Having visited the area for nearly two decades, I have witnessed Custoza begin to stir from a period of stagnation. In the mid to late noughties, most Custoza arriving in the UK was exported by the the large co-operative and a handful of big bottlers.
Nevertheless, the area was home to a thriving community of small wineries producing artisan wines that were consumed within Italy. As we’ll see below, there is still plenty to be excited about. The commercial success of some of Custoza’s neighbouring appellations only supports that notion. More recently, I was present for the 50th anniversary celebrations of the DOC, taking in a small vertical of Monte del Fra’s excellent Ca del Magro. It demonstrated just how well these wines can age.
Custoza DOC is one of Italy's most respected, if yet to be fully known, white wine regions
Of course, I’m unencumbered by the responsibility of having to sell them, and can admire them in isolation with a disproportionately geeky view of terroir and their place within the world of Italian wine.
Perhaps the most exciting thing about this mini excursion to Northern Italy, therefore, was the panel’s lack of experience with Custoza. It would prove to be a clean slate, free of preconception or prejudice, and a chance to see how those without any loyalty to the region would rate Custoza’s chances of success in a very competitive industry, and without a London venue represented.
What you need to know
Custoza sits on the south-eastern rim of Lake Garda, in the morainic amphitheatre of rolling glacial hills between Verona and the Mincio river. The DOC covers nine municipalities, many of which are worth visiting: Sommacampagna, Villafranca di Verona, Valeggio sul Mincio, Peschiera del Garda, Lazise, Castelnuovo del Garda, Pastrengo, Bussolengo and Sona, across roughly 1,400 hectares of vines.
Calcareous, gravelly and sandy soils (with plenty of stones rounded by glacial drag) and Garda’s tempering breezes shape the area’s hallmark freshness and saline sapidity.
Although white wines have been made here for centuries, Custoza gained DOC status in 1971; the producers’ consortium followed in 1972. In 2022 the rules were amended to phase out the older “Bianco di Custoza” wording on labels, streamlining its identity to simply “Custoza”. Today the consortium represents around 90% of the denomination, coordinating promotion, technical training and sustainability work.
Custoza DOC must be a blend of local varieties. Mono-variety wines are not permitted. Regulations require the core to be made up of three (a minimum of 70%) from Garganega, Trebbianello (a local Tocai Friulano biotype), Bianca Fernanda (local Cortese clone), and Trebbiano. None may amount to more than 45%. Up to 30% may be completed with Malvasia, Riesling Italico, Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay, and Incrocio Manzoni.
Historically, vineyards were trained on the pergola system and some are still used. They were later supplanted by various trellising methods and this continues to be the prevailing method. Emergency irrigation is permitted under the regulations and used occasionally in dry periods.
Though relatively compact geographically, Custoza is meaningful in scale, producing around 11 million bottles annually (with some vintage variation), not far off Gavi and Verdichio dei Castelli di Jesi. Yields are capped at roughly 130 q/ha for Custoza and 120 q/ha for Superiore.
Expect light-to-medium-bodied whites driven by citrus, orchard fruit and gentle florals, often with a faint herbal or almond twist and a bright line of acidity, thanks in part to the lake’s cooling influence. The calcareous, stony soils frequently provide a subtle saline/mineral tension, while well-made examples can develop attractive spice and nuttiness with a few years in bottle. Friulano especially can impart an intriguing smoky character.
Custoza DOC categories
- Custoza (DOC): fresh style, minimum alcohol typically 11.0%. Designed for early enjoyment but not without character, these are fresh wines with a minimum of 11% alcohol. It covers 85% of the production.
- Custoza DOC Superiore: stricter yields and a higher minimum alcohol of 12.5% ensure a step up in structure and ripeness. Top wines should age well for five to eight years.
- Custoza DOC Riserva: introduced more recently to underline age-worthy selections. Producers typically use the denomination’s best fruit and longer maturation to add depth and complexity. Most expressions utilise oak in some way, but the rules state a minimum of 12 months ageing before release.
- Theoretically, sparkling wines are also permitted, although most producer making bubbles here will use Italy’s “VSQ” (Vino Spumante di Qualità) category on the labelling, meaning consumers are unlikely to notice it’s from Custoza. Production is very small.
