Feeling the inevitable call of summer as spring retreats is a beautiful thing. It’s only natural to celebrate the life affirming cycle of seasonal change by rewarding ourselves. While the sun is shining and the temperature is rising, avail yourself with some new knowledge and get to know the wonderful rose wines from the Veneto and Lombardia regions in Italy.
Drink Pink in 2018, and when you drink pink, drink Chiaretto! Salty, minerality, citrus aromas and a dry refreshing palate make this wine appealing all year round. There is uniqueness to this rose that makes this wine different from any other rose made anywhere else. Is it the color? Is it the flavor? It’s a very elusive and rewarding question to seek out the truth.
This question just turned into a quest that requires making the trip to the vine! If you really want to appreciate this wine, we highly recommend a visit to Lake Garda in Veneto, Italy. Wine tastings, along with wine cellar visits will enable all arrivals access to the cornucopia of possibilities that Chiaretto and other Veneto wines have to offer, while strolling around Lake Garda.
Lake Garda is a very special place. The Venetians knew it was the lap of luxury, centuries ago. The therapeutic hot springs, the sun-drenched vineyards producing wickedly wonderful fruit, not to mention the legendary cuisine, it is clearly the essence of everything great about summer.
The grapes used to create Chiaretto are Corvina and Rondinella. This blend when macerated and fermented correctly offers a specific beam of flavor, most easily identified by the spectrum of color in the wine. Chiaretto is highly appreciated for its crisp and dry personality, its casual look, and its informal vibe. Rondinella, whose parent grape is Corvina, is mostly grown in the Veneto region of northern Italy around the shores of Lake Garda. The total global growing area for the Corvina grape is about 6,130 acres and almost all of it is located in the hills surrounding the lake. Corvina and Rondinella grapes are also used to make the Valpolicella and Bardolino wines from this region. On the western shores of the lake in Valtenesi, their Chiaretto consists of Gropello, Mannio, Barbera and Sangiovese grapes, and remarkably enough, the wines are similar despite the many different grapes used to make them.
The city of Bardolino located on the eastern shores of Lake Garda is home to a surprisingly superb selection of lodging facilities that would pique the interest of even the most jaded of luxury traveler. With more than 60 hotels for you to choose from when you visit Bardolino, there are choices and styles to please everyone’s tastes. Hotel Caesius Thermae and Spa Resort served as our base of operations as we reintroduced our palates to the wonderful wines of the Veneto and Valtenesi wine regions, specifically focusing on Chiaretto rose.
Arriving in Veneto a day before our Chiaretto familiarization extravaganza, we wandered the streets of Bardolino and check out the shoreline of Lake Garda. I always say if you want to experience an authentic “sense of place,” go shop with the locals. Within a ten minute walk of the hotel, we quickly located merchants where we could procure any items we might need during our stay. From haberdashers to grocers, almost anything you might need is readily available. The town of Bardolino is easy to explore in a couple of hours and at every turn there is a moment and a memory to take note of.
After our stroll, we decided to grab a bite and shake off some jetlag. The journey from Portland to Veneto took its toll. If you are flying from the West Coast to Eastern Italy, book a direct flight to Amsterdam or Munich. It will shorten the flight by at least eight hours and even more if you have layovers in your connecting cities. Our hotel, the Hotel Caesius Thermae and Spa Resort has several eateries to choose from. Whether it is a snack at Bar Camino or a wonderful lunch at Ristorante Benacus they have excellent food and service. When I say excellent, I mean close to Michelin Star excellence. The simple dishes shined with authenticity; linguine and clams, raviolini with mushrooms and coppa ham in brodo and an awesome Spaghetti Aglio Olio were all spot on.
After five decades of cooking Italian cuisine, the hardest dishes to replicate are the simple ones–well, at least in my limited knowledge that has always been the case. The crisp Veneto Lugana revived our spirits and our palates with every bite. A superb meal and fine wine will melt away jet lag every time. Well that, and plenty of sleep.
The sun takes a commanding presence over Lake Garda mid-morning providing a special shade of blue in the skies above. Lemon trees and Limoncello are a special treat when you visit the lemon garden at Torri del Benaco. Allow yourself to be mesmerized by the aromas, the sunlight and the history.
Amid the hills surrounding Lake Garda, chestnuts abound, and what a perfect way to see the topography from an altitude that offers pristine views of the lake while enjoying a perfectly prepared rendition of Chestnut soup whose recipe dates back to medieval times. The Chiaretto paired so well with the soup it was like an epiphany. From atop Mount Baldo we were privy to panoramic vistas and views of the vast vineyards that comprise Chiaretto di Bardolino and those of Valtenesi Chiaretto. Mount Baldo is also credited with providing the minerality in the wines’ flavor profile and on this day, the views, the wine and the soup were a trio of appetizers that made the moment eternally memorable.
Heading down the mountain for lunch, we stopped in at Villa Cordevigo, a picture perfect palace of a winery with a hotel and Bistro.
The preparation of the pastas we were served reached the pinnacle of classic culinary creations on every level. Along with the Chiaretto, Villa Bella makes some very fine red wines too. The 2007 Fracastoro Amarone della Valpolicella was a standout, and the 2007 Oseleta Rosso Veronese blew me away as well.
Travelling back to the hotel I wondered if the experiences we reveled in earlier would be the highlight of the trip. If it was, I would be happy, and then my thoughts turned to spa time at Hotel Caesius. There was a lot to think about, especially which pool and what sauna we would choose to revive our minds, bodies and spirits, because there were several to choose from.
