The wine lake garda tradition is an essential part of the region’s heritage, renowned throughout Italy and beyond. The vineyards that straddle the banks of the lake and its gentle hills offer a wide variety of wines, with the quality of the grapes and their cultivation intimately linked to the territory and its culture.
The DOCs (Denominazione di Origine Controllata, Italian for “controlled designation of origin”) that represent the area’s best wine offerings include Bardolino DOC on the southern shore of Lake Garda in Lombardy, which offers both red and rose wines based on a blend of 35-80% Corvina Veronese with Rondinella, Valpolicella, Molinara, Rossignola, or Lagrein. Lugana DOC, also on the southern shore of the lake in Lombardy and Veneto, is made with Turbiana, or Trebbiano di Lugana, and can be produced as a normale or superiore.
Valtenesi DOC, on the northern edge of the lake in Trentino, produces wines from several varieties, including Lagrein and Teroldego. These are soft reds that pair well with game meats and roasts.
For an in-the-know hostess, these wines are crowd-pleasing with classic holiday dishes. For example, the Giome will highlight the tomato notes in a tomato lasagna while the Lugana DOP will brighten up roasted root vegetable mains. The rosato of Lugana DOC will complement a variety of salads and the light, elegant Chiaretto rosato of Bardolino DOC pairs beautifully with the region’s traditional dishes such as pappardelle coni fegatini, pasta e fagioli, or risotto con la salsiccia. wine lake garda