2020 Casaretti Bardolino Classico Chiaretto ‘Rosa dei Casaretti’

Region: Bardolino < Veneto < Italy
Grapes: 70% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, 10% Molinara
Vineyard/Cellar Stats: Organic farming; soils of morainic clays and pebbles; racking of the free-run must after 12-36 hours maceration, followed by fermentation in stainless steel tank; minimal added So2; 12% ABV
Winemaker: Stefano Rossi

Bardolino is just north of Valpolicella, and shares the same three grapes (Corvina, Molinara, and Rondinella) as those wines.  This region is an oasis of green bathed by the mild microclimate of Lake Garda, and the organic Casaretti estate, named after the district in which it is located, is a biodiverse haven on the shores of the lake in the heart of the Bardolino DOC.  Here, the hills here are calcareous, silty, sandy and full of stones.  The estate was established at the beginning of the 20th century by grandfather Agostino, then passed on his viticulture expertise to son Lorenzo who took over the estate at the beginning of the 70's.  Since 2010, Lorenzo’s sons Giammaria and Stefano have been in charge and continue the family tradition of organic farming and low-intervention winemaking.

Chiaretto is dialect for the rosé unique to the Bardolino region, a light, fresh, almost Provençal style, made from a blend of Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara. Stefano's is more complex than most, with bright red berry, peach, and herbal notes, with bright acidity and rocky minerality.  Quaff copiously any season on its own, or with salumi and olives, seafood risotto, or shellfish.