Milan, the first approach
If your stay begins in Milan, be sure to try one of the many wine bars ataperitivo time. Our favorite is Bicerin, a charming little wine bar. Here, they take the time to explain the region's wines to you, and above all, they honor only small producers.
Around Lake Garda
The Lake Garda region has a long tradition of winegrowing. The temperate climate and good exposure to the sun have always favored the cultivation of vineyards. But only in recent decades has scientific research optimized the best expressions of local wine production. Garda DOC wines date back to 1967: they are highly appreciated and deeply marked by the local geography. Among the various grape varieties are Trebbiano di Lugana, Riesling and Sangiovese, the basis of all Garda Classico production. Also worth mentioning is Bardolino, a light red wine. Head for the lakeside village of the same name. For around 70 km, you'll find numerous wine-producing companies with welcoming cellars, just a stone's throw from ancient churches, medieval castles and genteel villas with splendid gardens. You can taste and buy typical wines: bardolino classique DOC, bardolino DOCG, bardolino clairet DOC. You can even visit the Wine Museum in Bardolino(www.stradadelbardolino.com).
Amarone della valpolicella is without doubt the lake's best-known red wine. Its production area stretches from Verona to the shores of Lake Garda. The grapes are dried on "claies" (a sort of tray where the bunches do not pile up) for 100 to 120 days. Another well-known red wine here is groppello del garda, produced on around 90 hectares. It's a lighter wine than the region's other reds, quite fruity, at around 13 degrees. And for a rosé, we go for chiaretto del garda. The vineyards of this terroir can be seen on the road from Limone to Sirmione.
Around Lake Iseo
This is undoubtedly the area where you'll find the largest wine-producing region of the Italian Lakes. Whether you're a wine connoisseur or a regular visitor, the region is full of little nuggets and its own special know-how. Created in 2000, the Strada del Franciacorta is a tourist route designed to introduce visitors to the wine-growing region, thus developing wine tourism. This is the heart of the Franciacorta appellation. Franciacorta wines, increasingly appreciated the world over, continue to win official recognition, and have even been served at gala dinners at the White House. Franciacorta is a sparkling wine made using the Champagne method, from chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot blanc grapes. In fact, it's the méthode champenoise that differentiates it from the vinification of prosecco. Grape varieties can be used alone (quite rare) or blended. Here, there are just a few rules to be observed: harvesting by hand, fermentation in wooden barrels and bottling for a minimum of 18 months. There are several styles with different sugar dosages: non dosé, ideal as an aperitif (sugar content less than 3 g), extra brut, also for aperitifs (sugar content between 0 and 6 g), brut, ideal as a wine throughout the meal (sugar content less than 12 g), extra-sec (sugar content between 12 and 17 g/l), sec (sugar content between 17 and 32 g/l) and demi-sec (sweeter, between 33 and 50 g/l).
These different dosages belong to "categories". Let's start with satèn, ideal for aperitifs. Its particularity lies in the fact that it is made exclusively from chardonnay and pinot blanc grapes, and can only be sold after 36 months of fermentation. Pinot Blanc is not mandatory, and must not exceed 50% of the blend. Another category is the Millésimé (which displays the year of harvest on the label). This is a blend of several wines from the same year, aged for at least 30 months. Next comes rosé, which contains a minimum of 25% pinot noir. And finally the "riserva", which is either a rosé or a satèn, aged 60 months and sold 5 years after production. Last but not least, classic Franciacorta.
So let yourself wander the hills, stopping here and there at the wineries for a few tastings, and in the villages to browse the flea markets. Here, some of our favorite wineries: Ca' del Bosco and Bellavista in Erbusco, Bersi Serlini in Provaglio d'Iseo and Berlucchi in Borgonato di Corte Franca.
Franciacorta's vineyards are more focused on whites, but they also produce a red wine, curtefranca DOC red, which blends several grape varieties, including cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, barbera and nebbiolo.
Near Bergamo, we find a red wine, valcalepio, made from cabernet sauvignon and merlot. As for white wine, the grape varieties are a blend of pinot blanc, chardonnay and pinot gris. It is grown on 900 hectares. Still near Bergamo, we find the moscato di scanzo wines. This is Italy's smallest appellation, with just 31 hectares, produced exclusively in the Scanzorosciate commune. Its particularity lies in the fact that it undergoes natural passerillage - like the straw wine technique (the same method used for amarone) - i.e., the grapes dry in the air, in this case for a minimum of 21 days.
Around Lake Como
Much further north of Bergamo, about 30 km northeast of Lake Como, a very special red wine is grown on about 50 hectares: sforzato di valtellina. The bunches of nebbiolo grapes are left to dry on the vine to increase the alcohol level, resulting in wines that easily rise to 15 degrees. Immediately after the harvest, the grapes are placed on racks in a dry, airy environment called "fruttai" for about three months. In France, for example, this method is used for straw wine. We wish you a pleasant visit and a good discovery of this rich Italian heritage!
