Bardolino Set to Become Veneto’s First DOCG Red Wine

It is now confirmed that Bardolino will be the first red wine from the Veneto Region to be awarded the DOCG designation. Although the final decision rests with the National Wines Committee, which will discuss the application at their Rome meeting next Thursday, February 15, there is no doubt that the request submitted by producers through the Consorzio Tutela will be accepted, as it is an organization recognized by the Ministry as the manager of the origin denomination for the respective wine. This is further supported by the fact that during the recent public hearing, the proposed modifications submitted jointly by producers, winemakers, and bottlers were approved.

Origin and Quality of Bardolino Superiore

With the addition of the controlled origin denomination of the “g,” a symbol of guarantee, Bardolino Superiore ensures the particular high quality that producers have been aiming for over time, as part of a project to optimize viticulture. Located in a highly suitable area, the Consorzio and the vignerons have promoted the renewal of the vineyards by planting clones of Corvina and Rondinella that are less productive, thereby densifying the vineyard.

This approach directly enhances the grape bunch’s quality, with maximum concentration and ripeness of the grapes, resulting in that Bardolino Superiore which, even with the upcoming harvest, will be eligible for the DOCG designation and thus enter the market from November 2002. It will be a flagship wine for the entire Bardolino region, enabling competitiveness in foreign markets with a product of high personality.

Project and Production of Bardolino Superiore DOCG

The project for a great wine begins in the vineyard, in regions traditionally recognized as highly suitable, where the yield per hectare is reduced from 130 to 90 quintals—thus decreasing production by 40%; where vine density increases from the traditional 3,000 to over 5,000 per hectare, thus reducing the production per plant and enabling harvesting of more mature grapes.

This process results in a red wine of significant body and color, with strong character, and an alcohol content of 12 degrees already achieved in the vineyard, eliminating the need for concentrates. The operation of the Bardolino Superiore DOCG has been managed by the Consorzio through a self-discipline initiative among its members, started back in 1999: on that date, the Bardolino Protection Consortium, representing the collective will of all those using the DOC, submitted two requests to amend the production regulations—to include new grape varieties (Corvinone, Marzemino, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot) and to obtain the DOCG recognition.

“Since then, the historical and technical-quality research has been underway,” explains the director of the Consorzio Giulio Liut, who will be in Rome next Thursday to present the case to the National Committee. “We aim to validate the applications and recognize the particular high value of Bardolino’s taste profile.”

This process involved a ministerial commission that collected samples; subsequently, the Region moved to give a favorable opinion on the proposed changes to the wine production regulations. The final step in this series of actions was the public hearing convened by the National Committee of DOC Wines at the end of January, during which the applications were approved with only minor modifications.