Bardolino, to many wine drinkers, is a cheerful, uncomplicated red wine from the south eastern shores of Lake Garda in the Veneto region of Italy. To others it is cheap industrial wine that older Italian-Americans purchase with their weekly grocery shopping.

Having just returned from the Veneto region I have a very different view of Bardolino. First, as a tourist destination Bardolino is a charming medieval town worth spending a few days exploring.

Sunset in Bardolino

And while the town of Bardolino was more than a pleasant discovery, the real revelation for me were the wines of Giovanna Tantini. Giovanna went to school to become a lawyer, just as her father and her sister did before her. After acquiring her law degree,  Giovanna decided (somewhat to the dismay of her parents) she wanted to prove to the world that her native Bardolino was capable of producing world class wines.

Some have called Giovanna the original "garagista" from Bardolino because she began her wine making literally from her garage. In the vineyard she has implemented high density plantings and new low yielding clones to increase the concentration in her wines. All of her 11 hectares of vines are farmed organically.

Decanter magazine recently said of her wines that it is rare to find wines with as much personality and individuality as hers. A revelation.

Giovanna Tantini and me in her vineyards in Bardolino

We currently carry three wines from Giovanna: Bardolino DOC, Chiaretto DOC (one of my favorite rose wines), and Ettore, a unique blend of Corvina grapes which have been partially dried on the vine and then blended with a small amount of cabernet and merlot.

A final word if you decide to visit Bardolino: Giovanna has a beautiful new bed & breakfast set in the heart of her vineyards. info@giovannatantini.it

Paul Quaglini, SE Florida Wine Supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinepaulq