Custoza DOC
Grapes: Garganega, Trebbiano, Trebbianello
I will not lie, I was apprehensive to hear that there would be zero sulphur added to the 2018 wines and we have been extremely careful with transport and storage and I strongly suggest that you do the same. Having said that, this is beautifully fresh white wine with broad almond fruit and lovely floral characteristics.
12%
10,000 bottles made

Link to Monte dei Roari producer page

Custoza lies to the south of Verona, its’ DOC plays second fiddle to the white wines of Soave and Lugana and for that reason is often excellent value. It is at the point where the glacier responsible for lake Garda stopped and dropped what it was carrying, resulting in soils that are unusually mixed. In truth the wines can be a bit mixed too, the producers did not settle on any one particular style of white wine and the list of authorised grape varieties is a long one. It is hardly controversial to declare that the best wines (all Custoza is white) are based on Garganega, as are those of Soave and Gambellara.
Alessia farms her land on biodynamic principals, she also goes to the trouble of organic certification. The morainic soils are rich in minerals and well suited to quality Garganega; her vines are 35 years old on average and trained using a Archetto Veronese system that Alessia considers more sympathetic to the vines than the more usual short cornered cordon. The vines were picked by hand, pressed and taken off the skins for a natural spontaneous fermentation in cement tanks where the wine is held on the yeasts for 3 to 4 months. Malolactic conversion is blocked to maintain freshness and this year the wine was bottled without the addition of sulphur.