Inside Costaripa: Valtenesi’s Premier Winery

Inside Costaripa: Valtenesi’s Premier Winery.

With around 25 million tourists per year, Lake Garda in northern Italy is one of the busiest holiday destinations in the world. With idyllic villages on the 370 square kilometer lake such as Peschiera, Lazise and Sirmione, the trip to the supermarket can be a day’s work. 

To avoid the crowds, a visit to a local winery is not such a crazy idea, because the lake has various wine regions around it. Such as Lugana in the south, Bardolino, Valpolicella and Soave in the east, Trentino in the north and an hour’s drive to the west Franciacorta. Since 2011, a new DOC has been added to the west side, the DOC Valtenesi. Despite the young age of the DOC, some wineries have been active for centuries. Our Daan visited one of them, the family winery Costaripa in Moniga del Garda.

Back in Time

If you just look at the Costaripa website, you will see that this is not a winery that has only been active since 2011. As early as 1928, Mattia Vezzola started making his own wine with purchased fruit from Lugana. A few years later, in 1936, he bought his first vineyards in Moniga on the western shores of Lake Garda. The first rosé, the ‘Chiaretto di Moniga’, was made in 1938 using the local Gropello grape. The war years caused wine production to decline throughout Europe.

From the 1950s, it was the second generation, brothers Bruno and Franco, who put their shoulders to the wheel. The real turning point came in 1972 when grandson Mattia Vezzola made a trip to Champagne and became fascinated by the elegance and refinement of sparkling wine. It did not take long for Mattia to turn his wish into reality, because in 1973 he presented his first sparkling wine, made from 100% Chardonnay.

In the years that followed, Costaripa expanded its wine portfolio with red wines made from 100% Gropello and a wider range of rosé and sparkling wines. Due to the steady growth, the winery eventually outgrew its original facilities, leading to the opening of a new, modern cellar in 2020—where we were warmly received last September.

Mattia Vezzola: Italy’s Maestro of Sparkling Wine

That early fascination with Champagne would not only shape the future of Costaripa but also define Mattia Vezzola’s legacy in Italian winemaking. His relentless pursuit of finesse and structure led him to become one of Italy’s most respected Metodo Classico producers.

While continuing the family business at Lake Garda, Mattia’s talent also brought him to Bellavista, one of Franciacorta’s flagship estates. As head winemaker, he played a pivotal role in elevating the estate—and the Franciacorta region as a whole—to international acclaim. His sparkling wines became known for their elegance, complexity, and remarkable aging potential.

This exceptional track record was officially recognized in 2007, when Gambero Rosso named him “Italy’s Best Winemaker”, a rare and prestigious honor. At both Bellavista and Costaripa, Mattia’s approach has remained consistent: precise vineyard work, gentle pressing, and long aging on the lees, often with a touch of oak for added texture and depth.

Today, at Costaripa, his vision lives on through wines like the Grande Annata and Classic Method Rosé, which embody his signature balance of innovation and tradition. Through decades of dedication, Mattia Vezzola has become a true ambassador for Italian sparkling wine—and a figure who has brought both Lake Garda and Franciacorta to the world stage.

Costaripa

The route on the navigation to the western shore of Lake Garda leads us, coming from Lake Iseo, over the ‘Via Trieste’. A route with a patchwork of different agricultural fields with a vineyard here and there but also dilapidated industry, not exactly the picture you have in mind when you think of Lake Garda. After the Via Pergola we turn left into the Via della Costa, at first glance a perfectly normal street. Then a large vineyard appears on our left with a modern-looking building in the middle, this must be it.

Wind, an Essential for Valtènesi

Valtènesi, but also Lugana and Bardolino, are close to the lake. In the summer, the lake absorbs the heat and releases it in the winter, so the winters are mild. In the summer, another phenomenon occurs that also exists in Franciacorta. From the mountains in the north, the wind ‘Peler’ rises in the early morning, bringing cool air. From 12:00, the south wind ‘Ora’ rises, bringing warm air from the Po Valley. Caroline: “The winds are very important for the development of the grapes. The morning wind ensures that the grapes do not warm up too quickly and the wind from the south blows the grapes dry again after a rain shower. This significantly reduces the risk of rot and mold, which is important for the Gropello with its compact bunches and thin skin.”

“Costa” means hill, ‘Ripa’ means: Higher.”

Harvest 2024

Upon arrival we are welcomed by Carolina, responsible for the tours and tastings on the estate. After a short introduction we go straight to the winery. Carolina: ‘’Costaripa currently owns 40 hectares of its own vineyards. In addition, we buy fruit from regular farmers every year. This means that we produce just under 500,000 bottles each year.’’

The generally difficult wine year 2024 is discussed almost immediately. During our trip through Europe, we spoke to winegrowers in the Netherlands, France and Germany who almost all told the same story. 2024 was a year with a shaky spring, only six weeks of summer and a cold, sometimes wet, September. This also applies to Lake Garda.

