WHO WE ARE
The Rizzi family
Combining tradition and modernization. This is the philosophy of Luigino and Claudio Rizzi, the owners of the farm that goes by the same name, situated in Bovolone, in the province of Verona, and five other production companies: San Leone Estate in Veneto, Maso Bianco farm in Trentino, Montebello Estate in Piedmont and Sassoscritto and Le Capannelle farms in Tuscany.
The Rizzi family boasts three generations of experience in vine growing. Taking advantage of the work done by their grandfather Giovanbattista and their father Remo, the two brothers gradually expanded their business producing wines typical of different regions.
Since 1988 the Rizzi family has run San Leone Estate, which lies in Salionze di Valeggio sul Mincio.
Vineyard
The vineyards of San Leone Estate are spread over the gentle, south eastern Morenic hills of Lake Garda, straddling the two D.O.C. areas of Bardolino and Custoza. These are their basic characteristics:
- Soil: gravely and calcareous made up of fluvioglacial conoids from the Pleistocene;
- Vined area: approximately 55 Ha;
- Average height: 62 metres above sea level;
- Microclimate: strongly influenced by the nearby Lake, with constant breezes and mitigation of the temperature ranges;
- Exposure: optimum;
- Average vine age: 10 years old;
- Vines: local (Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara, Garganega, Trebbiano, Bianca Fernanda) and international varieties (Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco and Sauvignon Bianco);
- Training system: wall (spurred cordon, guyot);
- Average vine density: 4000 vines/Ha.
All agronomic practices are used on the land with the aim of respecting the plants and obtaining high quality grapes (winter pruning with a limited number of buds and thinning out of the bunches to keep a low yield, shoot thinning to ensure that all of the bunches are reached by the sun and the lake breezes, selection of the bunches for special vinifications, such as passito wine and novello wine).
All of these processes, combined with the monitoring of the level of maturity of the grapes carried out near harvesting, make it possible to gather healthy grapes with superior organoleptic qualities.
Winery
The current location of our winery, which was opened in June 2006, was designed to combine production with wine tourism.
The thinning out and subsequent pressing of the red and white grapes give the must, which ferments in thermo-controlled, stainless steel vats, with the addition of select yeasts. The whole vinification process is constantly monitored with the aid of laboratory tests and regular tasting.
When the wine is ready, it is carefully matured and subsequently aged, also in oak barrels for a number of varieties.
A guided tour allows visitors to experience the fascinating atmosphere where the wine is made. The tour is organised as follows: a visit to an educational vineyard and to a delightful museum; the showing of a multi-screen projection on vine-growing in a hall that can also be used for conferences and company meetings; a visit to the room where the vinification is carried out and to the underground barrel room.
Finally, the guests are welcomed in a large hall for tasting, where they can buy all of the Company’s products (wine, Garda oil, vinegar, honey and grappas).
- is it necessary to book visits: yes;
- approximate length: 30-40 minutes;
- sales point: yes, open every day, all day, from 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.