Three Special Venetian Whites
10/15/26 -
Antica Torre del Roccolo
Something magical and hidden is happening in Breganze, a small wine region northeast of Amarone. When native grapes like Vespaiolo and Garganega are taken under gentle care by passionate growers, beautiful under-the radar wines are produced. This is where Chiara Bassi and Raimondo Zolin enter the story. They are the proprietors of Antica Torre del Roccolo, an estate founded in 2010 with an ancient spirit. After a chance encounter with a co-planted plot of very old vines Chiara and Raimondo found their life's work.
"Giddy from the experience of rediscovering so many lost grapes, some of which had never before been DNA-identified, Chiara and Raimondo gathered their neighbors and wine-loving friends and founded the Canevisti, a grassroots group dedicated to protecting and safeguarding the biodiverse heritage of the Breganze region." -Rosenthal Wine Merchants
Today we have the 2019 and 2020 Bianco del Roccolo- both blends of Garganega, Vespaiolo, Dorona Veneziana, Picolit, Bianchetta Trevigiana, Chardonnay, and Incrocio Manzoni. Chiara and Raimondo are aiming for true reflections of a growing seasons, so the wines are distinctly individual. While we love them both, the 2019 shows brighter green apple, great freshness, and exuberance and the 2020 is for lovers of sophisticated, toasty reduction, waxy texture, and depth. Antica Torre cleverly adds only necessary amounts of sulfur making these technically raw wines that feel simultaneously refined, perfect for your Fall table.
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Costadila
In the summer we wrote about the joyous return of Costadila to the US market, linked here. While their frothy bubbles were perfect for summer, today we highlight their 330slm Still Glera, a more autumnal and waxy white wine. The idea to craft a still Glera was conceptualized by Ernesto Cattel, the current winemaker and owner's father. His son, Arno, now at the helm, has gone beyond continuing his father's legacy and has started realizing his past ideas. What a clever move, because this wine has tropical notes like coconut and pineapple, densely grassy florals, and refreshing acidity.
-Marisa Licandro
