Typical wines and products of Lake Garda

Typical wines of Lake Garda

The Lake Garda zone is a particularly privileged wine production area, thanks to its mild climate, high exposure to the sun, to the delicate balance of rain and temperatures, and to the variety of soils which typify the environs of Lake Garda. Moreover, the passion and skills of the Lake Garda wine producers have ensured that Bardolino, the most famous wine of Lake Garda, is appreciated in Italy and abroad.
Bardolino is a very pleasant wine, which is best enjoyed while admiring the unequalled panoramas of Lake Garda.

The zone of origin of Bardolino wine is very old and was delineated in 1968 as the production area of Classic Bardolino D.O.C. Twelve municipalities are involved in the production zone of Classic D.O.C. Bardolino: Torri del Benaco, Lazise, Garda, Caprino veronese, Rivoli veronese, Pastrengo, Bussolengo, Castelnuovo del Garda, Sona, Peschiera del Garda, Sommacampagna and Valeggio sul Mincio. These are municipalities of Lake Garda or of the immediate hinterland of Lake Garda, all in the province of Verona, whose soil is mainly of morainic origin or originated from glacial rivers.
Lovers of food and wine and wine-oriented tourism, passing through Lake Garda, must in no way miss tasting the wines described below.

Bardolino

Bardolino wine of Lake Garda is mainly obtained from Corvina grapes (35-65%), Rondinella grapes (10-40%), Molinara grapes (10-20%) and Negrara grapes (up to 10%), to which, in some cases, other grapes from the Lake Garda zone are added. Bardolino wine of Lake Garda is coloured ruby red, which sometimes tends to cherry-red and changes into garnet when it ages. The aroma of Bardolino of Lake Garda is very characteristic - winy with a delicate light perfume. Its taste if slightly bitterish, dry, pleasant, subtle and smooth, sometimes even a little fizzy and lively. The minimum total alcoholic strength of Bardolino of Lake Garda is 10.50%. The total minimum acidity of Bardolino of Lake Garda is 17 g/l. The residue reducing sugars of Bardolino of Lake Garda can be at the most 6 g/l.

Bardolino wine of Lake Garda can be defined as Classico, when it is produced using grapes from the oldest zone of origin, which includes the following municipalities in the Lake Garda area: Bardolino, Garda, Lazise, Affi, Cavaion veronese and Costermano. Bardolino wine of Lake Garda can become Bardolino Superiore when it is obtained from the best grapes from the above vineyards and has been aged for at least one year as from the first of November of the production year. Bardolino of Lake Garda is suitable throughout a meal, and is recommended for light meats and roast game. Bardolino of Lake Garda should be served at a temperature in the range of 15 to 18 degrees.

Bardolino Chiaretto

Bardolino Chiaretto is a much loved wine of Lake Garda. It is the rosè version of traditional Bardolino, obtained by white wine vinification of the same grapes as the traditional Bardolino, with minimum maceration of skins in contact with the must.
Bardolino Chiaretto of Lake Garda is pink, tending to garnet, when it ages. The characteristics perfume of Bardolino Chiaretto of Lake Garda is rather fruity, with a light delicate aroma. The taste of Bardolino Chiaretto of Lake Garda is soft and pleasant, although slightly bitterish and sometimes vivacious. The total minimum alcoholic strength of Bardolino Chiaretto of Lake Garda is 10.50% proof. The total minimum acidity of Bardolino Chiaretto of Lake Garda is 5 g/l. The minimum net dry extract of Bardolino Chiaretto of Lake Garda is 16 g/l. The residual reducing sugars of Bardolino Chiaretto of Lake Garda can reach a maximum of 9 g/l. Bardolino Chiaretto of Lake Garda is a wine that can be drunk at any time of the day, but is recommended for accompanying starters, pasta dishes, first courses and light dishes. Bardolino Chiaretto of Lake Garda is also excellent as an aperitif and is perfect when combined with fish from Lake Garda. Bardolino Chiaretto of Lake Garda should be served young and fresh at a temperature from 12 to 14 degrees.

Bardolino Novello

Bardolino Novello of Lake Garda is produced with the same grapes as traditional Bardolino.
Bardolino Novello of Lake Garda is light ruby red and has a characteristic fruity, intense and fragrant nose. The taste of Bardolino Novello of Lake Garda is soft and dry, agreeable and slightly acidulous, fresh, and at times, fizzy. The total minimum alcoholic strength of Bardolino Novello of Lake Garda is 11% proof. The total minimum acidity of Bardolino Novello of Lake Garda is 5 g/l. The residual reducing sugars of Bardolino Novello of Lake Garda can reach a maximum of 8 g/l.
Bardolino Novello of Lake Garda was the first of its type to obtain the D.O.C. classification. Bardolino Novello of Lake Garda is obtained by complete carbonic maceration of whole grapes. In this way, Bardolino Novello of Lake Garda loses its sharp taste typical of young wine and, at the deboclage of 6 November, its perfume is pleasantly fruity, with hints of raspberry, strawberry and marasca cherry. Bardolino Novello of Lake Garda should be bottled by December and drunk preferably by spring.

