Custoza
🇮🇹 Italy
DOCDOC 1971 - Bianco di Custoza white blend, Lake Garda region, 13M bottles annually, 1,400ha, 95 winemakers, international recognition
Region profile
History
DOC status granted 1971 recognizing Bianco di Custoza white blend quality. 1,400 hectares cultivated across Verona province between city and Lake Garda. Multi-grape white blend became regional identity. 95 winemakers developed production (50% cooperatives, 35% local producers). Consorzio Tutela Vino Custoza DOC formed, representing 90% of denomination. 13 million bottles produced annually. International recognition efforts began with sommelier/journalist/buyer tours to region. Decanter featured as "enchanting emerging region between Verona and Lake Garda". Growing acclaim from wine professionals. Lake Garda Wines five-consortium partnership (Bardolino, Custoza, Garda, Lugana, Valtènesi) promotes shared tourism. White blend complexity defines terroir.
- Climate
- Continental climate; Verona province; Lake Garda region between Verona + Lake Garda; 1,400 hectares vineyards; morainic hills; lake microclimate moderation; well-drained soils
- Signature wines
- Custoza DOC / Bianco di Custoza DOC (multi-grape white blend, Garganega/Trebbiano/others, dry fresh mineral, Lake Garda terroir, 13M bottles); Custoza Superiore (aged); Passito (sweet dried-grape)
- What sets it apart
- DOC 1971 (53 years); multi-grape white blend defines regional identity (Garganega/Trebbiano/Cortese/Malvasia/Riesling Italico/others); 13 million bottles annually; 1,400 hectares; 95 winemakers (90% consortium); 50% cooperatives; Lake Garda wine tourism; Decanter "enchanting emerging region"; international sommelier tours; growing recognition; regional pride; food-friendly complexity
Facts
- 13 million bottles produced annually
- DOC 1971 (53 years history)
- 1,400 hectares vineyards
- 95 winemakers (90% consortium representation)
- 50% cooperative wineries, 35% local producers
- Consorzio Tutela Vino Custoza DOC represents 90% denomination
- international sommelier/journalist tours
- Decanter "enchanting emerging region"
- growing international recognition
- Lake Garda wine tourism
- regional pride white blend
- multi-grape complexity
Region profile from the Wine Memories wine-data corpus · verified January 2026