Ca’ Lustra: a winemaking story of entrepreneurship, courage and territory

We are in the Faedo Valley, in the heart of the Euganean Hills Regional Park — a small yet highly vocated winemaking area southwest of Padua, which in 2024 was designated as an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

It is here that Ca’ Lustra — whose history is written by the Zanovello family — has been operating for 50 years with a deep commitment to sustainability and love for the land. How much have the territory and microclimate influenced the birth of the company's first nucleus?

“The Euganean Hills are an open-air school of geology, with volcanic rocks and soils often interspersed with limestones of different ages and origins. These geological features make them a synonym for both wildlife and botanical biodiversity. The climate is decidedly more Mediterranean compared to the regional average. Mild winters and hot, dry summers, with significant temperature variations, make the Euganean Hills an ideal area for cultivating a wide variety of grapevines and crops such as olive trees, chestnuts, cherries, mulberries, figs. Ca’ Lustra embraces this great pedoclimatic variability by working with both native varieties — such as Moscati, Pinella, Garganega, Tai Bianco, Manzoni Bianco, Turchetta, Corbinella — as well as international varieties, particularly the Bordeaux grapes, which have been producing remarkable expressions in the Euganean Hills since the late 19th century.”

This is where 'it all began,' growing into a company recognized as a benchmark in the region’s winemaking industry. But nothing comes to life without the hard work and enthusiasm of people. Would you like to tell us more about it?

“Yes, that’s right. Even after so many years, the key factor that allows us to achieve our most important goals is the human element. Ca’ Lustra was founded in 1977 thanks to the courage of my father, Franco Zanovello, who, as a curious and passionate young man, decided to dedicate his life to viticulture. Over time, the constant desire to experiment and improve has led to steady growth, allowing us to develop an increasingly deep-rooted presence in the region, also thanks to the commitment of the people who work with us.”

Today, Ca’ Lustra spans about 40 hectares, with 25 dedicated to vineyards, while the rest consists of olive groves, woodlands and pastures. The company is now led by Franco’s children, Marco and Linda, who continue the work with the same dedication, supported by a team of experienced collaborators.

“Living in this environment has taught us that the land alone is not enough. It is the people who, with passion and dedication, give it a voice. Marco and I are fortunate to have a close-knit, attentive and passionate team who share our same love for the vineyards and the Euganean Hills.

It is a story of relationships and authenticity. The scent of grass and earth that we have breathed in since childhood and the joy of playing among the vineyards have, at a certain point in our lives, become our profession — an emotional transition before a generational one.

Our daily responsibility is to work according to a regenerative philosophy. Agronomic choices and meticulous care in every stage of cultivation—often carried out manually — are essential for achieving quality results without forcing nature. This goes beyond simply respecting the environment. By carefully tending to the vineyard, we have reached the point where we no longer need to irrigate — except in exceptional cases — or fertilize the soil.”

I imagine that issues such as global warming and climate change have a significant impact on crop management.

“Yes and we can no longer consider these events as merely occasional. Climate change has been affecting vineyards for over 15 years. For a long time now — and even more so today — it is essential to take a forward-thinking approach. We have tackled this issue by selecting grape varieties that can adapt to hotter and drier conditions and by identifying new vineyard sites with cooler exposures. At the same time, we experiment with different vineyard management and winemaking techniques. This approach allows us to produce wines that are structured, harmonious and never heavy, capable of evolving with finesse over time.

At Ca’ Lustra’s winery, we apply the same philosophy. Each vineyard’s grapes are vinified separately to preserve the unique characteristics of each cru. Fermentations are traditional, using indigenous yeasts, with no clarifications and minimal use of sulfites. Time, now as then, is the fundamental element. The wine achieves stability by patiently aging for years in oak barrels, concrete or steel, becoming a fine wine. This process allows us to produce complex, long-lived wines that highlight the characteristics of each vintage and vineyard.”

Shall we conclude by talking about your wines?

“In fact, we already talked about them: for us wine is everything we have described — it is not just a product to be sold. It represents environmental stewardship, the entrepreneurial courage of research, the aesthetic and cultural value of cultivation and landscape and the social and economic responsibility of agricultural enterprises.”

The Ca’ Lustra Zanovello wine range reflects the rich pedoclimatic diversity of the Euganean Hills through a variety of white, red and sweet wines.

Alongside the two historic lines — Ca’ Lustra wines, recognizable by the iconic label featuring the Faedo Valley, and the Zanovello Selections, which stem from deep knowledge of the territory and continuous experimentation — we have, in recent years, introduced the Author's Proofs line. This collection consists of micro-productions, ranging from 100 to 1,000 bottles each, where we experiment with new vineyard management and winemaking techniques, as well as ancient native varieties, while adopting practices that further reduce environmental impact.

Hospitality, Wine tourism and Culture

The Ca’ Lustra winery shop is open daily for tastings and guided wine experiences. Surrounded by vineyards, woodlands and olive groves, visitors can discover the Euganean territory — a hidden gem rich in history and beauty.

During winery tours, the Ca’ Lustra team is available to share insights and satisfy all curiosities, taking guests on a journey through history and passion for the world of wine.