Bardolino Chiaretto Sparkling wine of Lake Garda

Bardolino Chiaretto Sparkling wine of Lake Garda is a wine obtained by inducing traditional Bardolino Chiaretto to sparkle. The froth of Bardolino Chiaretto Sparkling wine of Lake Garda is thin, and its grain is fine and persistent. The colour of Bardolino Chiaretto Sparkling wine is pink tending to garnet when it ages. The characteristic nose of Bardolino Chiaretto Sparkling wine of Lake Garda is winy and delicate. The total minimum alcoholic strength of Bardolino Chiaretto Sparkling wine of Lake Garda is 11.5% proof. The total minimum acidity of Bardolino Chiaretto Sparkling wine of Lake Garda is 6 g/l. The minimum net dry extract of Bardolino Chiaretto Sparkling wine of Lake Garda is 17 g/l. The residual reducing sugars of Bardolino Chiaretto Sparkling wine of Lake Garda can reach a maximum of 15 g/l. Bardolino Chiaretto Sparkling wine of Lake Garda should be served and drunk cool.

Extra virgin olive oil of Lake Garda

The Veronese shore of Lake Garda is also called the Riviera of the Olives and, therefore, it is logical that one of the products that most characterise Lake Garda, in the part belonging to the province of Verona, is in fact extra virgin olive oil.
Lake Garda is at the extreme limits of preservation of the species: Lake Garda is actually the northern most place where olive trees still grow. Lake Garda is a happy island for the olive, which has survived for many hundreds of years, thanks to the love of the Lake Garda producers, who work the land with passion in spite of the often low profits they manage to obtain. The olive tree of Lake Garda in the province of Verona grows on steep slopes and is particularly difficult to cultivate, discouraging many farmers.

In these regions of the province of Verona, olive trees grow at a height of even 300 metres, measured from Lake Garda upward, thus giving many useful services to the Lake Garda area, in addition to economic profits. In fact, olive trees create an open scenery agricultural landscape and, with their roots, slow down soil erosion, which every year takes away whole areas of agricultural soil from the lands of Lake Garda.
Almost all the oil obtained by pressing olives cultivated on Lake Garda is extra virgin, guaranteed by the Garda DOP (Italian acronym for Protected Origin Denomination); further qualifications derive from specific geographic mentions: Eastern (Verona), Bresciano or Trentino. Garda DOP extra virgin oil has no defects. Extra virgin olive oil of Lake Garda has the fruity characteristics of olives and of other fresh fruits. Its degree of acidity does not exceed 0.70%; the equation of lower acidity = better quality applies to Lake Garda oil too.

The leading role played by extra virgin olive oil in the traditional cooking of Lake Garda and Italy as a whole, is justified also by the latest authoritative scientific researches. Extra virgin olive oil of Lake Garda stands out for its genuineness, ease of digestion, nutritive contents and its particularly rich taste. Extra virgin olive oil of Lake Garda contains many properties that are beneficial to the body: it reduces the quantity of damaging cholesterol in the body, risks of obstructed arteries, blood pressure, and the quantity of sugar in the blood. Extra virgin olive oil of Lake Garda also increases the quantity of good cholesterol in the body and bile secretion, it contains many A, D, and E vitamins an encourages the absorption of vitamin C. Moreover, extra virgin olive oil of Lake Garda also helps combat arterial sclerosis, myocardium heart attacks, some types of tumour, the effects of cellular ageing, gastritis, gastric ulcers and osteoporosis. Extra virgin olive oil of Lake Garda is also appreciated for its anti-oxidant, diuretic, laxative, fever eliminating and stomach de-inflaming effects.

Extra virgin olive oil of Lake Garda is one of the best in Italy. In addition to its very low acidity, it stays fresh even many months after its production date. Extra virgin olive oil of Lake Garda is excellent in terms of taste and aroma and is a fine product, because it contains no anti-parasite residues and is constantly controlled by many experts who taste it periodically to control its quality. The colour of extra virgin olive oil of Lake Garda is intense to marked golden-green, due to its high content of chlorophyll. The aroma of extra virgin olive oil of Lake Garda is delicate and slightly fruity; it has no abnormal tastes or aroma, and sometimes recalls the taste of sweet almonds.

Verona Apartments, Farm Holidays, Bed and Breakfast, Country House Hotels, Residencies in Verona, Valpolicella, and Lake Garda,

advise all those wishing to taste the typical wines and products od Lake Garda to find accommodation in the following structures:

San Ciriaco Relais Country House Hotel and Bed and Breakfast for Farm Holidays in Verona Valpolicella (Italy): the ideal place for those wishing to stay in a completely relaxed and reserved manner, in a hilly zone immersed in greenery.

Residenza San Tomaso furnished apartments for rent B&B in central Verona for those looking to go to the opera or cinema, or to go shopping on the streets of central Verona, walking around in comfort.