- Passito can also made, but again, it’s a lot of admin to register this within the DOC, and for the tiny volumes producers have, they’re more likely to label it as table wine or an IGT.
Many producers talk of Custoza’s identity coming from the terroir. The morainic clay, gravel and sand do indeed give a gentle sapidity to the wine, but the combination of grapes used is critical. The mix of indigenous varieties gives flexibility, and usually ensures balance even in tricky years.
Garganega brings backbone and structure, Trebbianello gives lots of fresh acidity, Trebbiano can support the mid-palate, Bianca Fernanda adds fragrant perfumes. Some producers will also introduce Malvasia or Incrocio Manzoni for more exotic notes. With sensible yields and an increasingly skilled grower base, these wines can deliver modest longevity without losing their approachability and food-friendly charm.
The panel
The Buyer was invited to recruit a panel of leading buyers, sommeliers and wine merchants to experience the Custoza DOC region for themselves. They included:
The Buyer was able to invite leading buyers, merchants and sommelier to discover Custoza DOC for themselves
- Paul Caputo, writer & critic, Vinorandum, Forbes, Decanter, The Buyer.
- Stuart Skea, head sommelier, Lyla restaurant, Edinburgh.
- Laurence Parry, sales, The Whalley Wine Shop, Whalley, Lancashire.
- Tom Shelbourn, northern account manager, Milestone Wines, Manchester.
- Will Clarke, sommelier, The Pig Hotel and now trainee store manager, Majestic Wine.
- Mairi Ogilvie, sales, Smith & Gertrude, Edinburgh.
It was somewhat refreshing to be able to take a trip of such respected figures to a region few had any experience of. Laurence Parry conceded he had to look the region up “when I was asked to go”.
Award-winning, Edinburgh-based sommelier, Stuart Skea said “in all honesty, it’s a wine I had not tasted, or actually heard of, prior to being invited on this trip”.
Will Clarke added: “Regrettably, I actually didn’t have any prior knowledge of the Custoza DOC before arriving, only Bardolino wines.”
“My knowledge of it was limited” agreed Mairi Ogilvie. “A fleeting reference came from family friends who visit the Lake Garda area on holiday. They were aware of Custoza which was more and more visible on bottle labels in local shops and restaurants.”
Tom Shelbourn said “prior to the trip my knowledge of Custoza DOC was limited to maybe a couple of bottles tried in passing. I believed them to be well made wines of middling quality.”
On experiencing what Custoza DOC has to offer we asked our panel to share their views across a number of themes.
How would you describe the wines to your customers?
Tom Shelbourn: “Stylistically I would describe the wines of Custoza DOC as easy going yet elegant wines with a refreshing touch of minerality and salinity on the finish. The Superiore wines exhibited these qualities but with a fuller body and aromatic intensity. For me, the Riserva category is still finding its feet stylistically.”
Stuart Skea: They are floral, fresh, herbaceous, and easy drinking but with a mineral edge.”
Laurence Parry: “If the blend contains Cortese, then it is easy. It's like a Gavi, but with more acidity and savouriness. A good food wine but very drinkable by itself. If it's a wine without any Cortese, it's a bit of a Wild West.”
Will Clarke says excited to see how much potential there is in Custoza DOC
Will Clarke: “The overall style for me, was textbook crisp and clean white winemaking. If more people knew about them, these wines could compete with the likes of Pinot Grigio as new entry level Italian whites in terms of style and price point.”
Mairi Ogilvie: “Versatile - fresh, lightly floral with lovely salinity and good acidity. The Custoza DOC remains straight-forward and easy drinking (at best) while the Custoza DOC Superiore has potential to punch above its weight. The wines can be rounded and elegant - definitely more serious 'food wines’.”
Your overall impression on the quality of the wines?
Stuart Skea: “The standard overall was high, with some really excellent examples. I was pleasantly surprised, especially by the Superiore wines, which delivered quality, complexity and easy drinking freshness.”
Tom Shelbourn: “The overall quality of the wines we tasted was consistently good, with very few examples failing to deliver. On the flip side, only a few wines really stood out as being better than the rest and these were primarily found in the Superiore category.”
