Lovo
Veneto - Italy
The Winery
An enologist himself, winemaker Salvatore Lovo long worked as a consultant in other areas of Italy, including Tuscany, the Marche, and Abruzzo. Today, alongside his daughter, Silvia, Salvatore focuses on historic varietals that help to define his own region in the hills near Padua. One of these is Fior d’Arancio, verily the estate’s crown jewel. A rare clone of Moscato Giallo, Fior d’Arancio (trans. “orange blossom”), grows in a tiny zone of just a few square miles, and is famous for its stunning, citrus-driven aromatics. It’s estimated that no more than a dozen estates here work with Colli Euganei Fior d'Arancio, and Salvatore’s own family helped elevate its status to DOCG. Written records going back to the 1300s have traced Fior d’Arancio to the eastern Mediterranean, and old-timers still refer to it as Moscato Sirio (Syrian Moscato).
In addition to the 17 hectares of high-altitude vines that Salvatore Lovo owns, the winemaker also has long-term contracts with a number of local, organic-minded families who all farm tiny parcels of 1-3 hectares. In this way, he is able to produce both single estate wines and also pursue a series of other projects – including La Perlina Moscato – and partner with the likes of Andrea and Alberto Bocelli.
Rising up from the flat, expansive Po River Valley where so much of the Veneto’s white wine is produced, the ancient Colli Euganei, or Euganean Hills, stand alone in a multitude of ways. Most notably, this green archipelago of hills has long been known for producing wines with pronounced acidic poise and aromatics. The mounts themselves emerged some 2 million years ago, as seawater receded around the site of great, underwater volcanoes. The resultant combination of volcanic and calcareous soils today invests the region’s wines – even the reds – with a minerality, freshness and persistency that can’t be repeated in the surrounding lowlands.
- Enologist
- Salvatore Lovo and Andrea Senigallia
- Grapes Grown by Winery
- Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Chardonnay, Glera, Merlot, Moscato Giallo, Sauvignon Blanc
- Vineyard Size
- 105.0 ha
- Winemaker
- Salvatore Lovo
- Winemaker Biography
- The father-daughter team of Salvatore and Silvia Lovo continue to shine bright as they expand their family’s repertoire beyond Prosecco and Moscato. A short distance from Venice, they consistently take their cool climate wines in new directions that both surprise and impress.
- Winemaker Generation
- 2nd
Colli Euganei Fior d’Arancio Spumante DOCG
One whiff of this stunning sparkler and you’ll understand the name, which translates to “orange blossom”. Colli Euganei Fior d’Arancio is one of the world’s most unique wines: a rare clone of Moscato Giallo that, when well-managed, is sweet on the mid-palate, then crisp and mouth-watering on the finish. Wow! Produced by Salvatore Lovo, a true hands-on winemaker, and one of only a dozen that can produce this particular DOCG. Perfect for dessert or brunch!
- Color
- Pale golden yellow
- Nose
- Sweet orange blossom, tangerine, and meyer lemon
- Palate
- Sweet on the mid-palate, with a clean, mouthwatering finish
- Finish
- Refreshing, delighful, with balanced structure, and a medium+ finish
- Vineyard Location
- Fior d’Arancio Colli Euganei DOCG, Veneto
- Vineyard Size
- 17 ha
- Varietals List
- 100% Moscato Giallo
- Farming Practices
- Sustainably farmed, including dry-farmed; grapes picked by hand; vegan
- Elevation
- 300 m
- Soils
- Clay and volcanic rock
- Maturation Summary
- Bottled for 0 months
- Alcohol
- 6.0 %
- Acidity
- 7 g/liter
- Residual Sugar
- 11.2 g/liter
- Annual Production
- 9,996 bottles
Prosecco DOC Rose Brut Millesimato
Dynamic father/daughter winemaking team Salvatore and Silvia Lovo delightfully embody what we look for in our producer partners: a true dedication in the fields, innovation in the cellar, and a wondrous skill in making expressive, vibrant wines. Their artisanal Rose Brut boasts beautiful notes of lilac, raspberry, dried mint, and crushed gravel. The color is sunset-perfect - bright and delicate. Hard to imagine a more quaffable aperitif! Perfect with oysters, smoked salmon, and gourmet cheese.
