Bardolino DOC
Synopsis
History: Established as a DOC in 1968; La Rocca, Montebaldo, and Sommacampagna subzones added with 2020 vintage
Vineyard Area: 2,635 ha / 6,508 acres (2019)
Production: 205,000 hl / 2,283,000 cases (5-year average)
Principal Red Grape Varieties:
Styles and Wine Composition
ROSATO WINES
- Chiaretto (Ro): 40–95% Corvina Veronese (locally Cruina) and/or Corvinone (maximum 20% Corvinone); 5–40% Rondinella; maximum 20% OANRG (maximum 15% Molinara; maximum 10% of any other single variety)
RED WINES
- Rosso (Rd): 40–95% Corvina and/or Corvinone (maximum 20% Corvinone); 5–40% Rondinella; maximum 20% OANRG (maximum 15% Molinara; maximum 10% of any other single variety)
- Novello (Rosso)
SPARKLING WINES
- Chiaretto Spumante (RoSp): 40–95% Corvina and/or Corvinone (maximum 20% Corvinone); 5–40% Rondinella; maximum 20% OANRG (maximum 15% Molinara; maximum 10% of any other single variety)
Subzones
- Classico, the historic production area in and around the commune of Bardolino
- La Rocca (Rosso)—the western strip along Lake Garda
- Montebaldo (Rosso)—the northeastern part of the denomination
- Sommacampagna (Rosso)—the southeastern part of the denomination
Significant Production Rules
- 100% of grapes for Novello must undergo carbonic maceration and the wine must be bottled by December 31
- Wines labeled as La Rocca, Montebaldo, or Sommacampagna can contain up to 15% wine from either or both of the other two
- Chiaretto wines may be labeled as “Chiaretto di Bardolino”
- Minimum alcohol level: 10.5% for Chiaretto, Rosso, and Rosso Classico; 11.0% for Novello and Rosso from La Rocca, Montebaldo, or Sommacampagna; 11.5% for Spumante
- Residual sugar: Maximum 9 g/l (0.9%) for Chiaretto; maximum 10 g/l (1.0%) for Novello; Spumante can range from brut nature (zero dosage) to demisec (abboccato)
- Aging: For Rosso and Rosso Classico, approx. 3 months (ERD = January 15, V+1); for Rosso from La Rocca, Montebaldo, or Sommacampagna, minimum 1 year (ERD = September 1, V+1)
Last Disciplinare Modification:
2021-04-12
Notes:
Note: The disciplinare actually says the minimum percentage of Corvina/Corvinone is 35%, but that is not mathematically possible. The lowest percentage of Corvina/Corvinone if the maximum contributions of Rondinella (40%) and other grape varieties (20%) were used is 40%.