Exploring the delicious "ristoranti" in Valtenesi is not only an enjoyable experience but also very tasty! Many offer local specialities and products from the area; delicious wine, extra virginal oil, truffles, artichokes and fresh lake fish. Throughout the year many traditional festivals are arranged; in the spring Moniga holds a wine fair called "Rassegna del Chiaretto", the Polpenazze festival that is dedicated to the Garda Bresciano Wine, on a weekend at the end of May, the first weekend in September Puegnago has a Trade and Agricultural Fair, a truffle market in Brescia at the end of November. All through from January till March there are all kinds of events to celebrate the local Chiaretto Wine.
Tasting and enjoying wine
The art of tasting Garda wines means choosing the right foods to bring out its flavour and the right wines to enhance the food. When tasting, it is important to note the wine's clarity, colour and perfume and to take just small sips to better sense and appreciate its subtleties. The ideal serving temperature varies with the wine's characteristics, including its colour, age, alcohol content and bouquet.
Red wines should be served at room temperature, or warmer if the wines are full-bodied and have been aged a long time. Whites should be cooler according to how marked the characteristics of the wine are. Chiaretto or rosé should not be served either as cool as the whites or as warm as the reds. During a meal in which different wines will be drunk, it is a general rule to proceed from the lowest alcohol content wines to those with higher alcohol contents, from younger wines to older wines and from dry wines to sweeter and liqueur wines.
All the following wines are guaranteed by the D.O.C. mark.
Wines
From vinification of the grapes of the Sangiovese, Groppello, Marzemino and Barbera vines are produced “Garda Classico Rosso” and “ Rosso Superiore”, reaching an alcohol content of not less than 12°. The word “superiore” is attributed to a wine that is matured for at least one year. Its characteristic intense and brilliant ruby red colour releases a delicate but full-bodied perfume. The sapid taste is followed by a pleasantly bitter aftertaste. The ageing of the wine has bestowed on the Superiore's colour a garnet case and drier taste. Ideal accompaniments include red meats, roasts, game fowl and mature cheeses for the Classico; and braised meats, mixed grills and game animals for the Superiore. The Garda Classico should be served at around 16°-17°C, and the Rosso Superiore three degrees warmer.
“Garda Classico Chiaretto”
Produced by “white vinification”, where there is contact with the solid parts of the bunch followed by immediate separation of the fermenting must. It is in all respects a delicate wine, both in its rosé colouring and soft and decisive taste. The Chiaretto goes well with antipasti, green vegetables, white meats and fish from the lake, and should be served at around 12°-13° within a year from when it was bottled.
“Garda Classico Groppello”
The wine is produced from the vine of the same name, is brilliant red in colour and has a light fruity perfume and dry and gentle taste. It is a cheerful accompaniment to red meats, roasts, salami and cheeses and should be drunk at around 18°C.
“Garda Classico Novello”
It is produced with the carbon dioxide maceration method where the intact bunches are poured straight from the harvest into special containers of carbon dioxide. Novello is a young red wine with and intense colour and fresh taste. It goes extremely well with highly flavoured meat dishes, cheeses of medium maturity and salami. Recommended with roast chestnuts and should be served between 16° and 18° C.
“Garda Classico spumante Rosé”
Produced by the natural re-fermentation method, where brief contact with the peel during fermentation creates its distinctive rosé colouring, fruity perfume and decisive flavour. Ideal as an aperitif, going well with light dishes and should be served at around 6°-7°C.
“Garda Classico Bianco”
Obtained from a special mix of Rhineland Riesling grapes and Italian Riesling using technology aimed at maximising the primary aromas and its youthful fragrance. The straw coloured wine releases a floral perfume and is dry to the taste. The wine goes well with lake fish, crustaceans, shellfish, baked vegetables and rice. It should be served at around 8°-9°C.
