Ca'maiol Italian White
Turbiana from Lake Garda, poured in Commack for decades.
The story behind Ca'maiol
Ca'maiol was founded in 1967 by Milanese entrepreneur Walter Contato, who that same year helped found the Consortium for the Protection of Lugana DOC. The name comes from Cascina Maiolo, the estate manor house built in 1710 on the southern shore of Lake Garda in Lombardy. Santa Margherita Gruppo Vinicolo has held a majority stake since 2017.
The estate works exclusively with Turbiana, the thick-skinned local grape also called Trebbiano di Lugana, grown in layered, lime-rich morainic clay left by ancient glaciers. That soil is why the wines taste saline and structured rather than simply fruity. Whites ferment and rest on the lees in temperature-controlled stainless steel; the single-vineyard Molin sees partial aging in lightly toasted French oak.
Explore the Ca'maiol range
Four Ca'maiol bottlings reach us from Lugana, one still white grape, four different weights. Start with Giome, finish with Molin.
| Expression | Type | Proof / ABV | Tasting notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ca'maiol Giome | White, Lugana DOC | About 13% ABV | Light body, citrus, white peach, soft almond finish |
| Ca'maiol Lugana | White, Lugana DOC | About 13% ABV | Crisp green apple, lime zest, saline mineral close |
| Ca'maiol Molin | White, single vineyard | 13 to 13.5% ABV | Older vines, French oak, richer and structural |
| Ca'maiol Chiaretto | Rosé, Valtènesi | About 12.5% ABV | Pale pink, red berry, dry and fresh |
| Ca'maiol Prestige | White, Lugana DOC | 12.5 to 13.5% ABV | Flagship, white pepper, saline, long finish |
Which Ca'maiol is right for you?
These are honest prices for Lugana. Ca'maiol Giome, Lugana and Chiaretto all sit at $15.99, and the single-vineyard Molin is $17.99. Compare that to the $20 to $26 the Molin usually commands elsewhere and the case math gets easy. Turbiana holds its acidity, so a bottle chilled in the fridge on Friday still drinks well Sunday. Buy Ca'maiol online or walk in and we will pull it from the shelf. Stock moves quickly on the Molin.
Light, dry and $15.99, so opening a second bottle costs little.
Saline and crisp, built for clams, trout and a plate of raw oysters.
Single vineyard, older vines, oak contact, the one that rewards a few years.