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January 28, 2014
La Fraghe 2012 Bardolino DOC - Cream Import Spotlight
It can’t be winter forever,* and so it’s time to start making plans: plans for sunshine and bathing suits and lakeside picnics. And while you’re at it, factor Bardolino into your dreams of warmer days. This light-bodied blend of Corvina and Rondinella hails from Verona in northern Italy, and is an absolute picnic slam dunk.
Le Fraghe’s 2012 Bardolino is made in a 15th-century stone farmhouse by Matilde Poggi, who’s been producing wine under her own label since 1984. With Mount Baldo’s cooling influence to the north and Lake Garda’s uniquely Mediterranean climate to its west, her 69 acres of grapes develop an interesting complexity. Corvina is a highly structured grape that brings body and a distinct sour cherry quality to the mix. Rondinella is much softer, with low sugar levels and an ability to grow prolifically and resist disease. They are grown on 12-year-old vines that slope south to develop ripeness. The varietals are vinified separately, then blended. The blend goes through malolactic fermentation, then rests in stainless steel tanks until spring.
The result is a deep fuchsia in the glass, with complex notes of tar, rose, sour cherry, and a bit of menthol at the back of the palate. Served with a slight chill, the tannins provide structure and density to the mouthfeel. Charcuterie, olives, ahi tuna steak, salmon, anchovies, and feta cheese would all match up beautifully—anything you can fit in your picnic basket. Le Fraghe’s version of Bardolino is distinctive among this DOC for its layered earthiness, but it maintains all the fresh brightness you could ask for.
*Can it?
