2024 Bardolino Chiaretto Rosé, Monte del Frà

Lake Garda Blush

Pale, delicate and effortlessly charming, this is Italian rosé with a lovely sense of freshness and ease. White flowers, redcurrant and wild berries rise first, followed by nectarine, apricot and a gentle lift of white pepper that gives the wine a little extra energy. The palate is dry, crisp and beautifully fluent, with bright red fruit, a touch of citrus and a clean, elegant finish that feels made for warm afternoons and simple, sunlit food. It is light on its feet, quietly polished and wonderfully drinkable, the sort of rosé that disappears with suspicious speed.

For when: lunch drifts into the afternoon, and nobody is checking the time.
Pairs with: grilled prawns, tomato salads, charcuterie, or something salty by the water.
If this wine were a place: a shaded table near Lake Garda, with pale stone, bright light and a soft breeze off the water.

Monte del Frà is one of the key names around Lake Garda, known for wines that combine drinkability with real regional character. Their Bardolino Chiaretto is built from the traditional local grapes of the area, chiefly Corvina with Rondinella and Molinara, and captures that lovely Garda balance of delicacy, freshness and gentle fruit. It is a rosé that feels unmistakably northern Italian, all elegance, ease and quiet charm.