The Veneto region boasts many wonderful wines from world-class vineyards with historic names. Some of the most famous come from around Lake Garda, Italy's largest lake and home to the northernmost Mediterranean climate in Europe. It is here that you will find names such as Bardolino, Custoza, Lugana and others. East of Lake Garda, in the province of Verona, is Valpolicella country, home to two of Italy's most iconic red wine styles - Ripasso and Amarone. One winery at the forefront of winemaking in the area is Monte del Frà. Based in Sommacampagna, it lies in the heart of Custoza DOC, south-east of Lake Garda and 15km from Verona.
Surrounded by vineyards and the morainic hills of Lake Garda, Monte del Frà, meaning Friars' Mountain, was founded as a monastery in 1492. The friars cultivated crops they needed, including corn for bread and grapes for wine, on these ancient hills formed by the accumulation of glacial deposits. Surviving different owners over many years, in 1958 it was finally taken over by Massimo Bonomo in 1958 and, following his death, by his descendants.
Monte del Frà has a large network of vineyards, with 137 properties and 68 leased hectares. The winery now owns vineyards in all the main denominations of Verona - Valpolicella Classica, Lugana, Soave and Bardolino - but continues to maintain a strong link with its Custoza roots. Indeed, the majority of wine production, as well as the wood-aging of most of its Valpolicella wines, are still based in the historic headquarters in Sommacampagna.
With vineyards planted, where possible, at the top of the hills, cool breezes help the vines benefit from a large diurnal range, maintaining the quality of the grapes. Many of the vines are over 50 or 60 years old, which adds depth and character to the wines.
Third generation family member and co-owner, Marica Bonomo, attributes the minerality in the wines to the white stone-rich soils. "We try to represent our land in a glass of wine", she says, "carrying on the vision from one generation to another. The passion and love we have for our land gives us a huge portfolio of different vineyards. These represent not just the different appellations of Verona, but also the identity, character and vision of my father in having a specific focus on the vineyards."
Monte Del Frà takes sustainability and environmental initiatives very seriously. They utilise drip irrigation, saving over 70% of water compared to traditional irrigation and avoid pesticides, using natural pheromones to confuse male grapevine moths, thus protecting the vines. The winery has recently obtained SQNPI (National Quality System of Integrated Production) and RRR (Sustainable Production Protocol) certifications. Additionally, they only use recycled paper for their packaging. "We like to be sustainable in every part of our operation", says Marica.
Marica Bonomo
The winery aims to become completely green with a renovation project starting this year and due to be completed by 2028. "It will become the eyes through which we can see our land", says Marica. Improvements will include a photovoltaic system to produce 100% of their electricity, a water recycling machine and a new garden containing flowers, trees and traditional fruit and herbs typical of the region and culture. Other facilities will also be improved with more space for warehousing, a new cellar for micro-vinification and a larger tasting room.
Monte del Frà produces around 1.5 million bottles every year, with 60% exported. About 300,000 bottles of Custoza DOC are produced, 80,000 of which are the flagship Cà Del Magro Custoza Superiore DOC. This wine has been awarded Tre Bicchieri by Gambero Rosso for 12 years and was also in Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2022.
Recently Marica led a tasting of five of the wines, as detailed below:-
Terroir: Vineyard located in the Municipality of Sommacampagna, southeast of Lake Garda, at 100-150 metres altitude on limestone, clay, gravel and sandy soils.
Grapes: Blend of Garganega (40-45%), Cortese (30-35%), Trebbianello and Trebbiano (approx. 20%)
Appearance: Straw yellow.
Nose: Gently aromatic with notes of nectarine and apricot, white blossom, citrus and tropical fruit.
Palate: Fresh and vibrant with notes of ripe, juicy tropical fruit, Pink Lady apple and a touch of tangy, bittersweet grapefruit and orange. There is moreish, mouth-watering acidity, but this is tempered by a softening touch of lemon balm.
Food pairings: Very versatile with many dishes, including lemon chicken, chicken or veal in a cream sauce, fried fish goujons, spaghetti alle vongole, feta cheese or avocado salads.
ABV: 12.5%.
RRP: £14.
Terroir: Vineyards, over 30 years old, are located in the Municipality of Sommacampagna, southeast of Lake Garda, at 100-150 meters altitude on calcareous and clay soils.
