2022 ChevernyDomaine du Salvard
France | Loire
$22
Producers
“Mael” is the more refined of Corte Gardoni’s two whites, and the value it provides is stupendous. A masterful blend of Garganega, Trebbiano, Trebbianello, and Riesling, this perfumed charmer punches far above its weight, delivering aromatic complexity in spades, pinpoint precision on the palate, and a stony finish that exudes pure class.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 40% Garganega, 20% Trebbiano, 20% Trebbianello, 20% Riesling |
Appellation: | Bianco di Custoza |
Country: | Italy |
Region: | Veneto |
Producer: | Corte Gardoni |
Winemaker: | Piccoli Family |
Vineyard: | 7 - 25 years, 25ha total |
Soil: | Moraine |
Aging: | Several months of aging in stainless steel before bottling |
Farming: | Sustainable |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
Corte Gardoni Italy | Veneto | Bianco di Custoza
Corte Gardoni Italy | Veneto | Bardolino Chiaretto
Corte Gardoni Italy | Veneto | Corvina Veronese IGT
Corte Gardoni Italy | Veneto | Bardolino
Corte Gardoni Italy | Veneto | Bardolino
Gregoletto Italy | Veneto | Colli Trevigiani
Gianni Piccoli grew up surrounded by orchards, but he had wine in his blood so when an estate with extensive vineyards came up for sale in 1971 he jumped at the opportunity. For years the grapes of Corte Gardoni were sold to cooperatives, but Gianni felt that their wines lacked soul. In 1980 he broke those ties and began crafting his own wine, focusing on the character of the grapes and terroir. Gianni passed away in 2020 with nearly fifty vintages under his belt at the helm of Corte Gardoni. In the process, he became a local hero and proud ambassador of Bardolino and its terroir, setting the stage for a new generation to follow in his path creating humble, delicious wines from native grapes that speak to the region and its traditions. Corte Gardoni remains in capable hands today, as Gianni's three sons had already taken over daily operations at the winery several years before his passing. Mattia is in charge of the cellar, Stefano manages the vineyards, and Andrea helps both of his brothers and also handles the commercialization of the wines.
Italy’s most prolific wine region by volume, the Veneto is the source of some of the country’s most notorious plonk: you’ll find oceans of insipid Pinot Grigo, thin Bardolino, and, of course, the ubiquitous Prosecco. And yet, the Veneto produces the highest proportion of DOC wine of any Italian region: home to prestigious appellations like Valpolicella, Amarone, and Soave, it is capable of excelling in all three colors, with equally great potential in the bubbly and dessert departments.
With almost 200,000 acres planted, the Veneto has a wealth of terroirs split between the Po Valley and the foothills of the Alps. While the rich soils of the flatlands are conducive to mechanization, high yields, and mass production of bulk wine, the areas to the north offer a fresher climate and a diversity of poor soil types, ideal for food-friendly wines that show a sense of place. Whether it’s a charming Prosecco Superiore from the Glera grape, a stony Soave or Gambellara from Garganega, or a Corvina-based red in any style, the Veneto’s indigenous grape varieties show real character when worked via traditional production methods.
Since his first visit in 1979, Kermit has regularly returned to the Veneto to enjoy its richness of fine wines and local cuisine. Our collaboration with Corte Gardoni, our longest-running Italian import, is a testament to this. The proximity of beautiful cities like Verona and Venice, with their deep culinary heritage, certainly doesn’t hurt, either.
Davide Vignato Italy | Veneto | Gambellara Classico
Gregoletto Italy | Veneto | Colli Trevigiani Verdiso
Corte Gardoni Italy | Veneto | Bardolino
Gregoletto Italy | Veneto | Prosecco Treviso
Gregoletto Italy | Veneto | Colli Trevigiani Verdiso
Corte Gardoni Italy | Veneto | Bardolino Chiaretto
Corte Gardoni Italy | Veneto | Bianco di Custoza
Corte Gardoni Italy | Veneto | Corvina Veronese IGT
Sommariva Italy | Veneto | Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Superiore
Davide Vignato Italy | Veneto | Gambellara, Veneto Bianco
Corte Gardoni Italy | Veneto | Bardolino
Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch
Drinking distilled spirits, beer, coolers, wine and other alcoholic beverages may increase cancer risk, and, during pregnancy, can cause birth defects. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/alcohol
Many food and beverage cans have linings containing bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical known to cause harm to the female reproductive system. Jar lids and bottle caps may also contain BPA. You can be exposed to BPA when you consume foods or beverages packaged in these containers. For more information, go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/bpa