Cantina di Castelnuovo Del Garda

Cantina di Castelnuovo del Garda was founded in 1958 by 12 members located in the south east area of Garda Lake, growing steadily and deliberately to more than 200 members today, representing around 1000 hectares under vine.

The estate includes the hilly area south-east of Lake Garda, and most of the vineyards lie in the controlled denomination of origin areas for Bardolino, Custoza, Lugana and Bardolino Superiore DOCG. The soil here is of moraine origin, loose and stony, and the vines are trellis or espalier trained, with a density of 3,300 up to 4,000/5,000 plants per hectare.

It manages its vineyards according to strict sustainability principles, having worked over the years to select and control its vineyards to develop their potential without compromising the health of these historic winemaking lands. Members have adopted ‘integrated pest control’ protocols, restricting and greatly reducing the use of chemical pesticides. 

Spontaneously growing grass is used in all its vineyards to create a habitat rich in biodiversity. Methods such as alternating grass cutting between rows of vines helps create an environment in which insects useful for keeping vine parasites in check can thrive. This commitment to biodiversity extends beyond the boundaries of the vineyards, with Castelnuovo’s members protecting and caring for surrounding areas including woods, wetlands and nesting areas, where many species can flourish.

Since 2012 the winery has been using the main Italian protocols regarding sustainable viticulture, and it participates in the Italian Wine Union’s Tergeo project.