Cantina di Custoza Custoza Bianco
NOTE : You need a mix of any 6 bottles to checkout - we ship in multiples of 6 bottles with a 6 bottle minimum.
Tasting Notes
This straw-yellow wine is aromatic on the nose, with elegant exotic fruit and toasted almond flavours. On the palate it is delicate, mineral and full-bodied, with a pleasant and persistent finish.
Producer
The small village of Custoza gives its name to the denomination in the southwestern corner of the Province of Verona, very close to the border with Lombardia. It is famous across Italy as the site of two major 19th century battles of the Italian Risorgimento. This cooperative, situated southeast of Lake Garda, was founded in 1968 and now counts 300 members who farm over 1000 hectares of vineyard. Those of our customers with long memories may recall that we first worked here in 1999 when Matt Thomson made a very good Garganega and what was then called Bianco di Custoza. Matt’s influence is still felt at the winery, for some of the processes he introduced are now overseen by local winemaker Luca Oliosi. Cantina di Custoza formed a recent partnership with Cantina Valpantena, which adds significant oenological capability from Michele Peroni on the winemaking front and, of course, Luca Degani, who has led Valpantena since 1994.
The area is characterised by low hills formed by glacial deposits, resulting in soils that are ideal for the vine. There are several different varieties cultivated, primarily Trebbiano, Garganega, Incrocio Manzoni, Friulano and Cortese, locally called Fernanda. Custoza DOC wine is always made from a blend of these varieties, which are picked and crushed separately.
After a soft pressing and temperature-controlled fermentation at around 16°C, the wine is racked and prepared for an early bottling to preserve the fresh and delicate aromatics that are the hallmark of white wines from this area.
The Superiore is made from a selection of the best parcels that are naturally lower yielding. After a brief maceration, the selected grapes are gently pressed and fermented at a controlled temperature in stainless steel. After a short passage in a mixture of small French oak barrels, the wine is bottled in early spring. The result is a more structured profile and riper aromatics with added depth and complexity, making it one of the best interpretations of this historical denomination.
Vineyards
The vineyards unfold across the villages of Custoza, Sommacampagna and Valeggio sul Mincio, located just south-east of Lake Garda. The vines are trained with Pergola Veronese system and planted on the morainic hills, whose soils are mainly calcareous, gravelly, sandy and pebbly. Garganega, Trebbiano Toscano, Fernanda and Incrocio Manzoni are the main varieties cultivated here.