Caroline: ‘’The harvest has just been completed, the pinot noir and chardonnay were already harvested in mid-August, but the grapes for red, such as Gropello, sangiovese and Marzemino, are harvested every year around mid-September. The unique location of the Valtenesi also ensured that we were able to harvest good fruit this year despite the unpredictable year.’’

The Wines

Walking through the complex you can’t miss it, a lot of wine is made here, but also many different types. Carolina: ‘’Costaripa makes three rosé wines, four different reds, one white and five different sparkling wines. During the tasting tour we walk through a system of corridors, that’s how it feels. From the large tanks we walk via the maturing bottles of sparkling wine in wooden racks, called ‘pupitre’, to the large cellar with old wooden barrels. 

The juice for the rosé ‘Molmenti’ is pumped into wooden barrels at the moment of entering. What is striking is that the barrels look as if they have been around for many years. 

Caroline: “The barrels we have are on average 25 years old. When the barrels are emptied, we clean them again with hot water and steam. The bacteria are killed with sulphate. After a new harvest the barrels are reused. It is a tradition, and the wine matures beautifully in the barrels on the lees, because of the wood you have a very light oxidation. Our rosé ‘Molmenti’, which matures for five years before it is released, also matures in these barrels”.

On to the Tasting Table

During our visit we tasted a number of Costaripa’s wines. What follows is an impression including our ratings for the wines.

Rosé

2023 Costaripa, ‘RosaMara’.

Made from Gropello, Marzemino, Sangiovese and Barbera. Half of the juice matures in 228-liter barrels for six months. The color is light pink, in the nose small red fruit, peach, grapefruit, light spiciness. Fresh, juicy, soft, salty, nice acids. 

We award this wine with a 92-point DWA score.

2019 Costaripa, ‘Molmenti’ 

A special wine, five years of maturation is not often seen for a light rosé. From the oldest vineyard of 70 years. After 24 months of maturation in small wooden barrels, the Molmenti matures for another three years in the bottle. 

In the glass a little more color. The nose riper red fruit, white blossom, mandarin, bombastic for rosé, a hint of caramel and vanilla, round, some honey, juicy, good acidity, does not get boring. 

We award this wine with a 94-point DWA-score.

Sparkling

Mattia Vezzola Classic M. ‘Brut’

From vineyards around Garda with southern exposure. Made from 100% chardonnay. Five bar pressure. Matures 24 to 30 months on the lees depending on the harvest year. Nose of green apple, white flowers, citrus, a little yeast, good acidity, fresh, full mousse. 

We award this wine with a 92-point DWA score.

Mattia Vezzola Classic M. Rosé ‘Brut’

80% chardonnay with 20% pinot noir. 35% maturation on old wood. Light rosé color, red fruit, strawberries, berries, citrus, light brioche, juicy, good acidity. 

We award this wine with a 93-point DWA score.

2018 Mattia Vezzola Classic M. ‘Grande Annata’ Brut

Made from one harvest year of the best plots. 100% Chardonnay, half of the juice ferments for eight months in 228-liter barrels. Total maturation 54 to 60 months. 

Intense and rich nose. Ripe fruit, citrus, white flowers, brioche, rich, drying, 2 grams of residual sugar, good acidity, length. 

We award this wine with a 94-point DWA score. 

2018 Mattia Vezzola Classic M. ‘Grande Annata Rosé’ Brut

80% Chardonnay with 20% Pinot Noir. Riper red fruit, citrus zest, white blossom, light brioche, juicy, elegant, structure, good length. 

We award this wine with a 95-point DWA score.

Red

2022 Costaripa ‘Campostarne’

Blend of Gropello, marzemino, Sangiovese and Barbera. 12 months of maturation on old wood. Ruby red, red fruit, cherries, spices, graphite, structure, medium tannin, drying layer of the sangiovese, good structure.

We award this wine with a 91-point DWA score.

2018 Costaripa ‘Maim’

From sixty-year-old vines, 100% Gropello. Only 25% new wood, the rest old wood. Brown-red color, sultry ripe fruit, ripe cherries, licorice, almond, gingerbread, full, firm structure, sultry tannin, lots of wine. 

We award this wine with a 93-point DWA score. 

Conclusion

The versatility of Costaripa reflects that of the region. It is wonderful to see how a company maintains its own traditions but at the same time has both feet firmly planted in the present. The past is praised, and the present is embraced. It must be that perfect balance that sets Costaripa apart from the rest. 

This article is written and captured by our own Daan (@mijn.wijn.hobby). We would like to thank Costaripa for their warm welcome and if you are ever in the area, a visit is more than worth it. 

Costaripa is imported and distributed in the Netherlands by Vinites. We thank Vinites for their support in arranging this tasting.