History
Prince-Bishops’ summer residence
Maso Toresella originated in the 16th century on the shore of Lake Toblino. Founded by the Prince Bishops of Trento and used for a long period as their summer residence, the property retains a 16th-century residence as its oldest architectural component.
Early 20th-century addition
An early 20th-century neo-Renaissance villa was subsequently added to the historic residence. Together, the two buildings form the architectural core of an estate encircled by vineyards.
1988 — development of the Il Maso project
Maso Toresella was the place where Cavit developed its first Il Maso wine project, created to pursue exceptionally high quality through research into the most suitable production conditions. Launched in 1988 in collaboration with the Istituto Enologico di San Michele all’Adige, now Fondazione Edmund Mach, the broader project later expanded to approximately 140 hectares of vineyards distributed across Trentino.
Research estate and representative venue
Maso Toresella now serves as Cavit’s representative and corporate-events venue. Its vineyards supply the white wines bearing the estate’s name, while Cavit’s agronomic team uses the property to test advanced viticultural techniques. In 2021, the estate at Madruzzo was selected alongside Maso Romani for the installation and activation of prototype IoT phenological stations supplied by Fondazione Edmund Mach.
Terroir
Maso Toresella stands in Valle dei Laghi, among the mountains at the foot of the Dolomites and a short distance from Lake Garda. The vineyard lies beside Lake Toblino in the cadastral commune of Calavino, at approximately 250 metres above sea level.
The landscape was formed when the Sarca River’s alluvial cone obstructed the valley. This cone consists of material transported downstream and deposited by the river over time.
The climate is sub-Mediterranean and is marked by the persistent Ora del Garda breeze. This constant airflow contributes to conditions associated with finesse and elegance in the estate’s wines.
The lakeside environment supports sub-Mediterranean vegetation. Downy oak, black hornbeam and manna ash alternate with dense holm-oak woods, the latter characteristic of Mediterranean environments.
Winemaking
The estate vineyard is worked and harvested by hand. Chardonnay is planted in row-trained vineyards at more than 5,000 vines per hectare, while the varieties destined for the Bianco Cuvée are Guyot-trained at approximately 5,000 vines per hectare.
For the 2023 Chardonnay, harvest took place manually at the end of September. The four Bianco Cuvée varieties were also hand-picked and harvested separately during the final ten days of September. An English technical sheet additionally records a yield of 60 hl/ha for the Cuvée blend.
Maso Toresella also functions as an experimental vineyard. Cavit’s agronomic team tests advanced viticultural techniques here. In 2021, Fondazione Edmund Mach supplied prototype IoT phenological stations for installation and activation at Maso Toresella and Maso Romani in collaboration with Cavit’s viticulture office.
Maso Toresella Chardonnay
The 2023 Chardonnay was harvested by hand at the end of September. After destemming and crushing, the must remained in contact with the skins for 12 hours at 10°C to encourage aromatic extraction.
Fermentation took place entirely in lightly toasted oak barriques. One third of the barrels were new and the remaining two thirds were in their second or third use. The wine then matured in barrique for eight months, after which the lots were assembled and rested for several weeks in a stainless-steel tank. Bottling took place in July 2024, followed by further bottle ageing.
Maso Toresella Bianco Cuvée
Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay provide the largest shares of the blend, supplemented by Riesling Renano and Gewürztraminer. The varieties are harvested manually and separately.
Following destemming and crushing, the must undergoes a six-hour cold maceration at 10°C in contact with the skins. It is then separated from the solids and fermented in stainless steel at a controlled temperature no higher than 18°C. The component wines are vinified separately before blending. The finished wine remains on its lees until bottling; an English technical sheet also specifies a further eight months of bottle maturation before release.
Philosophy
Maso Toresella embodies the Il Maso concept: wines tied to a precisely defined place and to varieties selected for their suitability to that place. The collection treats each vineyard origin as a cru whose character changes with each harvest.
The approach combines close vineyard care, advanced viticultural experimentation and wine-specific cellar methods. The Il Maso project was conceived around the interaction of viticultural and oenological strategies, supported from its inception by research with the Istituto Enologico di San Michele all’Adige. Production is limited, and the bottles in the wider Il Maso collection are numbered.