Casa Lupo by Paladin
Casa Lupo is the Paladin family’s Valpolicella “subsidiary” and consists of 25 hectares spread between the towns of Negrar and Illasi in the province of Verona.
Visitors to Veneto usually stay at Lake Garda or in “Romeo and Juliet’s” culturally rich city of Verona. But wine enthusiasts will be tempted by the Ripassi and Amaroni along the southern slopes of the central Alps leading down to Valpolicella.
Paladin’s vineyard team cultivates the vines here all year round and takes care of the harvest. Vinification and bottling is carried out by a local partner to ensure compliance with the legal regulations for DOC and DOCG.
The name “Casa Lupo” has its origins in the history of the region, where many years ago Valpolicella was almost completely covered with forests which were inhabited by several large packs of wolves. It was literally the home of the wolf, or “Casa Lupo” in Italian.
The white calcareous and argillaceous soils are used to cultivate the red grape varieties Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Molinara. The Mediterranean climate produces elegant, sophisticated and very complex wines, which delight visitors with their excellent drinkability and pair perfectly with local cuisine.
Travel tips for culinary and nature lovers
Gastronomy:
Trattoria alla Ruota
Via Proale, 6, 37024 Negrar
www.trattoriaallaruota.it
Antica Bottega del Vino
Via Scudo di Francia, 3, 37121 Verona
www.bottegavini.it
One of the best cheese affineurs in Italy:
Family Bernardinelli
I sapori del portico
Via San Francesco 48, 37024 Arbizzano-Santa Maria
Nature:
The idyllic national park: Parco Naturale della Lessinia
In the small Dolomites: Hiking area in the Campobrun nature reserve
White wines from Casa Lupo by Paladin
Red wines from Casa Lupo by Paladin
from Casa Lupo by Paladin
Producer
Château Raymond Lafon
Located in the heart of the Sauternes area, this winery comprises 18 hectares, 16 of which planted with 80% Sémillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. The maximum yield by law is 25 hectolitres per hectare. The yields at Raymond-Lafon average only 8 to 10 hectolitres per hectare; in other words, one vine will produce only one glass of delicious wine. Over several pickings, the grapes are harvested one by one according to their level of maturity. In some years, this can result in up to ten selected hand harvests. This alone lets one appreciate the great value of this wine.
Pievalta
The Pievalta estate is located in the municipality of Maiolati Spontini, in the Marche region, in the heart of the Castelli di Jesi. This area is famous for its small fortified medieval villages as well as for the production of wines made from the Verdicchio grape.
Roland und Karin Lenz
In 1994, while Roland Lenz was still studying oenology, he and his wife Karin were able to acquire eight hectares of vines on the Iselisberg. It was a unique opportunity that they seized, even though they were toying with the idea of setting up their own business abroad, far from Switzerland. They actually did so later, but that's another story…