Marangona, Lombardia, Italy

Alessandro Cutolo has it going on. Passionate, intuitive, respectful, and young- he is a modern purist committed to achieving his best. Farming older vine Turbiana (Trebbiano di Lugana) grapes on the southern shores of Lake Garda and turning them into precious wines is his gig. He has a small plot of land, especially for his Chiaretto- Mostly Groppello, followed by Marzemino and bits of Barbera and Sangiovese. What a fabulous rose this is! It is elegant and timeless, with soft strawberries, bright acidity, and heaps of minerality. Oh, joy!

There are no manipulations at Azienda Agricola Marangona. Farming is done sustainably with careful attention to very low environmental impact; this is his land, his family's land —there is no other way. His objective is to make wine naturally that fully expresses the grape, the sun, and the soil. He is more than good at it.

Proof? It's in the bottle—a deliciously elegant Lugana with hints of lemon blossom and fresh white fruit. It's a balanced wine with the right minerality and crisp, clean flavors—sophisticated but not pretentious. 

'M’rangona' ‘refers to the name of a bell that, in the past, was rung to signify the end of the workday. The farm still has this bell.

The area and appellations are rather interesting. The Lugana Doc appellation is around the base of Lake Garda, which is a spectacular part of Italy, though best to go when the rest of Europe is not on vacation. The soils at Marangona are calcareous clay, rich in minerals, though this changes from vineyard to vineyard. You can taste 20 Lugana's, and none will taste the same; the soil and the winemaker are the most essential parts of the game. The altitude is not so high at about 50 - 100, seeing the Doc is in the flatlands around the lake; even so, the wines have crisp, fresh acidity.

Chiaretto is a whole other beast; the four grapes are Chiaretto, Marzemino Barbera, and Sangiovese. The Garda Dop requires up to 50% of the wine from Groppello; yes, there can be more than 50%. This leaves considerable room for experimentation and self-expression among winemakers. MarMarangona'sot of these red grapes is very limited. About 1 hectare of 30-year-old vines were set up decades ago with 50% Groppello, 30% Marzamino, and equal plantings of Barbera and Sangiovese. They do not make much. When rosé is in fashion and better rosé, such as theirs, is prized, there is never enough to go around.

Where:
Pozzolengo (Lake Garda), Brescia • Lombardy - Italy

Founded:
The property dates back 4 generations, skipping Alessandro’s father and landing to him about
15 years ago.

Land:
22 hectares, 148 meters above sea level

Grapes:
Turbiana (Trebbiano di Lugana), Groppello, Marzemino, Barbera + Sangiovese

Appellation:
Turbiana de Lugana doc, Chiaretto dop

Viticulture: Organic