With so many products available on the Xtrawine website it is perhaps unsurprising that there are many smaller, or at least lesser known, winemakers who have yet to receive their due in our weekly blog posts. As always, we want to help wine lovers and those who are completely new to the industry learn more and expand their interests in the subject in any way we can, which means shining a spotlight on some of the producers who are creating amazing vintages that perhaps do not get the recognition they deserve.
This week we will be taking a look at a winemaker that has developed a reputation for consistency and quality since the company was first established in the 1960s. Slowly but surely, this company has gained exposure and received the accolades it so richly deserves for the quality of the wines it produces and it all comes down to the efforts of a single family.
With all that being said, let’s take a closer look at the Cà Maiol Winery.
The History
As with many wineries that were formed in the 20th century, the team at Cà Maiol, which is admittedly something of a mouthful for those who are not familiar with the Italian language, have always attempted to blend a true respect for the traditions of the wine industry with a modernity that allows them to innovate in a number of ways,
The winery itself is made up of four old farmhouses, the oldest of which dates back all the way to 1710 and was built by notary Sebastiano Maioli from Desenzano. It is this building that acts as the headquarters for Cà Maiol, though it should be noted that the others are not less important in terms of the role they play in the success of the company.
It is in these grounds that the Contato take residence in 1967 with the aim of using the farmland in Rocchetta, Storta and Molino to deliver amazing wines the likes of which has never been experienced in the region before. The group dedicated itself to planting new vineyards with the aim of creating wines that would be able to fill an increasing market demand.
In more recent years, this philosophy has led to a restructuring that has resulted in the construction of a modern underground cellar that is used to store the wines the company produces. Again, it all comes back to their efforts to blend respect for tradition with the new techniques and practices that have allowed the industry to keep moving forward.
The company has also embraced wine tourism in recent years with the construction of a special exhibition area that offers visitors the opportunity to taste all of the products created by the company, from the wines through to the grapes themselves. Better yet, they also offer people the chance to taste the very special extra virgin olive oils that emanate from Lake Garda.
So now we know a little bit more about the winery, let’s take a look at the family behind its formation. The origins of the Contato family are ancient and can be traced back to a strip of land in the area of Lake Garda, close to the location of the grounds where the Cà Maiol Winery would later come to be.
In 1967, the patriarch of the family, Walter Contato, founded Cà Maiol with the aim of demonstrating the true potential of the land the family had called home for so many years. His hard work has paid off and that responsibility is now placed on the shoulders of his children, Fabio and Patrizia Contato, who bring a youthful vigour to their work in addition to the respect they have for what their father started.
The winery started life as twelve hectares of land, which was right in the heart of the Lugana wine territory. In the years that have followed, the demand for the company’s product has led to continued expansion to the point where the lands owned by the group exceed 140 hectares, all of which is made up of rich and fertile terrain that is ideal for the growing of grapes.
What has never changed is the true love and passion that the Contato family, and all those at the Cà Maiol Winery, have for the land that they work so hard to maintain and which bears the fruits that are used to create the company’s most stunning vintages.
In the modern day, Cà Maiol has become one of the strongest wine producing presences in the entire region, with many producers looking to them as an example of what can be achieved through hard work and passion for the industry.
Of course, all of this would mean little if the company was not able to produce stellar wines, but from the moment Cà Maiol opened its doors the Contato family has taken true pleasure in creating wines that astound all who taste them. Here we will be taking a closer look at one of their most acclaimed red wines.
Ca Maiol Negresco Garda Rosso 2010
The stunning Ca Maiol Negresco Garda Rosso 2010 is a DOC wine that impresses from the moment you open the bottle. Its ruby red colouring is indicative of a wine that has been aged to perfection and many can spend an age admiring the wine itself as it is poured into the glass.
However, your attention will soon be drawn by the stunning scents that waft through the air as the wine begins to open up. Tones of mature fruits, spices and tobacco abound, hinting at a complex and intelligent wine that is sure to prove an interesting challenge for even the most experienced wine drinkers.
When finally introduced to the palette, your mouth will feel awash with a warm and full-bodied wine that delivers on every single promise that the enticing aroma made. Best served with red meat, game or cheese, this wine is made all the more desirable by the fact that it retails at such a low price.
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