Pizza wine! Fresh, fruity and made from native Italian grapes (#ItalianFWT)

Corvina and Rondinella. Let’s call them two gentle grapes of Verona. You may have met these indigenous Italian grapes in popular Valpolicella. Now I invite you to taste Bardolino, a red wine made southeast of Lake Garda in the Verona province of Veneto, Italy.

Like Valpolicella, Bardolino is a blend of Corvina and Rondinella. Corvina constitutes 35–65 percent of any Bardolino or Bardolino Classico wine, contributing structure, weight and a sour cherry aroma. Rondinella gives the wine its characteristic freshness and herby notes. Up to 20% Molinara, a light-bodied, high-acid grape variety, is also permitted in the blend.

Turns out Bardolino’s light style is perfect for pizza!

The Italian Food, Wine and Travel (#ItalianFWT) bloggers are exploring indigenous Italian grapes this month and chatting about them this Saturday, 3/9, at 8 am PT/11 am ET on threads.net. Hope you can join us!

The producer and the region

Gorgo agricultural company was founded in 1973 near of Custoza, a little village in the Sommacampagna municipality of Verona. The family-owned company is now in the hands of Roberta Bricolo.

After completing her classical studies in Verona, Roberta embarked on a career as a lawyer before finding herself dreaming more and more of becoming a winemaker. In 2014, she took over the business from her parents and began the process of converting all the vineyards to organic. Now, over 130 acres of grapes are certified organic. This means cultivating vines without pesticides and synthetic chemical fertilizers or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). I also noticed their vineyard rows are covered by grass or other crops.

Custoza is a region of gently rolling hills overlooking the Po Valley. Proximity to Lake Garda, Italy’s largest lake at 30 miles long and over 1,000 feet at its deepest, gives a region a Mediterranean microclimate not typical for northern Italy. (To find Custoza on the map, look for the red-colored Bianco di Custoza area.)

The retreating glaciers that formed these hills also deposited soils rich in calcium carbonate with a high pH. These typically whitish, loose soils are made up of stones, pebbles, humus and silt – a combination of elements contributing to the acidity and fruitiness of Bardolino wines.

The wine: 2022 gorgo Bardolino DOC
Made with organic grapes
Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara

Grapes are fermented in stainless-steel tanks with pumping over twice a day for eight to 10 days. Once racked, the wine remains in steel tanks for five to six months before bottling.

My tasting notes: Translucent ruby red in the glass. Cherry, cranberry and earthy aromas, with sour cherry notes on the palate and bright, medium+ acidity. Light bodied, yet it has a slightly tannic grip to stand up to salami or unaged cheeses. Peppery, medium finish. Alcohol: 12.5%. Pleasant, easy drinking and a bargain at $12.99.

Looking for more? Check out all the posts on indigenous Italian wines:

• An Umbrian Grape with Greek Origins: Cantina Roccafiore Grechetto di Todi Fiordalis + Pesce alla Ghiotta by Culinary Cam
• BI.VI.SI.: Revitalizing Sicily’s native, ancient vines for forgotten flavors like Frappato by Wine Predator…Gwendolyn Alley
• Brachetto: A Piemontese Grape Meant for Food! by Keep the Peas
• Castello di Grumello Medera & Casconcelli by The Quirky Cork
• Ciliegiolo, Great Wines for Spring by Avvinare
• Durella – Native vine of the Lessini Mountains that Sparkles by Crushed Grape Chronicles
• Pasta, Wine, and a Cookbook Review by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Pizza Wine! Fresh, Fruity, and Made from Native Italian Grapes by My Full Wine Glass
• Sicilian Wine Grapes: Grillo and Frappato by Cooking Chat
• Sicily’s Zibibbo Grape with Fish Cakes by Vino Travels
• Unlock the Beauty of Mexican Wines: The Fusion of Italian Indigenous Grapes by Our Good Life