Le Fraghe Rodon Bardolino Chiaretto 2017

Ròdon is the rosé of Le Fraghe, made from 80% Corvina and 20% Rondinella grown on the glacial moraine soils of the Bardolino DOC on the eastern shore of Lake Garda. Matilde Poggi vinifies the two varieties separately, giving the must a 6-8 hour cold maceration on skins before fermentation at 17°C. The wine then rests on fine lees in stainless steel through the winter and is bottled the following spring under screwcap to preserve its fresh aromatics.

The result is a pale, rose-tinted wine with aromas of wild rose and wild strawberry underscored by redcurrant and a faint bitter herb note. On the palate it is dry, crisp, and saline, with white pepper cutting through the fruit and bright acidity giving it real drive. This is not a neutral, faded rosé — the Corvina brings genuine personality and a savory edge that holds up well with food.

Ròdon is produced from the same organically farmed estate fruit as Le Fraghe's Bardolino Classico, with a portion of the juice bled off at the start of red wine fermentation. The Bardolino Classico benefits from the more concentrated solid-to-liquid ratio that remains, and the Chiaretto gains depth from being tied to a red wine fermentation rather than produced as a standalone direct press. At 12% ABV, it is light enough to drink through a meal.