Red wine is appreciated for its capacity to enhance the aroma and taste of many meat dishes. In any case, pairings always take into account multiple factors: rare meat goes well with young wine, while boiled meat is best enjoyed with aged wine. White meat, especially if chargrilled, pairs nicely with a fresh, light red wine.
And let’s put an end to the myth that red wine doesn’t go well with fish: it may seem a dare but strong flavoured fish dishes, for example cooked in particularly tasty tomato sauces, can be accompanied by young wines served cool. Therefore, choosing a cool red (10°-12°) to enjoy with fish soup, stewed eel or Tuscany’s traditional Cacciucco, is not a deadly sin! On the other hand, pairing red wine with cheese is a classic choice. In this case, the contrast rule applies: a light wine goes well with mild fresh cheese, while mature cheese is best enjoyed with an aged alcoholic wine.
The Garda region and the province of Verona offer some of Italy’s most popular wines worldwide. Fine wines that can accompany different dishes, making every dining occasion unique! Which are these wines?
Which dishes can be paired with red Garda wines from Veneto?
Bardolino DOC, Superiore and Novello:
Bardolino DOC is produced with Corvina Veronese and Rondinella grapes and stands out for its ruby colour that becomes garnet red as it ages. A slightly fruited wine with notes of cherry, Marasca, strawberry, raspberry, blackcurrant and spices. It goes well with soups, pasta and rice, fried food, chicken and snails, but also with mature and strong cheeses.
Bardolino Superiore, the first red wine from the Veneto region to obtain the D.O.C.G. certification in 2001, must age for minimum one year. It is a fragrant and aromatic wine, with a delicate scent characterised by a hint of wood, perfect with lake fish, cod and chestnuts.
On the other hand, Bardolino Novello is a red wine that is bottled in December and drank before spring. It has an intense fruity aroma, a soft, dry and sometimes slightly acid taste, fresh and lively. It goes well with Veneto’s ham and mature cheeses.
Valpolicella DOC and Superiore:
Mainly made with Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella grapes, Valpolicella wine is produced in an area comprising 19 municipalities in Verona’s northern province. Its colour is a deep ruby red, with a pleasant winey fragrance reminiscent of bitter almonds; dry, full bodied, slightly bitter and harmonic. These characteristics make it the ideal choice to accompany white meat and cheeses. Valpolicella Superiore is made from selected grapes and needs to age for at least one year to obtain its characteristic ruby red colour. Perfect with game and roasts.
Amarone della Valpolicella:
Amarone has a very long tradition and is undoubtedly one of Italy’s greatest wines. It is produced with Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Molinara grapes, but also Cruina, Forselina, Negrara and Oseleta grapes. It owes its extraordinary aroma to the fact that the grapes are dried for between 100 and 120 days, during which time the sugar fermentation is also completed. Its garnet red colour becomes increasingly more intense during the two-year ageing period in oak barrels. Its structure and slightly bitter notes make it the perfect choice for roast meals, game and mature strong tasting cheese. It is also very good enjoyed by itself, as a meditation wine.
Recioto della Valpolicella:
A sweet red straw wine, with Veneto DOCG certification, produced exclusively in Valpolicella, in the province of Verona, from native grapes. Unlike Amarone, it does not need ageing. Recioto has a deep red colour and a strong fragrance with a full, velvety taste delicate and warm on the palate. Its delicate notes go very well with intense chocolate flavours and the traditional Pandoro cake.
