From: Bardolino, Italy
Varietals: Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara
Tasting Notes: The wine presents a bright and savory profile; a mouthwatering bouquet of forest berries, wild herbs, and spice adorned with a hint of violet. On the palate, the wine is delightfully tangy, revealing flavors of juicy red cherry, grilled rosemary, and white pepper, all underpinned by a bracing acidity. The wine's dominant notes of cherry, strawberry, and ripe peach lend a succulent vibrancy, while a subtle whisper of white pepper adds a tantalizing complexity.
Pairing: The versatile nature of the 2023 Gorgo Chiaretto di Bardolino makes it an excellent companion to a wide range of dishes, spanning light starters to more substantial main courses. Given its bright acidity and tantalizing fruit flavors, this rosé is a delightful match for fresh seafood, grilled fish, pork, and turkey. It's an ideal choice for social gatherings, serving as a refreshing accompaniment to a wide array of appetizers.
As a quintessential product of Veneto, the Chiaretto di Bardolino pairs exquisitely with regional cuisine. Enjoy it with antipasti, or first courses featuring fish from both sea and lake. Given its Mediterranean character, it also complements pizza and sushi beautifully.
For vegetarians, this wine is a versatile partner, lending itself well to summer vegetarian dishes. It can add a refreshing counterpoint to salads, grilled vegetables, and young cheeses. The wine's acidity and fruit-forward flavors make it a delightful pairing with tomato-based dishes and a wide range of pizzas (like the one we’re sharing below!).
Salad Pizza With White Beans and Parmesan
By Ali Slagle
About. As we yearn for refreshing, light-bodied wines, there's no better time to explore the revolutionary transformations shaping the world of Italian rosé wines. One fantastic example is the 2023 Gorgo Chiaretto di Bardolino, a blend that honors the wine history of the Bardolino region and the evolving perceptions of rosé wines.
Bardolino: The Birthplace of Chiaretto di Bardolino
Nestled by the beautiful Lake Garda, Bardolino is a picturesque town with a profound history dating back to the Bronze Age. Its evolution through the Roman era and the Middle Ages significantly influenced its viticultural development, especially in the production of rosé wines. From the Romans, who first introduced grape growing and winemaking, to the Lombards, who renamed the town and its wines, Bardolino has maintained its prominence on the wine map.
During the Middle Ages, the region's winemaking techniques took a significant leap forward, thanks to the influence of local monasteries. The monks, with their basket press, combined white and red grapes, leading to the production of wines with a light color that we now recognize as rosé. The work of these monks ushered in a new mindset, refining techniques that would be integral to viticulture areas such as Asolo, Bardolino, and the Tosco-Romagnolo Apennine.
A Rosé Revolution: The Birth of Chiaretto di Bardolino
The Bardolino region's rosé wines were named Chiaretto and recognized under the DOC denomination in 1968. In 2014, Bardolino Chiaretto producers ignited a "rosé revolution," aiming to create a more recognizable rosé wine. By 2021, the wine was rebranded as Chiaretto di Bardolino, a nod to the region's rich heritage and its distinct terroir.
As per Angelo Peretti, director of the Chiaretto di Bardolino consortium, the aim is to create rosé wines that truly express the terroir and vintage. This "pink terroir wine," as it's referred to, is primarily made from Corvina grapes (up to 95%), with a minimum 5% to a maximum 40% Rondinella grapes, and up to 20% of local grapes from the province of Verona.
The 2023 Gorgo Chiaretto di Bardolino. Rosé wines have come a long way from being perceived merely as summer sippers. They are now recognized for their ability to reflect the typical characteristics of the local micro-climate and terroir. Gorgo winery's Chiaretto is an organic rosé wine made with Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara grapes. This wine is a fresh and zesty delight, brimming with notes of red berries, white flowers, citrus, and minerality. Its taste is fresh and vibrant, reflecting the influence of Lake Garda.
The owner, Roberta Bricolo, took over the family winery a decade ago after a career in law. Her commitment to sustainability and quality is evident in every bottle, culminating in the winery's organic certification in 2014. Notably, Roberta's leadership extends beyond the winery, as she currently serves as the president of the Custoza Consortium.
The Sommacampagna Subzone: An Integral Element of Terroir
The Gorgo winery is situated in the Sommacampagna subzone, a crucial contributor to the distinct terroir of the 2023 Gorgo Chiaretto di Bardolino. Sommacampagna's specific microclimate and soil composition play a vital role in the expressiveness and complexity of the wine. These subtle nuances of the locale are meticulously conveyed in every sip of the Chiaretto, further emphasizing the importance of micro-climate and terroir in shaping the identity of a wine.
The Future of Rosé Wines
Rosé wines have undergone a transformation in recent years, moving away from the notion that a rosé wine's quality is determined by its color. The Provence color, which has been a general standard for rosé wines in the past 20 years, is only a part of the broad spectrum of rosé hues. Wines like Tavel, Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, Negroamaro, or Ciró rosé exemplify this diversity. As Elizabeth Gabay MW pointed out in her Decanter article "Full-bodied rosés: proud to be pink," rosé wines have evolved to become high-quality and terroir-driven wines, moving away from a monolithic color identity towards a more nuanced and varied representation.
