The Cantina di Custoza cooperative, southeast of Lake Garda, was founded in 1968 and now comprises 200 members farming over 1,000 hectares of vineyard. The small village of Custoza shares its name with an appellation in the southwest of the Province of Verona. Matt Thomson of Blank Canvas worked here in the late 1990s. His influence is still felt at the winery, as local winemaker Luca Oliosi now oversees some of the processes he introduced. Cantina di Custoza formed a recent partnership with Cantina Valpantena, adding the significant oenological capabilities of winemaker Michele Peroni and Luca Degani, who has led Valpantena since 1994.
The Custoza area is characterised by low hills formed by glacial deposits, resulting in soils ideal for quality grape growing. There are several different grape varieties cultivated here, primarily Trebbiano, Garganega, Incrocio Manzoni, Friulano and Cortese (referred to locally as Fernanda). The Custoza DOC wine is always made from a blend of these varieties, which are picked and crushed separately. After soft pressing and temperature-controlled fermentation, the wine is racked and prepared for early bottling to preserve its fresh and delicate aromatics, a hallmark of white wines from this area.
The Superiore is made from a selection of the best naturally lower-yielding parcels. After a brief maceration, the selected grapes are gently pressed and fermented at a controlled temperature in stainless steel. The wine is bottled in early spring after a short period ageing in small, French oak barrels. 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.
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