After a quick nap, we’re off to Ristorante all Borsa where we were fortunate enough to taste the “Love Knots,” the famous tortellini of Valeggio–which are jeweled caskets of taste draped in a pasta cloak as thin as silk. The legend of the Tortellini of Valeggio began at the end of the 13th century predating the beginnings of tortellini in Bologna or Modena. This tortellini dinner will forever be etched in my fondest memories as one of the top five pasta dinners I’ve consumed over the past half century–and that’s a lot of pasta. The ratio of stuffing to pasta is unrivaled anywhere. Nowhere else on this entire earth have I ever had a stuffed pasta with so little pasta and so much filling. Consumption of the fillings brought joy to my heart and a smile to my face, bringing together both taste and texture in an ethereal moment. This silk-purse phenomenon when combined with the Chiaretto and other Bardolino wines elevated the evening to enchanted status. My company for this culinary extravaganza also helped set the mood, as I was introduced to one of the finest winemakers in all of Valtenesi, Paolo Pasini of Pasini San Giovanni. Paolo’s wit, and warm hospitality was only rivaled by a rival from the southern shores of the lake, Fabio Zenato of Le Morette. Both men made the evening a conversational success and their brilliant wines showcased the beauty of Chiaretto.
Paolo and Fabio were steadfast in their mission; completing that that mission requires getting a glass of Chiaretto in anyone’s hand who desires a libation of quality! Look for their wines in your local market soon.
Why try the “lighter shade of pale?” The aromas are rejuvenating with their floral citrus notes that radiate youthful exuberance while the sophisticated dry palate projects an encompassing calmness to the soul. On a hot summer day or paired with a perfectly prepared culinary delight this wine will rock your world!
After a rather lackluster vintage in 2014, the Chiaretto Consortium gathered the members and devised a plan to unify the quality and color of Chiaretto to distinguish it from all other Rose wines. Consumers will appreciate this effort as it insures the wines’ identity and eases confusion in the marketplace. Hopefully it will also pique the interests of global distributors who can expand on the distribution of this worthy elixir.
As much as my excitement from this excursion has been focused on the Chiaretto there are plenty of exciting new changes in the all the wines of Veneto particularly Bardolino red wines.
Many of the producers are staring to embrace the theory of naked wines. To be more exact, I mean organic and biodynamic. One winery in particular that is setting the standards for the future is Villa Calicantus. Owner and winemaker Daniele Delaini is making strident progress in perfecting Bardolino Biodynamic. This statement from Daniele clarifies his commitment to the vine.
“One day in Paris I took place at a vertical wine tasting of a winery that passed during the years from a chemical agriculture, to an organic and then biodynamic one. During the tasting I immediately feel the difference when we start to taste the wines produced in biodynamic. It’s a revelation! In those wines I feel the vitality, the strength and the mineral taste of the soil in which the vines’ roots are. And I realize that the organic approach is no more enough that I have to go beyond it. It’s no more enough to say: “No chemistry.” I have to go deep in the comprehension of my land, starting from the soil and from the ongoing balances in my vineyards.”
The proof is in the bottle and his bottles are legit. If you could go to Lake Garda and only visit one winery, I would recommend Villa Calicantus. I offer two strong opinions for that declaration. The wines are gloriously delicious, and his Farm Holiday B&B will allow you to feel the roots of love and the passion of conviction to a project worth dedicating your life too.
There are so many producers around the area it would be hard to visit them all unless you stay a year which I highly recommend. Here is a list of my favorites.
Le Morette, Indipendenza 9/D, San Benedetto di Lugana 37019 Peschiera del Garda, Italy
Valetti winery, 37010 Calmasino di Bardolino, Verona, Italy
Bettilli Cristiana, Cantina Valetti, Via Pragrande 8, Calmasino 37010 Bardolino, Italy
Le Fraghe winery Le Fraghe, Via Colombare 3 – 37010 Cavaion Veronese, Italy
Zeni 1870, Via Costabella 9 – 37011 Bardolino, Italy
Bigagnoli, Via Veronello 1 – 37010 Calmasino di Bardolino, Italy
Bergamini, Ca’ Nova, 3 37017 Cola’ di Lazise – Verona, Italy
Casaretti, CASARETTI – 2/A, 37011 Calmasino Verona, Italy
Gentili, Via S. Antonio, 271, 37013 Pesina di Caprino Veronese, Italy
Il Pignetto, Pignetto, 108 – Bussolengo, Verona, Italy
Le Ginestre, I-37017 Lazise sul Garda, Verona, Italy
Poggio delle Grazie, 37014 Castelnuovo Del Garda, Verona, Italy
Villa Calicantus, Via Concordia, 9, 37011, Calmasino di Bardolino, Verona, Italy
Costaripa, Via della Costa n.1/A – 25080 Moniga del Garda, Brescia, Italy
Pasini San Giovanni, Via Videlle, 2 – 25080 Raffa di Puegnago, Brescia, Italy
Pratello, Di Bertola V. S.S., Via Pratello, 26, 25080 Padenghe Sul Garda Brescia, Italy
Valetti winery, 37010 Calmasino di Bardolino, Verona, Italy
Bettilli Cristiana – Sorsei winery, Via Ca’ Vignega 20 – 37010 Pescantina, Verona, Italy
If you are serious about learning more about Chiaretto, and other Veneto wines, there are events held in Bardolino every year. The Festa Dell Uva Imprunata is held in September of 2018. The festival is aligned with the release of the 2018 vintage of Bardolino wines. This year marks the 92nd edition of this celebration and I can tell you personally September is a great time to visit Lake Garda. The weather is usually spectacular. If you can’t make it in September, do not fret as the Palio del Chiaretto takes place in early June just in time to taste the new release of Chiaretto. Book your tickets soon. Enjoy!
