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Pink initiatives
June 2009

Summer season is open, and at this time winemaking estates get more active in promoting rose wines.

Public opinion (at least in Europe) is gradually starting to accept an idea that pink wines are a universal, year-round beverage, but rose is unlikely to shed any time soon its image as a summer wine suitable for hot weather, open terraces or outdoor picnics.

Garda Lake shores in the north of Italy are among noteworthy places for pink wine production. It is traditionally known as Chiaretto there, being made in two versions — still and sparkling. Lake Garda is shared between two Italian regions: the eastern part belongs to Veneto, while the western — to Lombardy. Chiaretto is produced on both sides, but chances are higher that your purchased bottle comes from the eastern part. This winemaking area known as Bardolino makes annually around 8,5 million bottles, while Garda Classico in the west produces less than half a million. There is also another difference that has to do with grape varieties. Corvina (also used in production of famous red Amarone) is the main grape in Bardolino, and Groppello largely goes into production of Garda Classico.

Forty Lake Garda wineries recently brought their wines to Milan to present them both at the tastings and together with food from Michelin starred chefs. The chefs, by the way, also work in Garda region, thus specialising in local lake dishes. Leandro Luppi (Vecchia Malcesine, Malcesine) made cream of potatoes with small lake sardines and herring roe, and Isidoro Consolini (Al Caval, Torri del Benaco) cooked homemade spaghetti with lake fish and lake prawns carpaccio. Chiaretto for these dishes is a winning wine match.

Qualitative and stylistic differences of pink wines from Lake Garda depend on producers, but local roses should at least refresh, have a clean fruity bouquet and a light touch of minerality. Reliable brands are produced by Bolla, Guerrieri Rizzardi, Lamberti, Le Muraglie, Giorgio Poggi, Ronca, Santi. If one is to look for a wine with a distinctive character, they can be found at Bergamini, Cavalchina, Le Ginestre, Giovanna Tantini, Vignetti Villabella, Zenato, Zeni.

Now let’s move to the east of Veneto region where popular Prosecco is made. Local wineries are increasingly setting up production of pink wines. These spumante cannot be sold as Prosecco, though, as at least one red grape variety is required for production (Prosecco is a name of a white grape used for eponymous sparkling wine). Production process, though, remains unchanged. Wines with bubbles are made by secondary fermentation in closed steel vats under pressure. The method is known as Charmat in France. Nino Franco has made an excellent pink brut from Merlot and Cabernet Franc for a number of years (importer DP-Trade). Recently Le Colture presented their sparkling pink blend of Merlot and Chardonnay (importer Grandi Vini).

Well established Tuscan estate Ruffino (importer Svarog) this year launched still pink wine Rosatello. The company is bold enough to mix it in summer cocktails. Ruffino offers new interpretations of famous Italian cocktails such as Spritz. It is served as an aperitif and made with 5 parts of Rosatello, 3 parts of Capmari and 2 parts of tonic water. Alternatively, here’s Sbagliato in Rosa — a third each of Rosatello, Martini Rosso and Campari Bitter, and ice cubes.