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WINES OF NORTHERN ITALY
Sansonina
In the mid 1990s, Carla Prospero and her daughter Nadia Zenato acquired a large 18th century farm in
the Sirmione area called Sansonina. With this purchase they accepted a challenge to disprove some
preconceptions. They set about producing exceptional red wine in a zone traditionally known for
whites, while demonstrating that well-structured red wine isn’t necessarily men’s work.
Sansonina, the name given to the impressive 18th century cascina near Sirmione, derives from Samson,
the Biblical judge called upon by God to defeat Israel’s enemies with his superhuman strength. The
name also belonged to a woman who owned the estate centuries ago, nicknamed “Little Samson”
for her strong character. Today, Sansonina maintains this masculine-feminine dualism. The property
is located in the zone that produces Lugana, one of the most famous white wines of the Lombard-
Veneto region and by definition a feminine wine. But Sansonina is also the only vineyard in the area
to have old Merlot vines, a highly valued grape used to make some of the world’s most important red
wines. With a typically feminine combination of determination and sensitivity, Carla and Nadia have
succeeded in producing hearty, powerful and elegant wines.
Lugana DOC Spontaneous Fermentation
Sansonina’s Lugana DOC Spontaneous Fermentation is sourced from a single vineyard of 40-year
old vines, Vigna del Moraro Verde, near Lake Garda. Here the soils are clay-rich, an ideal material for
Turbiana production. Constant cool breezes from Lake Garda and its thermo-regulating influence
and temperate microclimate make viticulture possible. This wine offers a connection to how wines
were made in the past while displaying a most transparent expression of the Turbiana variety. After a
September harvest, the handpicked Turbiana grapes are pressed softly. Fermentation begins naturally
through indigenous yeasts present on the grapes. Fermentation lasts for 20 days, and the wine rests on
its lees in stainless steel for nine months. Minimal SO2 is added before bottling.
Merlot Veronese IGT
Sansonina is a special project for Carla Zenato and her daughter Nadia. This unique, handcrafted red is
made entirely from Merlot grapes, which are harvested by hand in early September. The winery’s name
draws from the biblical hero, Samson, who was given superhuman strength. Adding “ina” to a word in
Italian is a diminutive term of endearment. Thus, this Merlot becomes a powerful yet refined “Little Samson.”
“Evaluna” Garda Cabernet DOC
As a second generation producer in a region that her father, Sergio Zenato, put on the map, Nadia
Zenato and her mother Carla Prospero created Evaluna out of a deep love but also deep knowledge
of the area. Evaluna (Eve + Moon) evokes the passion and a long practice in the vineyard sites of
Lake Garda by the Zenato family. Evaluna in name and intent endeavors to break the mold of what is
considered possible in a land of diverse agricultural abundance.