Ca' dei Frati 2023 Lugana Brolettino DOC 750ml

Ca' dei Frati — "House of the Friars" — takes its name from roots on the southern shore of Lake Garda dating back to 1782. The Dal Cero family moved to the property in 1939 and quickly recognized what few others in the region had: that the well-drained alluvial soil deposited by the same glacier that carved out Italy's largest lake, combined with the lake's own moderating proximity, made this an ideal place to grow serious white wine. The family played a key role in creating the Lugana DOC in the late 1960s, and today, having grown from a modest holding into the largest vineyard owner in the entire denomination, they remain — by wide consensus — the finest producer working in Lugana.

Brolettino is their single-vineyard flagship, made entirely from Turbiana — a regional clone of Verdicchio also known as Trebbiano di Lugana — grown on a specific plot planted in 1971 on clay soils near Sirmione. Where most Lugana producers train their vines high and crop generously, Ca' dei Frati trains theirs low, plants at higher density, and deliberately restricts yields to concentrate flavor and terroir expression. Winemaker Igino Dal Cero is, by every account, obsessed with detail: fruit is entirely hand-picked, with no skin contact preserved to protect the wine's delicate perfume, malolactic fermentation deliberately inhibited to preserve lift and freshness, and an extended post-fermentation lees-aging period that Dal Cero believes gives the wine both greater richness and the distinctive flintiness that lends Brolettino what more than one merchant has called a genuinely Burgundian quality.

The 2023 earned an extraordinary run of critical acclaim. Decanter awarded 95 Points and Gold, praising the wine's opulence and golden highlights. James Suckling awarded 94 Points, describing "an intense wine full of stone-fruit aromas such as white peaches as well as broom flowers and waxy depth." Wine Spectator's Alison Napjus awarded 91 Points, highlighting its sleek, minerally underpinning and a rich push of lime blossom, toast, and vanilla flavors. Fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel before half the wine moves into small 225-liter French oak barriques for ten months, the oak here is beautifully integrated rather than dominant — pale gold in color, opening with stone fruit and a touch of vanilla spice, the palate rich with peach and a creamy, honeyed texture lifted throughout by genuine stony minerality. Serious stuff, from the most serious producer working the southern shore of Garda.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Ca' dei Frati — "House of the Friars" — traces its roots to 1782 on the southern shore of Lake Garda, near the town of Sirmione. The Dal Cero family arrived in 1939 and recognized the exceptional potential of the terroir: well-drained alluvial soil deposited by the same glacier responsible for carving Lake Garda itself, moderating vine vigor, while the lake's proximity tempers summer heat — together producing conditions ideal for fine white wine. The family played a central role in establishing the Lugana DOC in the late 1960s and has since grown from 12 hectares in 1987 to over 160 hectares today, following a major vineyard acquisition in 2008, making them the largest vineyard holders in the entire denomination. The estate's quality is driven by the meticulous work of brothers Franco Dal Cero, who oversees the vineyards, and Igino Dal Cero, responsible for winemaking.

Brolettino is Ca' dei Frati's single-vineyard Lugana, made from Turbiana vines planted in 1971 on clay soils, trained under single and double Guyot systems with yields deliberately restricted to around eight tonnes per hectare — well below the regional average. Fruit is hand-harvested with no skin contact, preserving delicate aromatics and enhancing the wine's texture. Malolactic fermentation is deliberately inhibited to give the wine additional lift. Fermentation begins in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, after which roughly half the wine is transferred to small 225-liter French oak barriques for ten months, while the remainder stays in stainless steel until the final blend is assembled — with malolactic conversion, where it occurs, completing in barrel. Extended aging on lees post-fermentation contributes both palate richness and the flinty, Burgundian-style character that distinguishes Brolettino from more straightforward Lugana bottlings.

Critics Reviews

Decanter — 95 Points, Gold:
Praised for its opulence and golden highlights.

James Suckling — 94 Points:
"An intense wine full of stone-fruit aromas such as white peaches as well as broom flowers and waxy depth."

Wine Spectator (Alison Napjus) — 91 Points:
Highlighted for its sleek, minerally underpinning and a rich push of lime blossom, toast, and vanilla flavors.

Tasting Profile

Nose
Pale gold with elegant golden reflections. Intense stone-fruit aromas lead — white peaches and yellow apples — alongside broom flowers and fleshy rose petals. A touch of vanilla spice from the oak ageing rounds out the aromatic profile, with fresh, balsamic nuances and a distinctive waxy depth adding complexity.

Palate
Rich peach characters carry the entry with genuine intensity and concentration, supported by a creamy, honeyed texture. Lime blossom, toast, and vanilla add layered depth from the barrique component, while stony minerality lifts and structures the entire palate — a sleek, mineral backbone running beneath the wine's richness.

Finish
Fresh, intense, and concentrated, closing with lingering minerality and a delicate, persistent aftertaste. Balanced acidity keeps the wine lively despite its richness — a genuinely elegant and savory close.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Steamed sole with caper butter
• Risotto al pesce persico (perch risotto)
• Matured goat's cheese
• Legume soups and white-sauce first courses
• White meats, medium-aged cheeses, fish, and shellfish