The wine Trail of Lake Garda – Wines, Food, Entertainment, and Agriturismo

Getting off the beaten tourist path and knowing what to do, where to go and what to eat is difficult. Most of us will use the Michelin Guide, the Gambero Rosso, or some other well known published book to identify a restaurant or a hotel in an area we do not know. Because the places are published they are usually not the best deals or most interesting solutions. I have found that when living in an area for about six months the locals have their secret places. For one reason or another these places never made it on the numerous publications that can give us insight into an area.

Chatting with one of my buddies this week he mentioned that he had recently joined an association made up of small producers in the area of lake Garda. The association is made up of 80 members. Their businesses include: vineyards, olive oil, agriturismo, hotels, restaurants, artisans, cultural associations, and museums. Through the members you can find local foods and wine including: Olive oil with low acidity, cheeses, fresh water fish, dried meats, and Garda wines. Looking at the Strada dei Vini e Sapori website, I realized this is the perfect guide to find those out of the way, little known, family run places that just are not big enough to make it into the national scene but are usually the best solution for a vacation that delves into Italian life and culture.

The site is entirely in Italian but do not be put off. Navigate around the site and take note of the phone/fax numbers indicated. The association can be contacted by email and the location and contact information for each establishment is right next to a small photograph. Some places also have a write-up about the history of the location or the establishment. Getting your trip together may take a little more work, contacting individually each place but the end result will be well worth the time.

Tags: Italian Vacations Veneto Garda Food and Wine Travel Italy

Read the Full Story...

Bardolino – A Wine, a Vacation Destination

What makes something special? The rich and famous tell us what where we should vacation. The elite tell us what wines we should drink mandating arbitrary numbers, 75, 80, 90, 100 points. “You must like this wine,” Pinco Pallino said so. Bardolino is a small town on the shores of Lake Garda about 15 km north of Peschiera. It is also an area where a young, fresh, and bubbly red wine is produced. Bardolino will not be included in the Travel Channel’s places to visit. The wines of Bardolino will not be on the recommended list of Robert Parker. Bardolino is not a destination for the many. The Bardolino wines are simple wines; some are rose’ and some are bubbly.

Strolling the town’s streets, one may be confused as individuals chat in German. Do not worry, the taxi driver did not mistakenly take you across the border. Lake Garda is one of the favorite destinations of the Germans and Austrians. They prefer Lake Garda because there are fewer tourists than other destinations. The Germans, in this case, are right on. Bardolino offers beautiful views, hearty foods, festive wines and great service. Excursions are easily accessible to Trentino, Verona, the numerous theme parks and the savvy traveler could spend an entire summer on the Wine Trail of Bardolino. The local consortium has 15 members. Some of them offer room and board along with tours of the vineyards and winery. Of course the local wines can also be purchased. Just during the tourist season the local wineries sell 100,000 bottles of the local nectar to visitors.

Some of the wines to taste while in the area are:

Bardolino and Bardolino Classico

Grapes: Corvina, Rondinella, Merlot and Sangiovese
Color: Ruby red tending toward garnet with aging.
Bouquet: Fruity.
Taste: Dry and slightly bitter. Not elaborate or complex but balanced. Sometimes moved.
Alcohol: 10.50% to 14%.
Acidity: 5 g/l.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bardolino Chiaretto and Bardolino Chiaretto Classico

Grapes: Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara
Color: Garnet.
Bouquet: Fruity.
Taste: Soft and encompassing with a slightly mineral finish. Sometimes moved.
Alcohol: 10.50% to 14%;
Acidity: 5 g /l.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bardolino Chiaretto Spumante

Bubbles: small, fine grain and persistent.
Color: Rose' tending toward Garnet with aging.
Bouquet: Definite perfume of fresh wine.
Taste: Soft and encompassing and slightly acidic.
Alcohol: 11.5% to 14.5%.
Acidity: 6 g/l.

Tags: Bardolino Red Wine Italian Wine Veneto Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

Read the Full Story...

Peschiera on the shores of Lake Garda

Many are asking where to stay for the Vinitaly tradeshow in Verona. It is practically impossible to find lodging in Verona. Do not despair. There are many areas in north Italy, within 45 minutes of the fair, that can also be in a wine or food themed Agriturismo or perhaps on the famous Lake Garda. Peschiera is one of the most strategic and scenic destinations on the Lake of Garda. Its origins date back before written history; the original village was built on piers controlling the mouth of the river Mincio. Every warlord, from Julius Cesar to Carlo Magno, has conquered Peschiera over the centuries but the city finally found peace with the unification of Italy. Today it is a primary destination for water sports from skiing to sailing. Peschiera is also a favorite destination for families given the high concentration world-class theme parks in the surrounding areas.

The historic architecture is concentrated primarily inside the XVI century fortification walls. The “Palazzina Storica” holds numerous murals and was the protagonist in the encounter between the allied forces and King Vittorio Emanuele at the end of WWI. Other things to see include the Church of San Martino constructed in the XVIII century on the remains of a pagan temple. The church is decorated with murals covering the internal walls. Another interesting destination is the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Frassino built in the XVI century with murals from the 1700s.

