Explore the Best Wineries in Custoza

Just getting started on your wine journey, or jumping back in?
Taste through a selection of a great local wines.

Custoza white wine stands out for its youth, delicate flavor, and light scent. It is made in Italy's Veneto region, which includes the towns of Villafranca di Verona, Somma campagna, Valeggio sul Mincio, Peschiera del Garda, Castelnuovo del Garda, Pastrengo, Sona, and Bussolengo and encompasses the morainic amphitheater of Lake Garda (Garda Wines and the Best Food Pairings: Boffenigo Hotel 2021). Given the large overlap in the two DOCs' production regions, the wine could be regarded as the red Bardolino of the white world. There are four separate categories of Custoza wine: Custoza, Custoza Superiore, Custoza Spumante, and Custoza Passito.

Check out the best tasting and tours at Custoza

Where is the Custoza wine appellation?

The Veneto area in northeastern Italy produces the white DOC wine known as Bianco di Custoza (or just Custoza). Although not very big, the Custoza wine production region takes up most of the southern portion of the morainic hill range that runs between Verona and Lake Garda (Do Custoza wines age well in 2018). The Custoza region encompasses the areas once occupied by the towns of Sommacampagna, Villafranca di Verona, Valeggio sul Mincio, Peschiera del Garda, Lazise, Castelnuovo del Garda, Pastrengo, Bussolengo, and Sona.

History of Custoza wine appellation

The pile-dwelling period in the Pacengo region of Peschiera is when the domestication of vines in the Custoza DOC area is first known. The Civic Museum of Natural History in Verona is home to bread, wheat, barley, grapevine, fig, and other plant remains that were discovered with the plant remains. A portion of the municipality of Sommacampagna, famed for two battles fought there during the wars of the Italian Risorgimento, is referred to as Custoza when discussing the region's wine production in the second half of the nineteenth century. The Custoza wine received the DOC-regulated designation of origin on February 8, 1971, and the Consortium for the Protection of White Custoza wine was established the following year.

Ideal Terroir of the Custoza wine appellation

The Custoza DOC region has a predominantly Mediterranean and temperate climate. It enjoys moderately cold winters and hot summers that aren't overly hot. The surrounding Lake Garda softens this a little. These circumstances produce a good environment for the production of vines. The elevation of the land and the chilly, nighttime air create the ideal growing conditions for grapes. White fruit, crunchy yellow notes, and citrus notes are particularly enhanced by this climate. Garda moraines were created by soil deposits from the Paleogene's end when there were several ice ages. The mountains that surround the Benaco are made up of debris that came down from the mountains and was carried by the glacier's melting waters. These waters, which are rich in minerals and carbonates, give the wine its distinctive and much-desired saline note.

Grapes Varietals of Custoza wine appellation

Garganega, Trebbianello, Bianca Fernanda, Malvasia Toscana, Riesling Italico, Sauvignon, Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay, and Cross Manzoni are some of the white-fruit grapes planted in the Custoza region. Ancient Greek vines known as Garganega were brought to Sicily and given the name Grecanico d'Or. It can produce dry, sweet, still, and sparkling wines and is quite adaptable to various soil types and winemaking processes. A vine called Trebbianello, also referred to as Tocai Friulano or Tocai Italico, proclaims at least two centuries of Italian heritage. Although the exact origin of the Cortese vine, also known as Bianca Fernanda in the Custoza region, is unknown, it is thought to have originated in the provinces of Alessandria, Novara, and Tortonese.

Types of Custoza Wines

Custoza DOC

Custoza DOC is a very light and approachable wine (Planas, 2020). Straw yellow with occasionally greenish tints characterizes the color. It has a medium body, a balanced flavor, and lingering almond and faintly grassy aromas on the palate. The minimal overall alcohol concentration is 11 degrees, while 12 degrees Celsius is the suggested serving temperature.

