Sassara are based in Veneto, Italy, just south of Lake Garda. Husband and wife duo Alessia and Stefano Bertaiola are behind the project, making wines that speak to the authenticity of Veneto, both its land and its people. Their focus is on bright, juicy fruit and clear minerality rather than the heavier, more extracted styles often associated with the region.

The vineyards sit on the southern slopes of Monte Mamaor, at the lower end of the Bardolino DOC near Custoza. The 14 hectare estate is an exciting, soulful alternative to the more commercial wines of the region. Ten hectares are planted to organically and biodynamically farmed vines, with the rest given over to olive groves and woodland.

Stefano is a third-generation winemaker and his family have worked these soils for over fifty years. The vineyards are a mix of ancient seabed and morainic sediment, planted with many old vines and a wide range of local varieties. Reds include Corvina, Rossanella, Rondinella and Molinara, while the whites feature Fernanda, Moscato, Trebbianello, Trebbiano, Garganega and Tocai.

In the cellar, the wines are made with spontaneous fermentations and no temperature control, turning this brilliant fruit into wines that are full of life.