Will Clarke: “I’d say the overall quality of wines we tasted was 8/10. For my personal taste preferences, these are exactly the style of wines I like to drink and I can fully understand the appeal of them to a lot of customers I have dealt with professionally.”
Laurence Parry: “None of the wines were poor; only a couple were standout. Best description would be solid 6-7 out of 10. You're unlikely to be wowed; you're very unlikely to be disappointed. The Superiore wines were a level up, whereas the Riservas didn't offer that much more.”
Mairi Ogilvie: “I actually felt the quality varied greatly, with some of the entry level Custoza DOC remaining on the simple side of simple. Some did 'exactly what it says on the tin' - which is light, fruity, easy-drinking, with great acidity. No thinking required. The Custoza Superiore DOC wines ranged from good to excellent and there are undoubtedly some impressive wines within this category.”
What did you think of the grapes being used?
The group at Tenuta La Press
Tom Shelbourn: “The rules of the DOC regarding permitted varieties are slightly convoluted with the overriding idea being the terroir is of more importance than the grapes. Most producers did not put much emphasis on the makeup of their blends, which change each vintage. Interestingly the few producers who placed significant emphasis on some varieties over others, for example Cavalchina, had a more unique and consistent flavour profile than the rest.”
Stuart Skea: “Trebbianello and Garganega seem to do particularly well on the Morainic soils here, giving the wines fleshiness and aromatic complexity.”
Laurence Parry: “It’s a cliché to say we're between Soave and Gavi, but clichés are clichés for a reason. We are both geographically and stylistically in-between with these grapes. The best showed the benefit of the blend. The Custoza wines we tried with Cortese gained in consistency, but lost a little in individuality. The thing with individuality is that you can get on with some individuals and not others.”
Will Clarke: “Garganega was a standout for me. Better quality than Soave and Soave Classico in my opinion. All indigenous grapes added so many unique elements to the wines, which I personally hadn’t experienced before.”
Mairi Ogilvie: “For those in the know, the grapes are synonymous with the wider region. Interesting to see that some winemakers had a preference for Cortese over Garganega. For the general consumer, the grapes, especially with their local names (Bianca Fernanda for example) means understanding the blend may be more difficult. A Semillon-Sauvignon blend or a Marsanne-Roussanne blend is common parlance and understood whereas it is likely difficult to conjure an image (or taste profile) of a Garganega-Trebianello-Bianca Fernanda.”
Do you think these wines can age?
The buyers had the chance to visit a number of Custoza DOC producers - including Monte del Fra
Tom Shelbourn: “On the trip many of the producers were keen to promote the age-worthiness of their wines and there were certainly many examples where an extra year in the bottle really brought out the best in the wine. Some examples had aged beautifully over an extended period, developing wonderfully smoky notes whilst retaining freshness. There was a fair bit of inconsistency in results here though which would lead me to say that overall the wines have the ability to age for a few years with the best five to10 years.”
Stuart Skea: “These wines are definitely worth aging. We tasted several wines from 2021, 2020, and 2019 that were showing very well and still fresh.”
Laurence Parry: “The Custoza Superiore level were definitely age worthy; but we're talking say eight years not 15.”
Will Clarke: “There is a lot of potential in this region and the surrounding areas for these wines to develop over time. Even the entry level Custoza whites, two or three years in bottle for them will completely elevate the drinking experience and express the true terroir and character of the DOC. The Superiore style wines here however, are the real show stoppers and will age for long periods - and were of course the favourites across the group on this trip. I thought the flavours and characteristics imparted from the oak and partly some cement tanks, were next level.”
Mairi Ogilvie: “Age worthiness isn't really an issue for the Custoza DOC which are to be drunk young. The Custoza Superiore wines showed great potential for ageing, but probably no more than five years.”
Strengths and opportunities: Could you sell Custoza and which wines stood out?
The stand out wine for the buyers on the trip was Custoza DOC Superiore ‘Campo del Selese’ 2019 by Albino Piona
Tom Shelbourn: “Custoza DOC Superiore ‘Campo del Selese’ 2019 by Albino Piona was the best wine for me. It exhibited a balance of all the best attributes of the region with just a touch of toasty oak (widely frowned upon elsewhere) that had allowed it to develop beautifully. Packaging was a real mixed bag with some very well designed labels and some poorer examples. Overall the style was more traditional as opposed to modern. I would sell the wines of Custoza DOC for their approachable aperitif nature but with a noticeable step up in quality as opposed to many other Italian wines in the UK market. The Superiore wines have great gastronomic potential.”
