The journey of wine cannot be measured by years. Sixty-four years lose their significance when they become part of something bigger. They form an unbreakable bond with the earth, like roots sinking deep into the ground and vines reaching out for what lies above. This bond, held together by loyalty and the teachings passed on from father to son, ties us to our soil.
Will, commitment, and courage nourish our dreams that we keep alive with hard work, day after day, season after season.
During three generations, the Bonomo family has been building their fortune following a simple practice: a respectful approach is key to telling a territory's story. Monte del Frà is a unique treasure that must be preserved with pride and shared with the world.
On the hills near Sommacampagna, between Custoza and Staffalo, there is a wine estate surrounded by the moraine hills of Lake Garda. The estate was founded as a monastery by friars from Santa Maria Della Scala, who grew their own food to live off-the land in perpetuity. But they also made wine, which is how their legacy keeps living on today. Almost two centuries later, in 1958, Massimo Bonomo rented two rooms and the adjacent fields. His family opened a Frasca, a typical Venetian bulk wine shop. They made wine and grew peaches, strawberries, and wheat.
Then, on August 8, 1988, the big turnaround: Massimo Bonomo's sons, Eligio and Claudio, decided to turn their father's business around. They converted all family lands into vineyards and established the Monte del Frà wine estate as their only financial foothold.
After years of growth and hard work, the family would soon add new DOC-classified territories: Valpolicella, Custoza, Lugana, Soave, and Bardolino. Today, the family owns 137 hectares/338 acres and works another rented 68/168.
Today, after over 60 years, the Bonomo family is still managing Monte del Frà: the second generation, with the brothers Eligio and Claudio, has been joined by the third with Marica,
Silvia, and Massimo. The years pass, and the generations change, but something will always stay the same: the utter commitment to the land. Today, Custoza, Bardolino, Chiaretto, and Frattino have been joined by new labels that have become a mere reference for Italian quality wine.
Today, the property holds about 200 hectares/494 acres of cultivated land in the Custoza, Valpolicella Classica, Lugana, and Bardolino areas, becoming the leading Venetian quality winemaker.
Monte del Frà proves itself as faithful to the land, taking care of the territory with loyalty and foresight and promoting sustainable projects as well as initiatives of restructuring and extension.
A limited edition of 6000 bottles of Sexaginta, the most characteristic of Custoza Monte del Frà, is presented in honor of the 60th anniversary of the Bonomo family.
Monte del Frà opened its gates to the public, offering wine tourism with Silvia Bonomo, who, up to today, has been holding guided tours for the estate's guests.
The Bonomo family acquired Valpolicella Classico vineyards purchasing the Lena di Mezzo estate in the village of Fumane. They started to produce the most renowned wines in the area that today are exported to more than 60 countries.
After the estate had been passed on to the sons Claudio and Eligio, the Bonomo Family decided to commit to winemaking thoroughly. The year after, the first wine from the winery would be bottled: the Cà del Magro.
The start of the agricultural activity at Monte del Frà: Massimo Bonomo rented two rooms on the estate and the surrounding lands, opened a Frasca, a typical bulk wine shop in rural Veneto, and made wine and grew peaches, strawberries, and wheat.
The Friars of the Order Santa Maria Della Scala settled down in the area and started growing and producing all they needed to live self-sufficiently. They discovered a particularly favorable environment to make wine and oil. This is evidenced by a document preserved in the Verona Chapter Library, the oldest existing library in the world.
There are many ways to make wine - at Monte del Frà, we do it our way: with loyalty, caution, awareness, and knowledge. Sustainability at Monte del Frà (SQNPI-certified; Italian certificate for integrated farming) does not only include green manure, sexual confusion, micro-drip irrigation, and no chemical weeding; it is a common thread running through the fields to the cellar.
It is not a marketing strategy but a philosophy put into practice through our actions, decisions, and sensitivity.
We believe in local workforces and local raw materials; we work with recycled paper, sustainable glass, and circular use of energy and water resources.
The extensive winery renovation and expansion project, which will be completed in 2025, aims to achieve maximum production sustainability. We are constantly looking for ways to boost efficiency through the technological innovation of winemaking processes. Based on a sustainable and ethical philosophy, we can allow the land to express itself.
We don't do this for profit but for the love of our home.
Art-exhibition open to the public from Tuesday to Saturday
From 9:00 to 12:00 / 14:00 to 18:30
Azienda Agricola Monte del Frà
Strada Custoza, 35 – Sommacampagna 37066 (VR)
Join our wine tastings around the world and get advantages during your guided tours at our cellar
