Ciao Tutti!
This weekend at Piazza we will taste the Bardolino DOC ($20.50) from the Le Fraghe winery in Cavaion Veronese, a province of Verona. “Le Fraghe” means “strawberries” in the local dialect and the fanciful label design pays tribute to the wild strawberries that are found among the estate’s four vineyards. Winemaker Mathilde Poggi’s earliest childhood memories are of hearing older family members conversing about vines and wine. When she was old enough, she joined her family after school to help harvest the grapes that instilled in her a lifelong passion for winemaking.
Relatives later divided the family’s property in the early 1980’s, resulting in Poggi, at the young age of 22, to create her own winery. Her focus is the indigenous grapes of the Veneto: Corvina, Garganega and Rondinella and the winery was certified organic in 2009.The geography from Monte Baldo and the Val d’ Adige to the north with Lake Garda’s Mediterranean climate imparts a unique terroir to her wines.
Today, Mathilde Poggi is considered to be one of Italy’s most respected producers for her elegant wines in the Bardolino appellation, one of the oldest appellations in Italy. In addition to managing her estate, she has served as President of the Italian Federation of Independent Grape Growers. Members work solely on their own production, grow their grapes, vinify and bottle their wines which they sell directly. Her three daughters will be the next generation to manage the estate.
Since September, 2011, the Poggi’s created two one-bedroom apartments and each apartment has its own dedicated outdoor space. The location near Verona, approximately halfway between Venice and Milan, makes it convenient to explore the southern end of Lake Garda and Vicenza’s Palladian villas in nearby Vicenza.
Le Fraghe’s Bardolino has long been a Piazza customer favorite for its combination of two indigenous grapes, Corvina (80%) and Rondinella (20%) that are first vinified separately. The result is a light to medium body, sweet-sour cherry and blueberry flavor, soft tannins and a long finish. Pair with Piazza’s young cheeses and light meat dishes. If you like Pinot Noir you will like this wine even more!
Come join me Friday from noon to 5:45 or Saturday from noon to 4:45 to taste this refreshing red wine that also will pair well with the weekend’s forecast of mid 50’s to mid 60’s.
Cin Cin!
Jenn
Piazza Italian Market is located in the Talbot Town Shopping Center at 218 N. Washington St., suite 23, in Easton, MD
