Thin golden ruby. Completely transparent–way down in Grenache territory–I’ve seen rosé from Paso Robles darker than this. Light fruity nose, all strawberries and quince with a good chunk of that briary heady construction visible in all Bardolino. Racy but vapid and airy, it comes across as more of a chilled chuggable red than most of the examples of this region I have familiarized myself with this week.
In the mouth, concentrated fruit–as concentrated as is possible in a package this light–stacks up on the tongue, creating a nice sunny spot for all the cool refreshing acid to lay. A funkaliscious cellar-floor barnyard–apparent early in the nose–comes back texturally to amp up viscosity. Tannins crowned in sweet plummy fruit are soft and pliable, and the cool wateriness that defines this whole package sails of deliciously.
Easily the lightest little darling I’ve had in probably 50 Bardolinos I’ve had this week. The Bling Bros would call this thin ridiculous plonk, but I’m calling it delicious. It has everything you need in a wine. Very nicely done.
God these wines are good.
2018 GIRARDELLI Bardolino Classico ‘Pallavicino Disertori’ Rondinella, Corvina, Molinara DOC Veneto Italy 12.5
Stephen McConnell 