The Garda DOC Consortium, after three years of presenting its wines in Lugano, has returned to Switzerland again, destination Zurich. The choice lies in some interesting numbers regarding the export ratio of these wines. In fact, the Swiss market, which annually generates a turnover of over 400 million euros for Italian wines, shows good dynamism, considering among other things that the general dynamics of national wine exports appeared more sustained, with a plus 11% in value recorded between 2021 and 2022. The Swiss market therefore confirms itself as a high-quality market, with prestigious labels which, for several years now, have been paying increasing attention to natural and organic wines.
A way of communicating with companies without making compromises, as the President of the Garda DOC Consortium, Dr. wrote. Paolo Fiorini, in his greeting: «The basic idea that has been with us for some time is that of being able to create a strong connection to the Garda DOC wines, its bubbles and its varietal wines from the Lake Garda area which, from the purely tourist, it has all it takes to be recognized over time as a land of great wines on an international level. And it is in this direction that we are working: the beauty of these places, the brightness, the unique climate, the varied soils and the idea of a holiday, become, in fact, distinctive features of a story full of suggestions."
«Lake Garda is the common denominator of the entire Garda area and a point of interconnection between the three provinces over which the denomination extends: Mantua, Brescia and Verona», declared Paolo Fiorini. «I reiterate the basic idea that we have been cherishing for some time which consists in creating a strong mental connection that connects the Garda DOC wines, the bubbles but above all the varietal wines, to the Garda area. Our lake, the first in Italy by extension, has always been one of the most sought-after tourist destinations both nationally and especially abroad, a true place of the soul capable of remaining forever imprinted in the memory of those who experience it. From now on we would like this special "experience" to remain imprinted in the minds and hearts of people, especially thanks to the wines produced here."
The Garda DOC was created to enhance the varietal wines coming from the 10 historical production areas of the Garda area: Valtenesi, Colli Mantovani, Lugana, S. Martino della Battaglia, Bardolino, Custoza, Valpolicella, Soave, Valdadige, Monti Lessini. A very vast and heterogeneous territory, also from a political point of view, because the denomination involves three Municipalities (Mantua, Brescia and Verona) and two regions (Lombardy and Veneto). A small Mediterranean at the foot of the Alps. A wine-growing area that extends for over 30.000 hectares around Lake Garda. Born in 1996, the denomination includes the other DOCs in the area and embraces different typologies based on both white and red vines. When it was established there were ten historical denominations and the DOC Garda, among others, has the merit of having given dignity even to varieties that previously could not boast the denomination of origin such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio.
Garda Doc, in short, has codified the link between these and many other varieties with the Garda area. A sort of "denomination of denominations", which develops mainly in the province of Verona, where over 27.000 hectares are cultivated, and then reaches the provinces of Mantua and Brescia and which includes native varieties such as Garganega, Trebbiano di Soave, Corvina and Marzemino and , as seen, also several international varieties.
It was a winning choice, also in terms of marketing, which led to an increase in the attractiveness of the products. «A typology which, certainly, has given impetus to the denomination but which still represents a small percentage compared to the total bottles produced, which went from 5 to 20 million in the space of seven years», says Paolo Fiorini. «Single varietal wines are certainly of great importance for us, for example those produced with Chardonnay or Pinot grigio, which give an international flavor to the denomination without, however, making it lose the identifying character that only the territory can confer».
Present at this meeting Carlo Alberto PANONT, long-career oenologist and consultant, who chose Zurich for this technical profile Masterclass, open to operators in the sector, first and foremost to the members of the Swiss Sommelier Association led by their President Aurélien Blanc ed Elio Frapolli, their coordinator for these events, presenting eleven of the qualified Garda DOC labels in order to intercept importers, distributors and wine lovers from Switzerland.
To best illustrate these types of terrain, a film created by the Kondoo Agency of Gallarate (Varese) was screened. THE SOIL CHART, an innovative way with which the Consortium has chosen to disseminate the first interregional map of the soils of its DOC which maps the "pedodiversity” of this vast wine-growing territory.
The Soil Map of the Garda DOC – said Carlo Alberto Panont – is a great work of study and zoning from which three characteristic macro-areas can be summarized: close to the lake is the moraine area, the oldest of the denomination, towards the east the limestone part, with lighter and shallower soils and, finally, to the far east, the volcanic area which leaves a deep mineral imprint on the wines.
The extension and heterogeneity of the Garda Doc therefore leaves producers with a great range of opportunities and expressive nuances. Furthermore, the transregional physiognomy of the denomination broadens the gaze and multiplies the possibilities. «This peculiarity of our denomination means that male and female producers are not fossilized in parochialism but have an open mind and work in synergy, enriching each other with their own different experiences.
Regarding the presentation of the Soil Map Paul Fiorini said: "We are enormously satisfied with the success achieved by the presentation of the soil map and the outcome of the conference day. This document, the result of various studies promoted by the Consortium, not only testifies to Garda DOC's continuous commitment and investment in the scientific field, but also embodies the values and spirit of innovation of our Consortium which, in addition to the soil map, wanted to create a documentary with an informative nature". We offer you readers the opportunity to view this film on the Soil Map, on YouTube (English subtitles).
The tasting
The choice was very difficult and uncertain. There are many producers in the 10 consortia and all with a long storytelling. The opportunity was given to the first members who were interested in being present in the distribution of German-speaking Switzerland. Eleven qualified Garda DOC labels: 4 types of sparkling wines from the companies: Pratello, Bottenago, Valdo and Virgili, 3 white Garda DOC wines from Vitevis, Gozzi and Tenute del Garda and 4 red Garda DOC wines from La Prendena, Bulgarini, Zenato and Tenute Roveglia. Each of these wines was presented by a Sommelier from the SVS of Zurich, declaiming the vines, processing, refinement, quality, characteristics and pairings. The producers present integrated the presentation by telling their story. Wines that were able to delight those present who then tasted, in the presence of some producers, as many as 24 other types of wines accompanied by various appetizers. At the end, each guest was given a copy of the VINUM magazine where the companies of each denomination were presented on seven pages.
Garda DOC
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