The Custoza Superiore DOC

It is made from grapes that were chosen from a late harvest on a vine that produces less than Custoza. The production discipline mandates that a minimum natural alcoholic strength of 11 degrees be maintained in the grapes intended for vinification. It is a strong, powerful white that has a full body and can age well. It seems straw-colored at first glance, with hints of golden yellow, and has a lovely aroma with notes of ripe fruit and subtle fragrant notes.

Bianco di Custoza Spumante DOC

The Brut, Extra Brut, and Extra Dry varieties of the Custoza Spumante DOC wine are produced using the sparkling method. It can be made using the Charmat method or, if refermented in the bottle, the Classic method. The flavor is fresh, soft, and acidic with a delicate and floral scent.

Custoza Passito DOC wine

The Custoza Passito DOC wine is a type of wine made using the traditional oenological method of drying. The Custoza Passito DOC wine has a strong, fruity scent and is amber in color. On the palate, it is smooth and velvety, with a flavor that leans heavily toward honey and dried fruit.

Custoza wine appellation and Food Pairing 

The Custoza happily combines both modern and traditional cuisine. It pairs nicely with a variety of meals due to its adaptability;

Monte Veronese

Monte Veronese is a semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk that is traditionally manufactured in the province of Verona, in the Veneto region of northern Italy. Custoza wines' full-bodied or even fortified wines go nicely with it.

Sea combinations

Although it may be paired with many other foods, custoza wine is typically served with fish. The best pairings include raw prawns, tuna or swordfish carpaccio, octopus, and baby octopus, but pasta and risotto topped with fish sauce also work nicely.

Pairings of the territory

Some of the dishes that go well with Custoza wines include fried aole, rigatoni from Valeggio, gnocchi from Lessinia, risotto with asparagus from Rivoli, or Bisi, and lake fish like whitefish, trout, eel, sardines, pike, tench, and carp.

Interesting Places to Visit at Custoza wine appellation

Ossuary of Custoza

On the town's tallest hill is where you'll find the Custoza ossuary. It holds the remains of those who died in the First and Third Wars of Independence, which took place in 1848 and 1866, respectively. A tiny museum in the upper portion houses some items from the two conflicts, while the crypt and shrine are located at the base.

Valeggio sul Mincio and the Sigurtà Park

The small village of Valeggio Sul Mincio is encircled by hills and vineyards (Garda Wines and the Best Food Pairings: Boffenigo Hotel 2021), has a charming historical district, and an impressive Scaligero fortress. It's also worthwhile to stop at the Maffei Count's summer home, the Villa Maffei Sigurtà. The magnificent Sigurtà Garden Park, accessible from March to November, is also close by.

Borghetto Sul Mincio

Built-in 1400, this tiny medieval community relied on the husking of rice and the grinding of wheat for its wealth. Borghetto nonetheless retains its charm today amidst centuries-old mills, Ghibelline battlements, and waterfalls created by the Mincio river, all of which contribute to a setting that can transport you back in time.

What is Bianco di Custoza wine?

The Veneto area in northeastern Italy produces the white DOC wine known as Bianco di Custoza.

Where is Custoza?

The small community of Custoza is in the southwest portion of its municipality, close to the Tione Dei Monti River, Valeggio Sul Mincio, and Villafranca di Verona (6 km to the south and 7 km to the west, accordingly).

What grape varieties dominate Custoza?

Some of the white-fruit grapes grown in the Custoza region include Garganega, Trebbianello, Bianca Fernanda, Malvasia Toscana, Riesling Italico, Sauvignon, Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay, and Cross Manzoni.

Is Custoza a DOC?

Custoza is a DOC wine made in the province of Verona in the Veneto region of Italy. The Custoza wine received the DOC-regulated indication of origin on February 8, 1971.

Map of Wineries in Custoza

Discover the locations of wineries in Custoza

Explore the Best
Experiences in Custoza

Just getting started on your wine journey, or jumping back in?
Taste through a selection of a great local wines.

Wineries in Custoza