Grapes: Garganega, Trebbiano Toscano, Cortese, Incrocio Manzoni.
Appearance: Bright pale gold.
Nose: Aromatic and floral with notes of white and cherry blossom, comice pear and papaya with hints of ginger root and tea leaves.
Palate: Beautifully rounded and dry with an explosion of juicy fruit flavours of pear and tropical fruit, a hint of apricot plus a gentle earthy/savoury edge and a long, yet delicate, salty, mineral finish.
Food pairings: Another versatile wine, this will grace many meals. Try it with roast salmon, herb-crusted chicken, lentil bakes or pizza. It could probably go with roast beef and it will certainly stand up to Asian spices too.
Although ready to drink now, this wine has excellent potential for cellaring, becoming more complex with bottle age. It's a heavy bottle though, but Monte del Frà is in the process of reducing its glass usage. By 2024, the winery intends to use lighter bottles for its entire production, designed, of course, with Italian flare!
ABV: 13%.
RRP: £19.
Terroir: Vineyard located in the Municipality of Sommacampagna, southeast of Lake Garda, at 100-150 metres altitude on calcareous, clay, gravel and sandy soils.
Grapes: Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara.
Appearance: Pale pink.
Nose: Notes of Macedonia fruit salad with red cherry, strawberry, honeydew melon and stone fruit to the fore, along with gentle spring flowers and a hint of wild thyme.
Palate: Delicate, refined notes of strawberry, red cherry, red pear, balanced by soft acidity with a touch of salinity and a mineral edge lingering on the finish.
Food pairings: Another very versatile wine that would pair well with many dishes, including grilled halloumi, pizza, cold cuts, Niçoise salad and salmon.
ABV: 12.5%.
RRP: £14.
Terroir: Vineyard located in the Municipality of Sommacampagna, southeast of Lake Garda, at 100-150 metres altitude on calcareous, clay, gravel and sandy soils.
Grapes: Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara (12 hours contact with skins).
Appearance: Vibrant ruby red colour.
Nose: Cinnamon, mace, cloves, cherry, cranberry, touch of strawberry and a hint of Szechuan pepper.
Palate: Light-to-medium bodied, this has notes of red cherry, strawberry and mixed spice with touches of coffee, cedarwood and earthiness, all balanced by fresh acidity and delicate tannins.
Food pairings: A delightfully fresh and fruity red wine that can be served chilled and enjoyed on a warm summer's day on its own or with beef casserole, lentil dishes, pizza, salami-based starters, crispy calamari and many aperitifs.
ABV: 12.5%.
RRP: £14.
Terroir: Vineyards, managed by the family, in the Valpolicella Classica area, at 250-450 metres altitude on tuffaceous (light porous rock made of compacted volcanic ash), clay and calcareous soils. The wine has spent over 20 months ageing in big French barrels.
Grapes: 60% Corvina, 20% Corvinone, 20% Rondinella.
Appearance: Garnet red.
Nose: Notes of raspberry, prune, fine leather, milk chocolate and roasted coffee beans with hints of burnt sugar, cinnamon and light soy sauce.
Palate: Notes of bramble fruit and dark roast coffee with a softening edge of vanilla/milk chocolate pudding and crème caramel, touches of rum-soaked raisins, black pepper, cinnamon and pomegranate plus a long, umami-rich finish. This medium-to-full-bodied Ripasso is dry (4g of residual sugar), while good acidity and fine tannins lend elegance.
Food pairings: Venison, spicy dishes with Nduja sausage or lentils, beef brisket, roast beef, aged Gruyère cheese and other flavour-packed, richer styles of food. Otherwise, take your time and savour this wine on its own!
While very drinkable now, it should age beautifully over the next 20 years with the acidity becoming gentler and the spice becoming more defined and complex.
ABV: 14%.
RRP: £20.
Monte Del Frà wines are known for their elegant expressions and this selection of only five of them demonstrates this perfectly. You can find the wines at various retail stockists in the UK, including R&H Fine Wines, Booths, Field & Fawcett Wine Merchant, Wine Direct (Sussex), Michael Sutton's Cellar, Chapel Street Wines, Bay Tree Wine Co., Divine Fine Wines, Noel Young Wines and others.
