Chiaretto
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2024
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Pairs beautifully with light antipasti, grilled freshwater fish, and classic Margherita pizza.
✨ Technical Specifications
Zenato's Chiaretto is a vibrant celebration of the Lake Garda microclimate in Veneto, Italy. Crafted primarily from the traditional Veronese grapes Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara, this wine represents the historic Chiaretto style—a name derived from chiaro (clear or light), historically signifying a very pale red or deep rosé. The grapes are grown on the morainic hills along the southern shores of Lake Garda, where glacial soils and a moderating lake breeze yield exceptional freshness and aromatic complexity. Using a brief maceration on the skins to extract its signature delicate pink-ruby hue, Zenato honors a regional winemaking tradition popularized in the late 19th century. The result is an elegant, dry, and highly aromatic expression filled with notes of wild berries, white peach, and a distinct saline minerality.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1960 by Sergio and Carla Zenato on the southern banks of Lake Garda, Zenato is an iconic dual-terroir estate celebrated for elevating the profile of Turbiana (Trebbiano di Lugana) as well as mastering classic Veronese reds. The family's viticultural footprint spans mineral-laden, compacted morainic clays in Lugana alongside hillside limestone and calcareous marl terraces at Tenuta Costalunga in Sant'Ambrogio di Valpolicella. Managed today by second-generation siblings Alberto and Nadia Zenato, the estate emphasizes certified sustainable viticulture under Equalitas frameworks, marrying regional traditions with meticulous modern precision. Winemaking prioritizes varietal clarity, structural longevity, and terroir fidelity, highlighted by temperature-controlled stainless steel aging for whites, wood maturation for selections, and refined appassimento techniques for red expressions. Benchmark labels include the flagship Lugana Riserva Sergio Zenato, Lugana San Benedetto, Metodo Classico Lugana Brut, and monumental red icons including Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva and Ripassa Valpolicella Superiore.