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An Italian trio makes a tasty splash

I have lately become a big fan of Italian whites. Take for example, the Monte Del Frà 2016 Ca Del Magro Custoza Superiore ($21.99 on sale until April 27th) from the northern Italian village of Custoza near Verona.
Monte del Fra
This week, Eric recommends all three Monte Del Frà wines. Photo: Eric Hanson

I have lately become a big fan of Italian whites. Take for example, the Monte Del Frà 2016 Ca Del Magro Custoza Superiore ($21.99 on sale until April 27th) from the northern Italian village of Custoza near Verona.

Monte Del Frà means Hill of the Monks and this wine is indeed heavenly. Made from seven white grapes, with almost half of it being Garganega, the main ingredient in Soave wine. It also contains Trebbiano Toscano, Riesling, Chardonnay, Malvasia and other indigenous grapes.

Aging in stainless steel preserves the perfumes of the Garganega as well as Malvasia, Riesling, and some of the other varieties. While Garganega gives this wine its charm, other varieties such as Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia are important for acidity, which assures aging potential.

Only 2% of Custozas are Superiores like today’s wine, which is made from the grapes of the best-positioned, oldest, lowest-yielding vineyards. As a result, the wine is delicious and an excellent buy.

With a golden colour, the wine’s aroma displays lemon and ripe golden delicious apples. On the palate expect lots of complexity due to the seven grape varieties in the blend: ripe pears, apples followed by a dry pineapple finish and lots of mouth watering fresh acidity.

The Monte Del Frà is a charming wine meant for alfresco enjoyment, sipping it on the patio and enjoying it with barbecued sausages and pasta.

From the same family owned winery comes the Monte Del Frà 2017 Bardolino ($17.99).  In many ways it has several similarities to the Magro Custoza Superiore. Both are named after a village or location.

And both Custoza and Bardolino are produced from a blend of grapes, but with Bardolino, they’re red grapes: Corvina, Rondinella,(most famously used in the production of Amarone) and a small percentage of Sangiovese. Both wines are produced on estate vineyards near Shakespeare’s Verona in northern Italy. Most importantly,  both represent good value for their price.

Monte Del Frà Bardolino is a medium light red with a bouquet revealing scents of pomegranate, cherry, plum, black currant, boysenberry, and violets.

In the mouth, enjoy the tart and ripe fruit, plums and raspberries, with a hint of spice, smoke and pepper. Think of it like French Beaujolais, with the freshness of fruit but with Italian smells and flavours. Wonderful with Steveston Pizza’s excellent Italian Pizza.

I also recommend the Bardolino’s sister rosé: the Monte Del Frà 2017 Bardolino Chiaretto ($14.97 on sale until April 27th). This is a great opportunity to try the pair side by side to see the effect of using the same red grapes but limiting the amount of time of skin contact.

As a result of less time on the skins, the wine displays a delicate cherry blossom colour. Chiaretto means “a lighter shade of pale”. And it’s full of delicious fresh scents and flavours of flowers, cherries, strawberries and white pepper on a bright tangy palate.

Its youthful acidity is ideal as an aperitivo and can be enjoyed with bruschetta, caprese salad, or melon and prosciutto.

Eric Hanson is a Richmond wine educator and journalist