The Turina winery in Moniga del Garda is celebrating a significant milestone: its one-hundredth harvest and winemaking. This important anniversary coincides with a period of great success for the winery, which has recently received prestigious awards, solidifying its position among the prominent wine producers in the Lago di Garda region.
This centenary harvest has been enriched by two major regional awards. The Trofeo Molmenti, dedicated to Senator Pompeo Molmenti, the creator of the Chiaretto of Moniga in 1896, was awarded during “Valtenesi in Rosa,” the main event for rosé wines of Lake Garda. The recognition was given to the Valtenesi Fontanamora 2024. At the same time, the Gran Priorato del Lugana, which has been selecting the best Lugana of the year since 1980, awarded the Lugana Fenil Boi Turina. Additionally, the prestigious Tre Bicchieri Gambero Rosso award was given to the Fontanamora 2023, a Valtenesi Chiaretto made from groppello, marzemino, sangiovese, and barbera grapes.
A Journey Through Four Generations
The Turina family’s history in the wine world spans four generations. Its origins date back to the late 1800s, when great-great-grandfather Angelo Turina arrived in Moniga from Salò to work as a sharecropper for Senator Molmenti, a key figure in the development of the modern Chiaretto. In the 1920s, Luigi Turina began cultivating vineyards independently, supplying local taverns and helping to spread the flavors of Valtenesi.
A significant turning point occurred in 1946: after the large wineries rejected the grapes of brothers Gaudenzio and Angelo Turina, they were prompted to vinify independently, renting cement tanks. This marked the beginning of their journey as independent winemakers, with the opening of their first winery on Via Magenta in Moniga. Initially, the wine was sold in bulk, and it was only in the early 1960s that they began bottling. By the mid-1970s, the company moved its headquarters from the historic center of Moniga to the inland area. Towards the end of the 1980s, Luigi, Paolo, and Dario, the sons of Luigi, introduced winemaking innovations, leading to their first victory at the Trofeo Molmenti in 1996.
The Fourth Generation and Territorial Commitment
Today, the winery is led by the fourth generation, represented by cousins Matteo, Andrea, and Marco Turina. They emphasize the importance of preserving and enhancing the territory by passing down the knowledge of nurturing delicate cultivars such as groppello, an indigenous grape variety of Valtenesi, which has been producing the rosé wine that symbolizes this land for over a century. The family takes pride in having guided the winery to the milestone of one hundred harvests and vinifications.
The winery spans approximately 23 hectares, with 13 in Valtenesi and 10 in Lugana. The modern winery, renovated in 2020, overlooks Provincial Road 572, and production is around 150,000 bottles per year. The Turina family, long-time “chiarettisti,” has labeled their rosé wine as Chiaretto since the 1950s and is one of the few producers to offer three versions of Valtenesi rosé: the traditional Chiaretto di Moniga, the award-winning Valtenesi Fontanamora (named after a vineyard in the Balosse area of Moniga), and the Setamora, a “reserve” that includes a period in barrique. The grapes used are groppello, barbera, sangiovese, and marzemino, with variations in method, technique, and proportions.
The Turina cousins reaffirm their long tradition in Chiaretto, dedicating the best grapes to the production of their rosé wine for over 70 years, specializing in the various shades of pink through precision viticulture. The family also cultivates 10 hectares in Lugana, a significant investment from their parents, with vineyards managed directly. The Turina portfolio includes two versions of Lugana: the “classic” and the Fenil Boi, the latter sourced from the peaks of one of the highest hills in the DOC Lugana. Acquired in the early 2000s, the Fenil Boi vineyard features a morainic soil with a small presence of clay, which enhances the freshness and saline acidity qualities of the turbiana grape.
Italian Version
