At the rediscovery of Custoza

Wines from Lake Garda are now having a huge revival. Chiaretto wines (or pink wines – do not call them rosé wines!) of the two coasts of the lake - the one in the area of Verona (DOC Bardolino) and that in the area of Brescia (DOC Valténesi) – can rely on record numbers (12 million bottles). Moreover, red Bardolino wine (Corvina basis) is rising from its ashes. The ‘remuntada’ of white wines in consumers' tastes (and the massive presence of German tourists on the lake) made of Lugana a territory, which the big wine groups are struggling for. Custoza wine is not in the list. It is a white wine (Garganega basis), cast into shadow, but worth a rediscovery. It features an excellent price-quality relationship and there are some wineries which interpret it with passion. Albino Piona is the oldest winery of the Lake Garda denomination. It is situated among the beautiful morainic hills south of the lake, in Villafranca, very close to Custoza. Family Piona has been handing on its unconditioned passion towards viticulture since 1893, when Albino Piona, the great-grandfather, began to set the basis of a family project which is still growing nowadays. Silvio is the winemaker and runs the business (almost 50 hectares of vineyards) together with his brothers and sister Massimo, Monica and Alessandro. In all Albino Piona wines a precise style is to be traced: it tends to savory and fresh features, to the interpretation of the territory. Half of the production (400,000.00 bottles ca.) is destined to Custoza wine, all the rest to Chiaretto and Bardolino. The microclimate of the lake, the constant ventilation, the very low yields all result in unexpected gifts, such as Bardolino wine year 2015 and 2016, still perfect and fragrant. You only have to enjoy them! Custoza 2018, which has recently appeared on the market, shows that Custoza wine is a great white wine: very aromatic to the nose, dynamic to the palate, fully savory, dry without being tart. Perfect with lake (and sea) fish. Wine shop price: € 8,00 ca.

https://www.quotidiano.net/speciali/divino-sapore/vino-bianco-custoza-1.4523426

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