri : Sant'Urbano Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2021
Veneto, Italy | $59 / bottle
Valeria says: "This one comes from Speri's own Monte Sant'Urbano vineyard, in the family since 1933. Deep crimson, with blackberry, plum, and black cherry over a base of oak. It's certified organic and scored 91 points from James Suckling. Still elegant, just a little more grown-up."
Pairs with: Roast pork, aged Asiago, or grilled portobello mushrooms
3. Great value-for-money
Tenuta Santa Maria : Ripasso Superiore 2018
Veneto, Italy | $78 / bottle
Valeria says: "Ripasso wines are also called 'baby Amarone'. It means 're-passed': my light Valpolicella gets poured back over the spent skins of Amanda's Amarone, picking up more color, body, and flavor along the way." Amanda adds: "That's my kind of teamwork. Creamy wild strawberry and raspberry with firm, tight tannin, this one scored 93 points from James Suckling, and the 2017 vintage took 94 from Decanter. Get a taste of Amarone without the hefty price tag."
Pairs with: Pasta in a meat ragù, grilled sausages, or hard cheeses
4. An easy way into Amarone
Giacomo Montresor : Amarone della Valpolicella "Satinato" 2020
Verona, Italy | $84 / bottle
Amanda says: "This is where things get serious. Violet and mocha on the nose, with ripe black plum and espresso on a rich, velvety palate. It scored 91 points at Vinitaly's 5StarWines, and earlier vintages picked up gold at the Berlin Wine Trophy. Think of it as cross-training for your palate before the big stuff."
Pairs with: Braised short rib, mushroom risotto, or aged pecorino
5. To impress at a dinner party
Tenuta Santa Maria : Amarone della Valpolicella 2015
Veneto, Italy | $165 / bottle
Amanda says: "From the same family estate as our Ripasso: the Bertanis have been doing this since 1850. Rhubarb and game with a leathery, lavender edge and a flash of toasted nuts, built the traditional way from mostly Corvina. It scored 90 points at Vinitaly's 5StarWines, and the 2013 vintage picked up 97 points at the Decanter World Wine Awards and 94 from James Suckling. This is the wine I bring when I actually want to impress someone."
Pairs with: Lamb stew, wild mushroom risotto, or a well-aged Parmigiano
6. For a special occasion
Pasqua : Mai Dire Mai Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2013
Veneto, Italy | $186 / bottle
Amanda says: "Twelve years in the bottle and still going strong, just like my training streaks. Baked black cherry, date, and cured tobacco with a hit of five-spice, from a single vineyard the Pasqua family found through an unlikely partnership with local landowners who'd never made wine before. Rated 91 by Wine Spectator and 89 by Decanter. Save this one for the big moments."
Pairs with: Slow-roasted lamb, dark chocolate, or a rich beef stew
Corvina Cheat Sheet
| Body | Light-bodied as Valpolicella, full and rich as Amarone |
| Color | Pale ruby (Valpolicella) to deep garnet (Amarone) |
| Tasting notes | Tart cherry, plum, and herbs; Amarone adds chocolate, spice, and leather |
| Serve at | 12–15°C |
| Best with | Pizza and bruschetta (light styles); mushrooms, steak, and lamb stew (Amarone) |
| Avoid with | Delicate fish or very spicy dishes, especially with the bigger Amarone styles |
| Glass type | Large-bowl glass, which helps concentrate the dried-fruit aromas in Amarone |
Meet Valeria & Amanda
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