The vinegrowing land of Bardolino extends from the eastern shore of Lake Garda to the morainic hills of the hinterland where the landscape is dominated by lush vineyards and olive groves. The origin of this stretch of land dates back to the Rissian and Wurmian glaciation, when the retreat of the Atesino Glacier formed a morenic amphitheatre. The pebbly and silty sediments deposited afterwards enriched the soil and made it light, deep and capable of heating up rapidly even during wintertime, thus assuring ideal conditions for the growing of the vine. The climatic conditions further contribute in making Bardolino one of the areas of the Veronese district with the richest viticultural heritage. The thermal regulating effect of the nearby Lake Garda guarantees a rather mild climate, with average annual temperatures of around 12-13 C° and average relative humidity around 70%. In wintertime temperatures generally drop to 2-3 C° in January (this is why snowfalls are rather rare in this area) whereas summer temperatures seldom rise above 22-23 C° in July.

The area where the Bardolino wine is produced, once limited to the fields surrounding the town this wine takes its name from, extends today into the adjacent areas including altogether fifteen municipalities. The vineyards given over to the production of our Bardolino DOC Classico, Bardolino DOCG Classico Superiore and Bardolino Chiaretto Classico stretch across the slopes of the hills along the shore of Lake Garda, exactly where the Classico area, the most ancient portion of the wine region, is located. In this fertile stretch of land we grow Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara, the red grape-varieties from which our Bardolino wine is obtained. This special blend of grapes is also used – in different proportions – for producing the other prestigious Veronese red wine, Valpolicella. The Corvina grape provides body and colour to the wine, whereas Rondinella is responsible for its typical, herbal and savoury character; the Molinara grape gives the wine fragrance and freshness.

Bardolino Classico Superiore DOCG:
the button hole flower of this vinegrowing area

Bardolino Superiore is the very last wine from Veneto to have obtained the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) appellation. Since August 1st, 2001 this wine has, in fact, become the button hole flower of the Bardolino vinegrowing area, being the first red wine among four Italian regions (Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Trentino Alto Adige and Emila Romagna) to have been awarded the prestigious DOCG status. By conferring this appellation the Italian Government certifies, by means of decree law, the premium quality and the typicity of a wine product and guarantees its origin. By achieving the status of twenty-fourth Italian DOCG wine, the second one from Veneto after Recioto di Soave, Bardolino Superiore has contributed in further increasing the prestige recognized to this area of long and rich viticultural heritage on the Veronese shore of Lake Garda.