Winemaker Notes
The Ca’ dei Frati company has been renowned since 1782, as confirmed by a document that refers to "a house with a cellar located in Lugana in the Sermion district known as the place of the Friars”. In 1939, Felice Dal Cero, son of Domenico, formerly a wine grower in Montecchia di Crosara near Verona, moved to that very house in Lugana di Sirmione, immediately realising the area’s potential for vine cultivation. After thirty years working in the vineyard and the cellar, his son Pietro took part in the creation of the DOC in 1969, bottling his first wine with the label Lugana Casa dei Frati, later named Ca’ dei Frati. In 2012, Pietro Dal Cero passed away, leaving the cultural legacy to his wife Santa Rosa and children Igino, Gian Franco and Anna Maria, who run the company with the same passion and determination.The grapes of every vineyard are vinified separately in order to gain a clearer vision of the expressions of the "terroir". The processes take place with the utmost respect for the raw material through an innovative technique refined over the years that enables us to obtain full-bodied wines with great longevity. The bond and the continuous collaboration with Gino Veronelli has helped to create and plan their wines over time.
Containing an exciting mix of wine producing subregions, Lombardy is Italy’s largest in size and population. Good quality Pinot noir, Bonarda and Barbera have elevated the reputation of the plains of Oltrepò Pavese. To its northeast in the Alps, Valtellina is the source of Italy’s best Nebbiolo wines outside of Piedmont. Often missed in the shadow of Prosecco, Franciacorta produces collectively Italy’s best Champagne style wines, and for the fun and less serious bubbly, find Lambrusco Mantovano around the city of Mantua. Lugana, a dry white with a devoted following, is produced to the southwest of Lake Garda.
One of central Italy’s classic white grapes, Verdicchio thrives in two distinct zones of the Marche. The best vineyards of Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi adorn hillsides a mere 20 miles from the Adriatic Sea. The vineyards of the smaller, more inland Verdicchio di Matelica, are at higher elevation. Somm Secret—Recent genetic discoveries have proven that the Verdicchio grape is identical to Trebbiano di Soave, Trebbiano di Lugana and Trebbiano Veltenesi.