Cavalchina Bardolino Chiaretto DOC

Cavalchina Bardolino Chiaretto DOC is a vibrant, food-friendly rosé from the Cavalchina estate on the southeastern shore of Lake Garda in Italy's Veneto region. It's made from a blend of native red grapes, Corvina (55%), Rondinella (35%) and Molinara (10%), the same varieties used for Bardolino's red wines. Bardolino has a rosé-making tradition that goes back centuries, and Cavalchina treats the style with real care rather than as an afterthought, growing its vines on gentle morainic hillsides of glacial origin with soil full of pebbles and gravel, in a mild, almost Mediterranean climate shaped by the wide Garda basin. In the glass it shows a pale, bright pink color with fresh aromas of strawberry, raspberry, and citrus, often lifted by delicate floral notes. On the palate it's crisp and savory, well balanced, with lively acidity and a clean, lingering finish. Grapes for the Chiaretto are picked about two weeks before the reds, then briefly macerated at cool temperatures and fermented slowly under controlled conditions. The wine skips malolactic fermentation and rests on its lees before bottling, which helps preserve its freshness and bright fruit character.