Stuart Skea: “Albino Piona’s Custoza DOC Superiore ‘Campo del Selese’ 2019 was the best. Very expressive with lots of apricot, peach, meadowsweet and chamomile, but with a distinct salinity. The best Custoza wines were very interesting, with even a short amount of bottle age delivering layers of complexity. I found a lot of grilled pineapple richness and distinct chamomile flower character across different producers. There are many possibilities for great food and wine pairing - pumpkin and squash as we move into autumn and it would sit well on a wine list for those looking for something new to discover.”
Laurence Parry: “There were two Superiore that really impressed - the ‘Campo del Selese’ 2019 from Albino Piona, and Gorgo’s ‘Summa’ 2021. Both had that little extra length that lifted it over the others. I would be very happy to drink either with say a chicken Milanese and then finish the bottle. Most of the wineries packaged the wines in a way that reflected their market positioning.”
Visiting Albino Piona
Will Clarke: “Stand out wine for me was the limited edition 2011 Vino Spumante from Albino Piona. I love sparkling wines and this for me was a real highlight, andwas refreshing to experience such quality in a new Italian sparkling that I’ve never had before - ranking this with some top top Franciacorta. Packaging was up and down for me, which I think we could all agree on. Some of the labels were really well put together, combining modern and old world - but some were rather plain and simple and needed a bit of work if they are going to stop people bythe shelf. Why would I sell it? To open people’s eyes onto these unknown styles ofsparkling wines.”
Mairi Ogilvie: “Cantina Menegotti’s Custoza DOC 2024 was very good - elegant, and not too in-your-face. The Albino Piona ‘Campo del Selese’ was also excellent. Looking back over my notes I’m determined to mention Calvachina because the overall quality of all their wines was good. Their approach stood out for me. The ‘Amedeo’ Custoza Superiore was good, and the older 2017 vintage had matured beautifully, with the tropical pineapple and mango notes shining through without loosing the brightness of the citrus notes. The current (2023) release of ‘Amedeo’Custoza Superiore had lovely layers too, with a nice balance between stone fruit, flowers and almond notes. It was very elegant and restrained. I could easily sell this as it was great value for money.”
Challenges: Where do you see room for improvement?
Tasting at Gorgo
Tom Shelbourn: “The difficulty will be in the competition they face from other well-established Italian regions. Their price is neither entry level or premium and so occupies that awkward space in between where they won’t be an ‘everyday’ wine, but might struggle to appeal to the person after a more premium bottle. That being said there is absolutely no reason the DOC can’t see the levels of popularity previously experienced by Gavi and Soave etc., as the overall quality here is good and more importantly moving in the right direction.”
Stuart Skea: “Custoza’s biggest problem is the stylistic diversity. Some producers lean toward mineral-driven, Cortese-based wines, while others favour the broader, more generous character of Garganega. The result is a region caught geographically and stylistically between Soave and Gavi, with many wines reflecting the gravitational pull of one or the other. This breadth of expression, while interesting, can obscure a clear identity for Custoza and risk leaving consumers uncertain about what to expect.”
Laurence Parry: “The wines offer a level of consistency, and based on the UK distributors’ web sites, a decent price point - but they wouldhave to be actively sold otherwise they'd just sit on a shelf. A lot of the producers had a good story, so you'd rather take one range (including their Chiaretto and Bardolino) than cherry-pick individual Custoza wines from different places. It's a complicated story to tell, and needs selling. It's a blend, so needs explaining; the location, whilst having the cache of Lake Garda, needs explaining; the wine itself (acidity and savouriness) needs explaining. That's a lot of explaining.”
Will Clarke: “Tough question for me. I think in general, there is room for improvement, but I honestly do believe Custoza and Bardolino are getting a lot right. Opting not to support these wines would come down to the fact that no one really knows about it.”
Mairi Ogilvie: “I think the only real difficulty for us would be the price. If it had to be retailed at £30 a bottle plus then it’s really competing with a lot of interesting wines from around the world.”
