Valpolicella DOC near Verona, in Veneto, earned appellation status in 1968. Viticulture has thrived in the region since the ancient Greeks first planted vineyards, and the tradition of using partially dried grapes to produce the concentrated red wine we now call Amarone is attributed to the Greeks. The fertile soils of the area combined with relatively mild climate in the shadows of the Alps has made Valpolicella a major wine producing region throughout history. Valpolicella is made from a blend of the Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara grapes, and can also contain small amounts of other red grapes. Valpolicella Superiore must be aged a minimum of one year. In 2008 and 2009 smaller appellations for Ripasso della Valpolicella and Amarone della Valpolicella were added to the district.