DOC area for red and rosé wines in the west of the Italian Veneto region. The zone between the south-eastern shore of Lake Garda and the Adige River includes the municipalities of Affi, Bardolino, Bussolengo, Caprino Veronese, Castelnuovo del Garda, Cavaion Veronese, Costermano, Garda, Lazise, Pastrengo, Peschiera del Garda, Rivoli Veronese, Sommacampagna, Sona, Torri del Benaco and Valeggio sul Mincio in the province of Verona. The wines of the core area, comprising the municipalities of Affi, Bardolino, Cavaion Veronese, Costermano, Garda and Lazise, may additionally mention Classico on the label. The vineyards cover a total of more than 2,800 hectares.
The Bardolino is blended from the local varieties Corvina or Cruina = Corvina Veronese (35-80%), Corvinone (max. 15%), Rondinella (10-40%), Molinara (max. 15%), as well as other authorised varieties such as Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Marzemino, Rosetta = Rossignola and Sangiovese (max. 20%, of which each variety max. 10%). The wine is similar to the Valpolicella, which also comes from the region, in terms of the grape mixture. There are the wine types Bardolino, Bardolino Classico, Bardoline Chiaretto (rosé wine), Bardolino Chiaretto Classico, Bardolino Chiaretto Spumante, Bardolino Novello and Bardolino Novello Classico.
In 2001 the Bardolino Superiore and Bardolino Classico Superiore wines were classified as DOCG. It is blended from Corvina or Cruina = Corvina Veronese (35-65%), Corvinone (max. 10%), Rondinella (10-40%), as well as other authorised varieties (max. 20%, each variety max. 10%). The minimum alcoholic content is 12% vol. and the storage must last at least one year. If the grapes come from classified vineyards, Vigna can be indicated followed by the name of the vineyard. Well known producers are Cavalchina, Corte Gardoni, Guerrieri-Rizzardi, Lenotti, Masi, Montresor, Pantini, Le Vigne di San Pietro, Zenato and Zeni.