- Color
- Delicate light pink
- Nose
- Red berries and blossoms
- Palate
- Fresh and crisp, with persistent perlage
- Finish
- Clean, refreshing, and persistent
- Vineyard Location
- Prosecco DOC, Veneto
- Vineyard Size
- 17 ha
- Varietals List
-
86% Glera
14% Pinot Noir - Farming Practices
- Sustainably farmed, including dry-farmed; grapes picked by hand; vegan
- Elevation
- 300 m
- Soils
- Clay and volcanic rock
- Maturation Summary
- In Steel for 3 months and Bottled for 1 month
- In Steel
- 3 months
- Alcohol
- 11.5 %
- Acidity
- 6 g/liter
- Residual Sugar
- 12.5 g/liter
- Annual Production
- 18,000 bottles
Prosecco DOC Brut Millesimato
As with so many of our Small Vineyards producers, what really stands out about Lovo is the high bar they maintain - even when it comes to their Prosecco. With hand-picked grapes they've created an immaculate, mineral-laden sparkler that, for our money, is a torch-bearer of quality and expressiveness in a landscape of bubbly “sameness”. Made in small batches, only 1 bottle per plant.
- Color
- Pale yellow
- Nose
- Mineral-driven, with hints of stone fruit
- Palate
- Clean and bright, with tight perlage
- Finish
- Crisp, with a persistent, long mouth feel that’s honest, elegant and lively
- Vineyard Location
- Prosecco DOC, Veneto
- Vineyard Size
- 17 ha
- Varietals List
- 100% Glera
- Farming Practices
- Sustainably farmed, including dry-farmed; grapes picked by hand; vegan
- Elevation
- 150 m
- Soils
- Clay and volcanic rock
- Maturation Summary
- Bottled for 0 months
- Alcohol
- 12.0 %
- Acidity
- 6.1 g/liter
- Residual Sugar
- 12 g/liter
- Annual Production
- 24,000 bottles
Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC
Grown at a lofty 300 m in the green hills of Colli Euganei near Padua, this delightful wine is everything one hopes to find in an Italian Pinot Grigio: despite its low yields and lush viscosity, the wine remains clean, unoaked, and true to style. Warm days and cool evenings keep the palate lively and complex, and volcanic soils further enhance its zesty, mineral-driven style. Once again, Salvatore Lovo and his family have created a perfectly balanced, iconic wine that stands a cut above, while still being priced for everyday use!
- Color
- Straw yellow
- Nose
- Stone fruit, lemon, and acacia
- Palate
- Great weight combined with a lively, balanced acidity
- Finish
- Crisp and clean
- Vineyard Location
- Colli Euganei DOC, Veneto
- Vineyard Size
- 17 ha
- Varietals List
- 100% Pinot Grigio
- Farming Practices
- Sustainably farmed, including dry-farmed; grapes picked by hand; vegan
- Elevation
- 300 m
- Soils
- Volcanic, clay mix
- Maturation Summary
- Bottled for 1 month
- Alcohol
- 12.0 %
- Acidity
- 6.1 g/liter
- Residual Sugar
- 2 g/liter
- Annual Production
- 60,000 bottles
Prosecco DOC Brut Millesimato 187ml
As with so many of our Small Vineyards producers, what really stands out about Lovo is the high bar they maintain - even when it comes to their Prosecco. With hand-picked grapes they've created an immaculate, mineral-laden sparkler that, for our money, is a torch-bearer of quality and expressiveness in a landscape of bubbly “sameness”. Made in small batches, only 1 bottle per plant.
- Color
- Pale yellow
- Nose
- Mineral-driven, with hints of stone fruit
- Palate
- Clean and bright, with tight perlage
- Finish
- Crisp, with a persistent, long mouth feel that’s honest, elegant and lively
- Vineyard Location
- Prosecco DOC, Veneto
- Vineyard Size
- 17 ha
- Varietals List
- 100% Glera
- Farming Practices
- Sustainably farmed, including dry-farmed; grapes picked by hand; vegan
- Elevation
- 300 m
- Soils
- Volcanic, clay mix
- Maturation Summary
- Bottled for 0 months
- Alcohol
- 12.0 %
- Acidity
- 6.1 g/liter
- Residual Sugar
- 12 g/liter