Monte Del Frà – Wines of loyalty to the land

Last month I received three wonderful Monte del Frà wines to taste. Monte del Frà is a winery located in Sommacampagna, Italy. It is a family-owned winery whose operation is centered around loyalty to the land. In this article I will tell you a little about the Monte del Frà winery and their history. In addition, I will take a closer look at the Custoza DOC and share my tasting notes on three of their wonderful Custoza wines.

How it all began – from monastery to winery

The Monte del Frà winery is located in Italy on the east side of Lake Garda, about 15 km from Verona. Here, in 1492, friars of Santa Maria Della Scala originally founded the farm as a monastery. In addition to wine, they also grew other food. In 1958, Massimo Bonomo moved to the Custoza area and rented fields in the area to produce wines. Together with the family, they ran a typical Venetian wine shop, Frasca. In addition to wine, they grew peaches, strawberries and wheat.

A big change happened in 1988, when Massimo’s sons Eligio and Claudio decided to revolutionize the family business, focusing only on wine. This is how the Monte Del Frà winery was born. Today, Monte de Frà owns around 200 hectares of cultivated land in the areas of Custoza, Valpolicella Classica, Lugana and Bardolino. The third generation is represented by Marica, Silvia and Massimo. Striving for more sustainable farming and respecting the land and the environment, as well as loyalty to the land, are the core of Monte del Frà’s operations.

Sustainability at the Monte del Frà winery – the red thread of the operation

Sustainability runs through Monte del Frà’s operations as a red thread from the vineyards to the cellar. For Monte del Frà, the preservation of biodiversity is important. The soil is cultivated by hand and weeds are controlled by weeding to avoid the use of pesticides. Monte del Frà has a photovoltaic system installed, whose solar panels generate electricity. Other measures for sustainability include taking locality into account, both in terms of employees and raw materials. In addition, they have invested in, among other things, recycling and lighter glass for wine in packaging.

The winery is currently undergoing a basic improvement and expansion project, the goal of which is to maximize the sustainability of production.

Custoza – where it all started

It was in the Custoza area that the winery was once born. The climate of the Custoza DOC area is Mediterranean and temperate. Lake Garda affects Custoza’s climate, for example by drying the rains. The slopes typical of the area provide the area with warmth and, on the other hand, coolness at night. The temperature differences between day and night offer grapes an excellent growing climate.

Custoza DOC is a white wine region and principles grape varieties are: Garganega, Friulano, Cortese (Bianca Fernanda) and Trebbiano. Most of the wine produced in the region is entry-level Custoza, but a small portion is also produced as Superiore. Superiore is made from grapes that grow in the best areas, are the oldest and come from the lowest-producing vineyards. According to the Custoza Superiore DOC production rule, the wine must be aged for at least five months from November 1 of the harvest year. Custoza Spumante and Custoza Passito wine are also produced.

I got to taste three Monte del Frà – Custoza wines: Custoza DOC, Cà Del Magro Custoza Superiore DOC, and Bonomo Sexacinta Custoza Superiore. Next, more information about these three wines and my tasting notes.

Custoza DOC 2023 is made from Garganega, Trebbiano Toscano and Cortese grapes. The vineyards are located in the municipality of Sommacampagna, which is southeast of Lake Garda. The soil is limestone, clay, gravel and sand. Harvesting starts at the beginning of September. The grapes are gently pressed and undergo an earlier cold maceration period. Fermentation in steel tanks.

The color of the wine is clear and pale yellow. The scent is youthful, fresh and fruity. In addition, the scent has stone fruits such as peach and apricot, flowery, lemon and also a little tropical fruit. The wine is dry, medium acidity, youthful and medium-bodied. In addition, the taste has lemon, stone fruit and minerality as well. A youthful wine, but with a rich and varied palette of flavors. A versatile food wine with, for example, risotto and hearty salads. Serve the wine at 10-12 degrees

Cà Del Magro Custoza Superiore 2021 is made from Garganega, Trebbiano Toscano, Cortese and Incrocio Manzoni grapes. Cà del Magro is Monte del Fra’s most famous Custoza wine. The grapes are hand-picked from over 30-year-old vineyards. The vineyards are located in the municipality of Sommacampagna, which is located southeast of Lake Garda. The soil is calcareous and clay. Harvesting begins in the first week of September. The grapes are pressed gently and they also go through a cold soaking period. The wine ferments in cement tanks on the lees. The wine matures in the bottle for at least six months.

The color of the wine is clear, medium yellow. The aroma is medium intense and also has lemon, yellow apple, pear, stone fruit (peach), ginger, white pepper and floral notes. The taste is dry, medium acidity and balanced. The wine is medium-bodied. In addition, the taste has yellow apple, lemon, spiciness and honey. Very long finish. Excellent already, but the wine also has good aging potential. Serve with creamy pasta or, for example, asian cuisine. Serve at a temperature of 12-14 degrees.

Bonomo Sexaginta Custoza Superiore DOC 2020 is made from Garganega, Cortese and Trebbiano Toscano grapes. The vineyards are located 100/150 meters above sea level in the municipality of Sommacampagna, southeast of Lake Garda. The soil is calcareous clay and gravel. Harvesting from the beginning of September. After gently destemming the grapes are crushed. The pressed juice is first decanted in steel tanks and then transferred to French oak barrels. The wine also receives malolactic treatment. The entire fermentation process takes more than 12 months.

The color is clear and light golden yellow. The aroma is moderately intense and the wine is slightly developed. The complex aroma has floral, honey, stone fruit (apricot and peach) and dried apricot and nut. The taste is dry, medium acidity and mineral. In addition, the taste has citrus, peach, apricot and a little butter and honey. Complex and rich wine, very long and lingering aftertaste. Excellent now, but the wine also has good aging potential. A gastronomic wine that also goes well with strong flavors. Serve, for example, with grilled food, Mexican food or strong cheeses. Serve the wine at a temperature of 10-12 degrees.

Monte Del Fra’s motto is loyalty to the land, which you can clearly sense more than well in their wonderful Custoza wines.

Wine gifted Monte del Frà winery

Pictures: Studio Cru/ Monte del Frà, Wine For You

Sources: Monte del Frà, Italian Wine Central