There is a precise moment during Vinitaly when the enologist stops talking and starts writing. Three lines on a notepad: one for the cheese, one for the light red, one for the rosé. Different products in terms of history, terroir, and structure, yet all born from the same province. Before approaching a tasting counter at Veronafiere or a wine bar in the historic centre, it helps to understand what truly sets apart these three names you keep hearing mentioned together.
Vinitaly 2026 in Verona: what the local producers bring to the fair
The 58th edition of Vinitaly was held at Veronafiere from 12 to 15 April, with nearly four thousand Italian wine producers and over a hundred official events. Bringing the city itself to life, seventy events of Vinitaly and the City animated the alleyways and squares of Verona from 10 to 12 April. Not simply a wine fair: a week in which Verona becomes the sharpest vantage point for understanding where Italian wine is headed.
This year, among the awards presented at the opening, there is one detail worth highlighting: the Vinitaly 2026 Prize "A Hundred Years of Excellence" also went to the Consorzio Bardolino, which in 2026 marks a full century since its founding. Established in 1926, the Consorzio today represents 817 members and safeguards a denomination that is worth far more than its light-bodied sip might suggest.
The production figures confirm this without ambiguity: with a vineyard surface of 2,400 hectares — of which 1,000 are dedicated to Chiaretto — in 2025 total output reached 21 million bottles, split between 11 million of Bardolino and 10 million of Chiaretto, the best-selling rosé in Italy with an export share of 60%. Figures best read slowly, glass in hand.
Monte Veronese DOP and Bardolino Chiaretto: the enologist's three lines
The enologist who fills in a tasting sheet for a client separates these three products not because they are incompatible, but because each calls for a different frame of reference. Here is how the reasoning works, applied to the Veronese territory.
First line: Monte Veronese DOP. A cheese originating from the Monti Lessini and the pre-Alpine foothills of the Veronese province, produced in two versions: Latte Intero and D'Allevo, distinguished not only by flavour but also by two distinct production methods. The whole-milk version is sweeter and creamier, while the aged version is more mature and savoury — with notes of milk and mountain herbs in the former, more intense and faintly peppery in the latter. The enologist notes: wine structure to be adapted to the ageing. It is traditionally paired with young, lightly fruity local red wines such as Bardolino and Valpolicella Classico; at minimum ageing levels it can also be matched with fairly structured but unoaked white wines.
Second line: Bardolino rosso. Bardolino is a light, easy-drinking red with restrained alcohol and soft tannins; visually it presents a vivid ruby red, clear and bright, with a bouquet of fresh cherry, raspberry, wild strawberry, and delicate floral notes; on the palate it is light and harmonious, with a lively acidity that adds freshness and makes each sip flow effortlessly. The enologist reaches for it when a dish at the table needs companionship, not a leading role.
Third line: Chiaretto di Bardolino. This is the emblematic rosé of the Venetian shore of Lago di Garda: born from indigenous grape varieties and vinified as a pink wine, it stands out for its luminous colour, aromatic freshness, and the minerality typical of its moraine soils. It is made from the same grape varieties as Bardolino rosso, but vinified in rosé with brief maceration; today Corvina Veronese can account for up to 95% of the blend, with at least 5% Rondinella as per the updated disciplinare — an imbalance that lends greater elegance and structure while Rondinella preserves freshness and fragrance.
The point the enologist underlines in pencil is this: on the nose, Chiaretto strikes with its aromatic finesse, offering floral notes of rose and lavender, fresh fruit such as peach, apricot, pomegranate, and small red berries, alongside citrus nuances; on the palate it is fresh and dry, with a distinct saline and mineral note owing to the moraine soils, with a light yet not thin body, underpinned by lively acidity. It is not merely an aperitif rosé: it is exceptionally versatile, pairing perfectly with light first courses, herb risottos, lake or sea fish, white meats, and grilled vegetables.
The signature at the bottom of the tasting sheet comes when all three products are placed in the same context: fresh Monte Veronese leads to Chiaretto, aged Monte Veronese d'allevo leads to Bardolino rosso or a structured white. No overlap, no hierarchy: three readings of the same landscape, one that begins above Verona and slopes down toward Garda.
Where to find these wines during Vinitaly and the City?
In the wine bars of Verona's historic centre, between Piazza Erbe and Via Mazzini, and in the traditional osterie of San Zeno. During Vinitaly week, many Garda producers also open their cellars: booking ahead is advisable, especially for small estates in the classic Bardolino zone.
Palio del Chiaretto 2026: when does it take place?
The Palio del Chiaretto di Bardolino takes place this year from 5 to 7 June 2026, centred on the lakeside promenade of Bardolino, where wine pavilions, music stages, and food stalls follow one another in succession. Around 20 local wineries present their Chiaretto at tasting stands. If you are in Verona in early June, Bardolino is less than thirty minutes from the city centre.
Monte Veronese DOP: where to buy it in Verona?
Monte Veronese is still relatively little known to the average Italian consumer, yet it enjoys rapidly growing distribution: in a market increasingly oriented toward typicity and territorial identity, it has history and tradition in abundance. You will find it at the markets in Verona's historic centre — in particular at Piazza Erbe on Saturday mornings — and in several delicatessens in Veronetta.
For your stay during Vinitaly or the week of the Palio del Chiaretto, the apartments of The Verona Stay — close to the Arena and the Teatro Ristori — place you at the heart of Verona, just a short walk from the wine bars and markets where these products are found at their very best.