Corte Gardoni Bardolino Le Fontane 2021

Tart cherry, orange peel, candied cranberry, menthol, and earth

The red wines of Lake Garda are often blends of French and native Italian varieties, largely due to the tourism boom detailed above. While Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc have taken over some of the market, Corvina remains the chief red variety of the region. Corvina is very versatile and can be made into a light-bodied red, a wine made from dried grapes such as Amarone, or even a dessert wine. This wine is the former, and its light body and high natural acidity make it an ideal summertime red, perfect for serving chilled.

Similar to the Custoza, all fruit is harvested simultaneously and ferments in stainless steel. The finished blend is approximately 60% Corvina and 40% Rondinella. Some of the free-run juice is siphoned off and used to make the estate’s Bardolino Chiaretto (the local term for rosé). The remaining fruit sees roughly 2 weeks on the skins and is matured in tank for 3-6 months before bottling. When you open this wine, you will want to serve it at least slightly chilled, around 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit. Drink now through 2025 with beef carpaccio, seared Ahi tuna, or salads with grated Pecorino cheese.