Monte Del Frá, from the Verona region of Italy for the past 60+ years has produced wines from indigenous grapes; both red and white grapes. Verona is a province within the Veneto wine region in Northeast Italy. They make two fun wines I’ve written about in the past, but bringing it up again as they are fun wines, easy to enjoy, and would work for the upcoming holiday season. The labels show monks holding umbrellas. Monks were the original winemakers when the winery was a monastery. The wine label is specially made for BC as we get lots of rain, so the label designer put monks with umbrellas on them.
I’m tasting two of their wines: Monte del Frá Ca Del Magro Custoza Superiore 2021 and Monte del Frá Bardolino DOC 2023. Let me tell you about these wines.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Monte del Frá Ca Del Magro Custoza Superiore 2021 (BC $24.99)
A blend of 40% Garganega, 20% Trebbiano Toscano, 5% Tocai Friuliano, 10% Cortese, 15% Incrocio Manzoni, and 10% Chardonnay + Riesling Italico + Malvasia.
Appearance: A medium-plus intensity, clear lemon colour.
Nose: Medium-intensity aromas of fresh pineapples, pears, white flowers and lemons. Nice aromas. No change to the aromas after decanting.
Palate: This wine is dry with medium-plus body. It has a thick, round, smooth mouthfeel. Medium-plus acidity leaves a slight prickle on your tongue. Fresh fruit flavours bursting on the palate with pineapple, lemon, pith, and honey. Also some stony minerality. The wine is softer with less acidic prickle after decanting. No change to the flavours.
Finish: A medium-plus length, finishing dry, with citrus, some pepperiness and bitterness. Add pineapple flavour to the finish after decanting.
A fresh, youthful wine. No need to decant as it loses a bit of acidity.
Rating: 
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A wine with fresh aromas of pineapples, pears, white flowers, and lemons. It is dry with medium-plus body and round, thick mouthfeel. Medium-plus acidity. Fresh fruit flavours of pineapple, lemon, pith, honey, and a touch of minerality. Medium-plus length.
Monte del Frá Bardolino DOC 2023 (BC $20.99 at BCL. $18.99 at Everything Wine)
A blend of Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara. These are the same grapes that are used for Valpolicella wines, which is not surprising as this region is adjacent to Valpolicella.
Appearance: Medium intensity, translucent to the core, garnet colour.
Nose: Medium-plus intensity aromas of raspberries, plums, red fruit, nutmeg, and a touch of floral. No change after decanting.
Palate: It is dry, lighter body, lightly round, with a smooth mouthfeel. Medium-plus flavour intensity, showing Earl Grey tea leaves, red fruits, nutmeg, floral and red cherries. Medium acidity and light tannins. A touch of bitterness. The flavours stay the same after decanting, but the wine becomes a little leaner on the palate.
Finish: A medium-plus length finishing with Earl Grey tea leaves, red fruits, and a touch of bitterness at the very end. Light tannins to the end. A bit tarter red fruit finish after decanting.
A fresh red wine with a light body, red fruit flavours, and bright acidity. I particularly like the Earl Grey tea leaves on the palate.
Rating: This wine has medium-plus intensity aromas of red fruits, plus touches of nutmeg and floral. It is dry, light-bodied with smooth mouthfeel. Earl Grey tea leaves, red fruits, cherries, nutmeg and floral flavours. Medium acidity. Light tannins. Medium-plus length.
Did you notice the wine glasses that I used for this tasting? They from Josephinenhutte in Germany, which were designed by Kurt Josef Zalto, an amazing 6th generation glass designer. I used the White glass for the white wine and the Universal glass for the red wine. I felt that this red wine was not big like a California Cabernet Sauvignon so a narrower bowl may be a better option. Both glasses worked exceptionally well for this tasting. The bottom of the bowls has a bulge which makes it easier to swirl the wine and get the most of the aromas and flavours in the wine. Give these wine glasses a chance if you would like to up your wine tasting experience.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
Both wines are available at BC Liquor stores:
These wines are also available at Everything Wine stores.
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