Corte Gardoni, Bardolino, DOC Le Fontane 2006 The previous vintage sported a Beaujolais-like character, in the Nouveau vein, a carbo-mac fruit bomb with very light body – ideal for lunch in the sun when you demand red wine. This current vintage was quite stinky at the outset, but the fruit popped out later, in a light-bodied format with plenty of acidity and some herbaceousness. Le Fontane is the vineyard in Valeggio sul Mincio, on the morenic south-oriental hills of Garda where the ground is calcareous and clay-like. The grapes are corvina 60%, rondinella 30%, other local unspecified vines 10%. The wine is matured only in stainless. Estate bottled by Corte Gardoni di Piccoli in Valeggio sul Mincio 12.5% $9.99 at Traverso’s Corte Gardoni
Bella Sera, Delle Venezie Pinot Noir IGT 2006 Black fruit and mint, on the thin and acidic side. V&B in Trento 12% $?? class sample. Bella Sera
Vignalta, Colli Euganei DOC, Rosso Riserva 2003 The 2001 was and light-bodied, showing cherry fruit with herbaceous notes and a complexing hint of bandaids. This vintage is the same blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet and is topped with lashings of new oak on top of cherry fruit, a touch of the barnyard, in a good way and a balanced amount of tannin to give the wine some chewiness. P&B in Arqua Petrarca 14% $19.99 at Traverso’s Vignalta
