Garda Classico Wine Fair 2001 Highlights and Technical Results
The 2001 edition of the Fiera del Vino Garda Classico Doc in Polpenazze is marked by a high technical quality. This beloved event, well known throughout the province of Brescia, returns to the scene starting tomorrow, with a preview scheduled for this evening in the auditorium of the sports center, where Garda Classico organized a seminar on the image of wine.
Contests and Results
Home to one of the three official competitions that the Consorzio del Garda Classico organizes annually to monitor the quality of the protected productions, the Fiera has already crowned the champions of its 52nd edition, promising especially great reds and excellent Chiarettos. Regarding the official competition, 50% of Garda Classico Doc Rosso and Rosso Superiore wines passed the tasting panels, earning high praise (12 reds out of 24 and 9 Superiors out of 18 passed).
White wines fared less well, affected by the exceptional climatic conditions of the pre-harvest phase: only four out of 20 samples received a rating of «excellent». In the non-official internal selection, organized by the Comitato Fiera in collaboration with the Consorzio, tasting panels also evaluated the quality of the wines that are officially presented in the competitions at Moniga and Puegnago.
Excellent results for the Chiarettos (18 out of 27 labels rated «excellent») and Groppelli (11 out of 22). Outstanding performances also achieved in the selection of Garda Bresciano Dop extra virgin olive oil, managed by Aipol in partnership with the Comitato Fiera: 9 companies were awarded out of 12 competing.
Program and Opening Ceremony
The names of the winning companies will be announced during the inaugural ceremony on Sunday morning at Polpenazze Castle, in the presence of local, provincial, and regional authorities. As mentioned, the Fiera will open at 4 PM on Friday.
The program follows a strict tradition spanning over fifty years: local typical dishes featuring the inevitable spit-roasted meat, ballroom dancing (only on Friday, Sunday, and Monday evenings), and Garda Classico wines served at the tasting stand by 28 companies, which once again sold out all available spots already in February.
Wines participating in the competition can also be tasted in the Corte degli assaggi, where visitors can perform comparative tastings and express their impressions via a form provided by the producers.
Sunday and Monday Events
Sunday will undoubtedly be the highlight: the event begins at 10 AM with the ribbon-cutting, continues with a mass attended by authorities and awards, and concludes with public opening for the lunchtime meal.
In the afternoon, entertainment will be provided by the Banda di Polpenazze (at 4:30 PM), followed by a guided tasting of Garda Classico wines with Corrado Gugnasco (at 5 PM), and an itinerant performance by the folk group from Pavullo, in the province of Modena (at 5:30 PM).
As usual, Monday afternoon will be dedicated to meetings between producers and category associations (restaurateurs, sommeliers, etc.) and the Confraternities. In the evening, the best paintings and photographs from the competitions organized by the Biblioteca will be awarded.
Seminar and Other Activities
This evening at 8 PM, the auditorium of the Centro sportivo hosts a Garda Classico seminar dedicated to the image of wine and the importance of packaging choices, following a successful presentation at the last «Vinitaly». An initiative aimed at producers but open to all, which will be followed by a free tasting of local wines and products.
It is worth noting that the Fiera will once again be staffed by about a hundred volunteers from various local associations: from Cacciatori (hunters) to Fanti, from the Associazione Sportiva Valtenesi to «Carata», and the Polisportiva group, among others.
A united community striving to successfully hold a festival that is more than just a showcase of typical productions — it is also, and above all, an authentic popular institution.
