Mezzacorona Castel Firmian Chardonnay 2023

Mezzacorona was founded in 1904, one of Italy's first growers’ associations. If it was progressive, then it remains so, with a state-of-the-art winery and meticulous viticulture bringing out the full potential of its 2,400 hectares of vineyards. Those vineyards are to be found on the plains and terraces of the Dolomite foothills, stretching between Lake Garda and the Alps to the north. This is, therefore, a sizeable and varied resource, and its management by one company carries an important benefit. Each vineyard site is planted to the grape variety best suited to its particular characteristics. Were the growers to work individually, they might each hedge their bets by planting a mixture of varieties, some more appropriate than others. Instead, we see optimization on a grand scale: Teroldego on the Piana Rotaliana, Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay in the Valle dell’Adige, and Merlot and Cabernet in the warmer zone towards Lake Garda. It is then the winery’s task to ensure that the fruit quality is preserved all the way through to the bottle; aided by the latest equipment, it achieves this with impressive consistency, with the entry-level varietal wines and the small parcels of Riserva receiving equal attention. Add to this a longstanding adherence to sustainability and green innovation, and you have a company that represents the epitome of responsibility at every level – environmental, oenological and social.