CHIARETTO SPUMANTE
Bardolino Chiaretto Spumante
Denominazione di Origine Controllata

Classification: Chiaretto Classico Spumante D.O.C.

Type of wine: sparkling rosé

Production zone: Production zone: the vineyards are in the heart of the Bardolino Classico production zone, in the communes of Cavaion Veronese, Bardolino (in the hilly hamlet of Calmasino) and Lazise. They are situated in the hinterland of the eastern shore of Lake Garda.

Type of soil: clay mixed with limestone, typical of the morainic hills around Lake Garda.

Grapes:Corvina 60%, Rondinella 30%, Molinara 10%

Training system: Guyot

Yield per hectare: 9,000 kilos

Harvest period: mid-September: earlier than the harvest for still Bardolino Chiaretto, in order to have base wines that are characterized by a level of fresh acidity that makes them suitable for transforming into sparkling wine.

Vinification: the cuvée of rosé wines is obtained by traditional vinification of the indigenous Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara grape varieties with just a brief maceration on the skins (so as to extract only part of the grapes’ natural colouring matter), followed by a long, slow fermentation (ideal for bringing out the aromatic fragrance of the grapes. The long process of transforming the cuvée   into sparkling wine then takes place in closed vats, according to the Martinotti method.

Number of bottles produced: 20,000

TASTING NOTE
Colour: bright pink

Nose: a delicate, elegant fragrance of small fruits (strawberries, raspberries, redcurrants and cherries) as well as crisp apples, topped off by subtle nuances of chlorophyll and wild flowers.

Flavour: rounded, quite full-bodied, velvety and creamy, with an elegant perlage and persistent juicy fruit. It also displays floral notes and refreshing herbal nuances.

Serving suggestions: excellent as an aperitif, it can also be served throughout a classic Italian meal: with an hors d’oeuvre of cold cuts (raw ham, culatello, coppa); with pasta with a meat, fish or vegetable sauce; and with grilled white or red meat. Ideal for accompanying salt-water  or freshwater fish (try it with salmon trout). Perfect with the traditional cooked pork-based salumi of northern Italian cuisine, cotechino and zampone.

Note: making Chiaretto as a sparkling wine represents a “niche” tradition of the Bardolino area.

Alcohol: 12% vol.