Without a doubt the primary business in Peschiera is tourism. The food is excellent. The local dishes have a wide variety of lake fish. Some of the antique recipes include: Carp, Trout, Eel, and sardines. A local favorite is bigoi con le agule, spaghetti with sardines. The table wines are young and fruity and are a perfect match for the local fish recipes. Some of the wines you may find on your table are il Rosso Superiore, il Bardolino, il Gropello, il Rubino, and il Novello. Before dinner Aperitif may be served with a local Spumante Rose’ or Lugana Spumante.

Peschiera is right on the autostrada making it a perfect place to stay out of the fray when business takes you to Milan or Verona. There is a great Agriturismo just up the coast in Bardolino (land of the grape) that may be the perfect mix between food, wine and business.

Tags: Italian Vacations Veneto Peschiera Lake Garda Travel Italy

Read the Full Story...

Valpolicella – A region, A wine

Traditionally Valpolicella is a table wine. It is a simple blend of grapes that grow well in the area. Valpolicella is also a region of 7 cities directly north of Verona. It is said that the Romans named the valley meaning “many cellars”. The Romans applied the term Rhetic to the wine coming from the area around and to the south of Lake Garda but the beverage highly praised by Pliny the Elder, Virgil, Martial and Suetonius was quite clearly the wine known today as Valpolicella. That wine, named after the valley where it is produced, is different from those made in other areas strongly influenced by the mild climate produced by the water of Lake Garda in that it has a bigger body and a more intense color.

A great part of Valpolicella's worldwide reputation, however, must be attributed to two versions of the wine, the Recioto and Recioto Amarone. In making them, grape clusters are carefully selected and then dried, after the harvest, for a period varying between 30 and 90 days. Pressing and fermentation occur at times, under environmental conditions and with methods that are different from those of the normal Valpolicella, but that is another story.

Valpolicella is a farmer’s wine, nothing more, nothing less. The usual blend is 60% Corvina Veronese, 35% Rondinella, 5% Molinara. Yield 69 hl/ha from pergola-trained vines. It has a deep red/purple color, with a herby, leafy nose. Valpolicella is a full, with significant tannins and a palate of red apples and tart cherries. It is a simple wine, perfectly in harmony with the recipes of the valley. I associate Valpolicella with Lambrusco or New Wine with a kick.

Valpolicella is perfect with minestrone, fresh pasta, boiled meats and mild cheeses.

Grape: 60% Corvina Veronese, 35% Rondinella, 5% Molinara.

Color: deep red with purple highlights.

Bouquet: Forest undergrowth and herbs.

Taste: light bodied, significant tannins, fruity red apples and tart cherries.

Alcohol Content: from 12.5 %

Serving Temperature: 16-18 c.

Decanting: None.

Pouring: No special indications.

Glass: Red wine glass.

Aging: This wine should not be aged more than a couple of years.

Tags: Valpolicella Garda Farmer's Wines Red Wine Italian Wine Veneto Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

Read the Full Story...

Lago di Garda – Lake Garda

The perfect vacation is different for every individual. Some like it hot, some like it cold, some want organized activities and some want to lie on the beach and soak up the sun. I have found that nationality, culture and family status also influence the success or failure of a vacation. Located in the pre-Alp region between Brescia and Verona, Lago di Garda is a destination for those who desire cool evenings, water-sports, good food, and a relaxing vacation without the hustle and bustle of hundreds of thousands of people packed into a city designed for twenty thousand.

The lake is very large and deep with numerous cities dotting the edges. The larger cities are on the southern end of the lake closer to the metropolitan areas but all locations offer excellent tourist services. Water-sports are the primary activities. With a depth of just over 300 meters scuba diving is possible for all levels of expertise. Visit to underwater relics make this activity more interesting. The lake runs north to south and is about 51 km long from the Alps south to the beginning of the pianura padana (flatlands). This creates windy conditions on the water making Lago di Garda a prime destination for Sailing and Windsurfing. Facilities are available for both activities.

From April through September regate are regularly scheduled on the weekends with various classes. From Sirmione and Desenzano motorboats can be rented as well as hydrofoils that carry as many as 150 people. The Lake Navigation company organizes daytrips to visit the many interesting cities around the lake and provides full restaurant services with local specialties.

Places that are very interesting to visit and perhaps use as a base are: Sirmione, Peschiera, Desenzano, Bardolino and Salo’. Visits to the numerous vineyards can also be arranged and in this case Bardolino would be the best starting point. If a family vacation is in the cards, Castelnuovo is a great base with Gardaland, an Italian amusement park, just around the corner.

If you are looking for a place where you can do something different every day, the Lake Garda is the ideal place for you! Experience the thrilling emotions of the amusement parks, enjoy the beauty of the natural and thermal parks, visit places rich in history and culture, enjoy the sight of wonderful landscapes.

Tags: Lago di Garda Brescia Food and Wine Vacation Scuba Sailing Windsurf Lombardia Italy

Read the Full Story...