http://www.provenzacantine.it/
The Lugana region to the south and south west of the Lago di Garda is famous for its stylish, elegant Lugana white wines. However, some producers, like Provenza in Desenzano del Garda, not only excel in whites (their flagship scored three glasses in the recent Gambero Rosso) but can also offer some truly interesting reds. So, with our prejudices against the chic Lugana whites fully engaged, we mainly concentrated on the reds on our visit to the winery.
(view from Manerba - south over the lake to the Lugana region)The region's reds are typically made from Groppello, Marzemino, Barbera and Sangiovese, with the usual suspects of international varieties rounding the pantheon up. While Barbera and Sangiovese are big players all over Italy, Marzemino is a rather provincial grape commonly found in the Trentino and usually advertised more for its mention in a Mozart opera than for its qualities as a grape variety. Groppello is one of those countless regional grapes in Italy that are rarely heard of outside of their native vineyards, but in this part of Lombardy, it usually makes up the lion's share of reds.
(the Provenza vineyards right next to the winery)In the Garda DOC Classico Groppello, it shows its typical fragrant nature of fresh strawberries and flowers with a light but pleasant body. Certainly a nice table wine, but not one that would help to propagate the name of Groppello.
The other style of Garda red is exemplified by the Rosso Tenuta Maiolo, where Groppello is joined by Barbera, Marzemino and Sangiovese. It is medium-bodied with darker and more concentrated fruit and a pleasant texture.
Its reserve counterpart, the Garda Classico Negresco, already offers much more at a not much greater price: dark, rich and concentrated with finely integrated oak notes, it was our first eye opener to what Garda reds could be.
Nevertheless, our favorite wine was probably the one that possesses the least provincial charm, the Cabernet/Merlot blend Giomè. Instead it delivers a great balance of the peppery and bramble berry notes of the two varieties, with a smooth oak-infused body that is at the same time fulfilling as well as fresh and moreish.
The pinnacle of the estate's red wines is unquestionably the Garda Classico Selezione Fabio Contato, both in quality and in price. Like the Tenuta Maiolo and the Negresco it is a blend of Groppello, Barbera, Marzemino and Sangiovese, and it is a tribute to the wine maker's craft that selection and oak ageing can elevate these into this rich and concentrated effort of international class. Dark berries join a fine spicyness without the extended barrel time ruining things, but instead integrating itself beautifully.
If there is one negative thing that can be said about Provenza's fine reds it would have to be that for all their quality, they lack a certain distinctiveness or regional uniqueness. The Fabio Contato, for example, reminds more of a fine Spanish red or one of the modern Bordeauxs than it does of the sunny hills of the southern Lago di Garda. Then again, that's not too shabby at all, it it?
The other style of Garda red is exemplified by the Rosso Tenuta Maiolo, where Groppello is joined by Barbera, Marzemino and Sangiovese. It is medium-bodied with darker and more concentrated fruit and a pleasant texture.
Its reserve counterpart, the Garda Classico Negresco, already offers much more at a not much greater price: dark, rich and concentrated with finely integrated oak notes, it was our first eye opener to what Garda reds could be.
Nevertheless, our favorite wine was probably the one that possesses the least provincial charm, the Cabernet/Merlot blend Giomè. Instead it delivers a great balance of the peppery and bramble berry notes of the two varieties, with a smooth oak-infused body that is at the same time fulfilling as well as fresh and moreish.
The pinnacle of the estate's red wines is unquestionably the Garda Classico Selezione Fabio Contato, both in quality and in price. Like the Tenuta Maiolo and the Negresco it is a blend of Groppello, Barbera, Marzemino and Sangiovese, and it is a tribute to the wine maker's craft that selection and oak ageing can elevate these into this rich and concentrated effort of international class. Dark berries join a fine spicyness without the extended barrel time ruining things, but instead integrating itself beautifully.
If there is one negative thing that can be said about Provenza's fine reds it would have to be that for all their quality, they lack a certain distinctiveness or regional uniqueness. The Fabio Contato, for example, reminds more of a fine Spanish red or one of the modern Bordeauxs than it does of the sunny hills of the southern Lago di Garda. Then again, that's not too shabby at all, it it?
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