CONSORZIO TUTELA VINO CUSTOZA DOC

If the word Custoza brings back school memories linked to the historic battles fought in this place in the 1800s, when it means wine, however, it is all about peace and calm, the very sort found in the green hills between the city of Verona and Lake Garda. The production area (a total of 1500 hectares of vineyards) comprises nine communes stretching out between the province’s main city and the immediate hinterland of the lake. They are Villafranca, Pastrengo, Bussolengo, Sona, Sommacampagna, Valeggio sul Mincio, Peschiera del Garda, Lazise and Castelnuovo del Garda. The soil here was deposited by glaciers in times remote and is traditionally used for the growing of white grape vines such as the Garganega, an important autoctonous variety of the Verona province, the Trebbianello, a local Tocai biotype, and the Bianca Fernanda, a local clone of Cortese. These are the grapes that make up the structure of Custoza, the most important among Italian white wines born of a grape blend, namely a mix of different grapes where no variety should predominate, allowing indeed the terroir, the unique regional quality, to emerge instead. In a nutshell, it is most definitely the primary varieties that make it possible to define a grape blend that gives Custoza its identity, while other complementary varieties, introduced in recent decades, enrich its characteristic bouquet. The enormous variability of the hillside soil in the production area most certainly results in a freshness that at times is almost saline. This brings about that aromatic complexity which sets Custoza apart among varietals, without however interfering with its lightness and enjoyability.
The resulting sensory profile presents distinctive fruity and floral notes, at times accompanied by hints of aromatic herbs and spices. White and with a young character, Custoza boasts remarkable drinkability and extremely good matching qualities, in particular as an ideal accompaniment to summer dishes and to sea and freshwater fish. In its area of origin it is a perfect companion to the local tortellino speciality from Valeggio sul Mincio, a pasta rolled so finely that it reveals the delicious meat stuf fing inside. Moreover, this wine, particularly when it comes from special selections in the vineyards, also presents a good ageing potential over time, in particular in its Superiore version, which very often comes from individual cru vineyards. Very rare, albeit traditional, is the Custoza raisin wine, with its golden hue and semi-sweet or sweet taste, which takes af ter the wines that always used to be served at the end of Sunday and feast day meals in the local area.