While many winelovers and visitors to the Veneto are attracted to the wines of Valpolicella, Amarone, Bardolino and even Soave, when visiting that part of the region there is another DOC of this area that doesn’t share the same spotlight that deserves the attention, the Custoza DOC. Nestled between Verona and Lake Garda, this white wine dominated appellation shows the uniqueness of it’s mineral driven soils and Azienda Agricola Gorgo’s Custoza DOC that I’m sharing today is a great bottle to experience what this area is all about.
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| map of Custoza DOC territory - copyright of Consorzio Custoza |
This family owned estates was Founded in 1973 by Roberto and Alberta Bricolo, the Gorgo winery is located in Sommacampagna, nearby to the village of Custoza in the southeastern part of Lake Garda within the Veneto region. Today Roberto and Alberta’s daughter, Roberta, leads the operations of the winery to carry on her parents dream. What started as about a 54 acres winery has grown to around 130 acres producing all certified organic wines.
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| Roberta and Roberto Bricolo - copyright of Az. Agr. Gorgo |
The Custoza wine appellation
Gorgo was established two years after the Custoza DOC was established in 1971, which is the appellation that the wine I’m sharing today is from. This is a white wine dedicated DOC. The wine must contain a minimum of at least 70% of Bianca Fernanda, the local name for Cortese, Friulano, Garganega and/or Trebbiano Toscano without one of those grapes making up more than 45% of the blend.
The Custoza DOC territory forms an amphitheater made of morainic soils formed from glacial deposits from the glaciers during the Quarternary Period. This DOC covers 9 towns across 4,360 acres. Due to the soils and the Mediterranean climate that is moderated by Lake Garda, these wines are fresh and tend to have floral aromatics with a fruit profile of pears, apples, citrus and tropical fruits that are fresh with a touch of minerality and salinity.
The Wine
The 2021 Gorgo Custoza DOC is part of Gorgo’s Classic line. It is made certified organic from the Garganega, Trebbiano Toscano and Bianca Fernanda grapes (which is a native clone of the Cortese grape). The grapes are cryomacerated and softly pressed and fermented in stainless steel with the wine on the lees in stainless for 3-4 months until bottled. The wine was a brilliant straw color with golden highlights. Fragrant with heavier armor as of petrol and tropical notes. Medium-bodied on the palate with a slight unctuous texture with tropical (pineapple) notes. 12.5% ABV $16 SRP (newer vintages on Wine.com)
Best ways to visit Sommacampagna and the Custoza area
The area of Lake Garda is such a marvelous place to explore and Sommacampagna is an easy jaunt outside of Verona. It’s even closer than Verona to the closest airport, Valerio Catullo Airport. It’s just an easy 3 miles! If you’re visiting Verona and looking to venture out from the city you can reach Sommacampagna by car, which is about a 10 miles drive. If you will not have a vehicle it is also easily accessible from Verona Porta Nuova station via bus, which should take about 30 minutes. With this close proximity to so many great sights there is no reason not to visit!
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| Map copyright of Consorzio Custoza |
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Importer: Ideal Wine & Spirits