Caputo’s insight:
Paul Caputo has been visiting Custoza DOC for some 20 years and seen the huge changes that have taken place for himself
Custoza is in an interesting place right now, and I think this represents a great opportunity for UK merchants and hospitality businesses with the capacity to provide customers with a little bit of preamble. As producers try to improve the reputation of this wine, prices have yet to catch up with the quality in the bottle.
Boutique estates are selling their entry level wines at around €6 to €8 euros, with their age-worthy Superiore wines costing around €8 to €10. The UK tax system and margin culture means that Custoza won’t sit that cheaply on a shelf or wine list, but frankly, not much does these days. We are, after all, talking about small production wines here.
The current perception is that this is a simple wine. Straight out of the tanks, it gives clean primary fruit, perhaps a touch of herb, some salinity, and plenty of refreshing acidity. A combination of lower yields, reliable reductive winemaking, and a little more patience and care with lees ageing, has allowed a lot of similarly perceived easy-drinking Italian white wines to up their game.
Custoza is no different. Yet, behind the scenes this is not a simple wine. Three or four different varieties ripening at different times, require an individual harvest and separate vinification. Then there’s the blending to do. That’s a lot of messing about in the cellar for a wine with a firm price ceiling. Add on five months to a year in steel (sometimes cask as well) for the Superiore and you realise that producing Custoza in line with the local traditions is not a commercial shortcut.
The neighbouring white wine appellation, Lugana, produced with 100% Turbiana (the local name for Verdicchio) is flying off the shelves. It has benefited from glamorous associations with Lake Garda, and thirsty German tourism, but can claim to be no more complex than Custoza. Which, I suppose, brings us back to the thorny discussion of the blend.
While it may benefit from versatility, particularly as weather in this part of Italy becomes more unpredictable, the accusation that consumers don’t know what to expect is fair.
The rules on varietals have been constructed to give flexibility, ensuring three key local grapes are used in some way.
Taking the extreme ends of what’s possible will produce very different wines however. Trying to wow customers with the middle ground - ie. “it’s between a Soave and a Gavi” is probably not a winning strategy.
It’s a shame the global market isn’t more favourable right now, as producers would otherwise be investing more capital into the creation of Superiore wines. These really come into their own when the character of evolution softens the sharpest aspects of individual varieties. After all, in a warm vintage, Garganega and Cortes are worlds apart in profile. Around 15% of the production sits in this category, and I honestly think, represents some of the best value in Northern Italy.
Working with tourism
Paul Caputo believes there is a great opportunity to promote Custoza DOC on the back of the huge tourism to Lake Garda
From a UK perspective, tourism could and should help these wines develop a foothold. Easy access to the region is available from Milan’s airports, as well as Verona and Venice. Lake Garda is incredibly busy, and a bit of a tourist trap. But a short drive from the lake and you’re somehow off the beaten path. Vineyards are everywhere and visits to wineries still feel authentic, even if most are working cellars rather than fancy tasting rooms. With a little more domestic presence, I can’t see why British tourists can’t come back from the region with memories of Custoza being just as interesting and fun as the region’s other white wine appellations.
Provincial appellations need heroes to come out fighting and attract attention. Who had ever heard of the Colli Tortonesi before Walter Massa banged the drum for Timorasso? What about Ciliegiolo before Edoardo and Carla Benini showed what you could do (and keep doing) with it? Or indeed the Foradori family with Teroldego?
Who then should the UK trade look to for stories that will inspire drinkers to take a chance, and follow up with quality wines as well?
Caputo’s picks
Monte del Fra, which is the largest private landowner in the DOC, produces good volumes of both the entry level, and the fantastic ‘Ca’ del Magro’ Superiore.
Cantina Gorgo, run by the current Consorzio president Roberta Bricola whose forward-thinking ideas are helping to put the appellation back in the conversation, makes a very nice wine in ‘Summa’.
Cavalchina has had extended success with ‘Amadeo’ and as we saw above, Albino Piona’s Superiore ‘Campo del Selese’ was universally enjoyed.
* To find out more about the region visit the Consorzio Tutela Vino Custoza DOC website and our thanks goes to them for organising and hosting the buyers’ trip.
