Le Fraghe is run with passion by Matilde Poggi, one of Italy's most respected winemakers. She farms organically and makes traditional wines in the Bardolino DOC, on the eastern shores of Lake Garda, just west of Valpolicella. Her Chiaretto di Bardolino is always good, but the newly released 2025 is in top form.
Chiaretto translates to "little pale one", and it has been produced since Roman times by gently pressing the dark-skinned varieties of the Veneto—Corvina and Rondinella for this wine. This light touch yields a fresh, and racy wine that has been thrilling wine lovers for centuries. I've stocked a handful of Chiarettos since Table Wine opened in 2010, but I can say with certainty this is the best version I've ever tried.
Here's why you should buy it:
- It's Italy's oldest dry rosato. Pink wines have really taken hold in Italy in the past 20 years, but dry rosé got its start in Bardolino, and Rodon is the ancient term for pink or rose.
- Chiaretto di Bardolino earned one of Italy’s first DOC's in 1968. Simply put, this isn't just a casual wine for summer consumption -- it can age and improve with 5 years in bottle.
- A blend of Corvina and Rondinella, the same grapes used to make Valpolicella and Amarone, this pale-colored dry rosé smells of fresh red fruits and rose petals, and it's brisk and refreshing on the palate.
- This is the flagship wine of Le Fraghe! Like I said earlier, Matilde Poggi and her team make other delicious wines, but this is the one they're the most proud of.
I totally get it, as this delicately fresh and beautiful pink wine is world-class all the way. I could see it pairing perfectly with an antipasti platter, some tuna sashimi, or creamy goat cheese smeared on a baguette.
Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville
