The Wines of Lake Garda
Posted by Colin Smith on The Spirit World.
Think of wines from Italy and what springs to mind? Chianti or Amarone maybe?, Lambrusco or Asti or maybe a Nero d’Avola from Sicily?. Having spent a week on holiday on Lake Garda in the north of the country names such as Chiaretto, Bardolino and Lugana are uppermost in my mind.
This area illustrates the complexity of Italian wine with 400 grape varieties (or is it 1000?) and a myriad of IGT, DOC and DOCG classifications. There were Bardolinos, Luganas, Lake Garda DOC wines made from gropello (no I hadn’t heard of it either), S Martino della Battaglia and Chiaretto. Two stood out for me however.
Chiaretto, a light refreshing rose made from the same grapes that go into Bardolino and Valpolicella, is perfect for summer drinking around the lake. It’s a refreshing drink at lunchtime or sitting by the lakeside in the early evening light whilst deciding where to go for dinner. Although I did also enjoy pirlone which is mixed from white wine, or prosecco if you are feeling extravagant, sparkling water and Campari. Hideously orange but a joy to drink.
Bardolino reminds me of Beaujolais, a light red wine best served slightly cool. And as I’ve covered a rose and a red I ought to say what my favourite white is and it’s from the Lugana DOC but this was a wine i knew reasonably well before I went on my travels. Although only made from trebbiano and not from one of the currently fashionable Italian white grapes such as fiano or falanghina, it’s a very enjoyable wine.
Since getting back home I’ve looked around for these wines and been surprised at how available they are as long as you look beyond the obvious supermarkets. They are worth seeking out and will expand your enjoyment beyond the usual Italian styles.
