Lazise: Garda Winery Tour & Tasting with Local Pairings

4.91

(137 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

Hands deep in a crate of grapes, someone gestures for us to follow—turns out it’s Matteo, whose family has run this place for five generations. I didn’t expect him to remember all our names but he did, even mine (which Italians always pronounce better than I do). The air outside the Bergamini winery smelled faintly of grass and something sweet—maybe wildflowers? We wandered between rows of vines under a sky that couldn’t decide if it wanted to rain or not. Matteo pointed out the “Cru” spots where their best Bardolino and Chiaretto start life. He explained things like soil and sun as if he was talking about old friends.

Inside the cellar it was cool and quiet except for a few distant clinks. The barrels looked ancient but somehow cared for—like they’d been polished by stories as much as hands. Our guide switched between English and German without missing a beat (my Italian is hopeless), telling us how Custoza gets its color. I tried repeating one of the grape names—Li laughed when I tried to say it in Mandarin; probably butchered it. There was this moment when we just stood there breathing in oak and something earthy—felt oddly grounding.

The tasting room felt more like someone’s living room than anything fancy. We sat around a long table with baskets of bread, slices of local cheese that tasted almost grassy, and salami that left a peppery tingle on my tongue. Six bottles lined up—each poured with a little story attached. The olive oil on the bruschetta tasted green somehow (I know that sounds weird). By the third glass everyone was talking louder, swapping travel plans. I still think about that view from the window: vines rolling away toward Lake Garda, clouds hanging low like they might join us any minute.