After swimming in rosés for a day, we were ready to graduate to the next level of Veronese wines: the bright, sour cherry charms of Bardolino. And there's no better place to immerse yourself in the wines of the Veneto than in the city of Verona.
    Bardolino wants to be taken seriously, or at least more seriously than it used to be. It is produced on the shores of Lake Garda and gets its name from the lovely village of the same name overlooking the lake (below). It has always been thought of as a light, easy-pleasing red wine, generally made with less Corvina and more Rondinella and Molinara than its Valpolicella neighbors to the east. The Corvina grape (left) gives the wine its structure and the typical sour-cherry aroma, while Rondinella imparts a fresh, herbaceous character. The higher-yielding Molinara grape has fallen out of favor recently, being replaced in some blends with Barbera, Sangiovese, Mazemino, Merlot and even Cabernet Sauvignon.
    Under Italian law, Bardolino Superiore DOCG (the highest quality Bardolino) can contain up to 20% of these other grapes. But the trend appears to be to use more Corvina in the blend (up to 95%, formerly 80%) to make the wine richer, fuller, and more competitive with Valpolicella—its country cousin that is gaining in reputation among serious imbibers. In keeping with this trend, Bardolino producers have concentrated on promoting three historical sub-zones: La Rocca, Montebaldo and Sommacampagna—areas carved out by ancient glaciers, leaving morainic soils that give this foothills wine a distinct expression.
    In highlighting these zones, Bardolino seeks to compare itself with the great crus Beaujolais (Morgon, Brouilly, Fleurie, et al), but it's doubtful you'll ever confuse the Gamay grape with Corvina, since Beaujolais wines are noted for their exuberant, silky fruitiness, and there is no escaping the more rustic, tart and spicy character of Bardolino. Like its pale pink sibling Chiaretto, it makes a perfect outdoor wine, and often benefits from a slight chilling.
    When you're ready to move up in intensity in the Veneto, Valpolicella is where you head. If Soave is the most discredited wine in Italy, Valpolicella may be the most underrated. Grown on a series of hillsides and valleys to the east of Lake Garda, the Corvina grape there reaches a fuller expression. Mass-market prejudices against the wine die hard—again, the product of swamping America with oceans of bulk "Valpolicella"—but today producers are destroying these preconceptions with "Superiore" and "Ripasso" bottlings that sometimes resemble baby Amarones in their inky intensity.
    Valpolicella (the name means "valley of the cellars") is something of a work-in-progress these days, as the styles range from deep, dark and resiny to fresh and fruity.      The former characteristics come from the ripasso process—wherein a secondary fermentation occurs after the wine is pumped onto Amarone lees (skins and pulp) leftover from that wine's fermentation. The late Giuseppe Quintarelli is credited with popularizing this process in the 1980s, thereby elevating the former trattoria staple to previously unknown heights of complexity.
    Now, a number of new winemakers are following his lead, although often you won't know from the label whether your Valpolicella Ripasso is Amarone-like (thick, alcoholic and strong) or sapid, bright and juicy. Some producers state whether the ripasso process was used, others do not. This confusion can be either fascinating or infuriating, depending on your level of interest, but I like to think of it as simply Italians being Italian. Your last two stops up the Veneto wine ladder will be at Amarone and Recioto—until recently, the only two wines for which the region was respected. They are really just two sides of the same, raisinated coin—the Veneto being well known for making wine from dried-out grapes (called appassimento) for centuries. These two are simply the dry (amaro means "bitter" in Italian) and sweet evocation of the process.
    Recioto della Valpolicella has fallen out of favor these days, but its history dates back to Roman times, when high alcohol and sweetness were valued. Amarone, unique among these wines, is the most modern and said to have been discovered when someone allowed a barrel of Recioto to complete its fermentation, turning sweet, condensed sugars into alcohol, resulting in a remarkably rich, aromatic, dry red wine.    Amarone as a style of wine has only been around since the 1950s, and its luscious, potent, dried-fruit qualities can seem almost sweet on the palate. This doesn't keep it from being a perfect match for game or rich, meaty stews, as well as just about any strong cheese. Recioto on its own might be the best cheese-friendly sweet wine in the world, certainly the equal of many Ports and Sauternes.

Some notable Bardolino, Valpolicella and Amarone wines: 

Le Fraghe Bardolino 2017 ($20)—Corvina (80%) and Rondinella (20%) are vinified separately, then blended. No oak is used, and it gives off a ruby red tinge of medium intensity. Lots of herbs, and spicy nuances in a fruity wrap of sweet-sour berries. Very soft tannins (a characteristic of Bardolino generally) make this an ideal picnic sipper. Quite a drink for the price. 

Le Fraghe Bardolino Classico DOC Brol Grande 2015 ($30)—Firmer and more tannic than Le Fraghe's everyday Bardolino, this is one to put down for a while to allow those sweet/sour cherry/berry flavors to integrate with the acid. More than double the cost of most Bardolino, but worth it if you can find it. 

Monte del Frà 2017 Bardolino DOC ($15)—An old-fashioned, light and fresh evocation of the style—65% Corvina, 30% Rondinella, 5% Molinara—meant for easy drinking with fish, pasta or pizza.  

Tenuta La Presa Baldovino Bardolino 2017 ($20)—An almost balmy nose of strawberries and cherries gives way to juicy fruit and agreeable tannins. It appears very light in the glass, but has a pleasant grape-y quality that many Bardolino fans search for, but never quite find. Best served slightly chilled with grilled meats or meaty fish. 

Vigneti Villabella Valpolicella Ripasso DOC Classico Superiore 2016 ($20)—The ripasso process brings out deeper black fruits, black pepper and dried plum notes that you won't find in Bardolino. This wine shows all of those, plus it is backed by firm acidity and structure, with a mild but persistent grip. Not a quaffer, but a serious compliment to beef stew. 

Domìni Veneti Valpolicella DOC Classico Superiore 2016 ($12)—A more traditional Valpolicella, using less Corvina (60%, blended with Corvinone and other varietals), which gives the wine a paler, ruby red hue, lower alcohol (13%), red fruits and floral notes with a touch of pepper. A good example of how producers have upgraded this pizza parlor drink into something more substantial. A steal at $12. 

Guerrieri Rizzardi "Pojega" Valpolicella Ripsasso Classico Superiore 2016 ($20)—The winery's most successful red (50% Corvinone, 30% Corvina, 20% Sangiovese/Merlot), definitely not a baby Amarone, spends twelve months in oak; fruity but not sweet, light on its feet, but the smoky cherry and spice come through. 

Santico Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2013 ($40)—Hand-picked grapes (80% Corvina, 20% Rondinella) are dried for over three months, then aged in oak for another two years. Dark and concentrated, but also smooth and spicy, with plenty of the smoky, macerated black fruit/raisin flavor you expect from Amarone. A great entry-level Amarone. 

Domini Veneti  Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Classico 2013 ($35)—Like all Amarone, deep red/purple color lets you know you're in for a palate wallop of 16% alcohol (some breach the 17% line), but the perfume, density, and structure, combined with lots of dried cherries and spice, make the payoff worth it. Even lower priced Amarone like this one will benefit from 10 years in the cellar, although this baby would go just fine with grilled or braised meats, or some strong cheese like Robiola or Taleggio. 

Guerrieri Rizzardi "Calcarole" Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Classico 2011 ($80)—The current release from this large wine estate, made entirely from dried grapes in an older style, aged three years in oak barrels, though not hugely extracted. Lively and fresh on the nose, even at 16% alcohol, with less of the "cooked fruit" quality than you would expect. An absolute stunner that will teach you why people are so passionate about Amarone.