Y’all may not know this, but I taste a lot of wine. Shocking, I know! Some of the wines are spectacular, some are good, some are ok, and some are meh. But every so often, a wine comes along that stops me cold. And makes me wonder where the hell it’s been all my life! Italy’s Lugana wines did just that for me. How had I not known about these wines? I mean, Lugana is a whole DOC! It’s like someone didn’t want to let me in on a secret. I recently went to a Lugana Masterclass and was truly blown away!
From the first glass to the last, I felt like I was blissfully drinking sunshine in a glass while sailing the blue seas with more of the sun’s rays shining down on my face. I also live in a place that’s hot AF and we need this wine here! Let’s get down to the who, where, what, and why of Lugana wines.
Who are the Lugana DOC?
The Lugana DOC is a region that is all about quality, small production. Here, you’ll only find boutique, family-owned vineyards and wineries (around 220 grape growers and 19 wineries) as opposed to large corporate or cooperative producers. Everyone knows everyone and there is a shared goal of working together to showcase the best of this under-the-radar region. In fact, it is because of the small scale presence that the region can turn out high-quality, and delicious wines.
And for a region that I knew so little about (and don’t ever recall encountering during my wine studies) Lugana has quite a long history. Grapes have been grown in the region since Roman times. The DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) was established in 1967, and was one of the first 10 DOCs in all of Italy and the first in Lombardy.
Where is Lugana?
The Lugana DOC is located on the southern part of Lake Garda in northern Italy. It straddles both the regions of Lombardy and Veneto as well as the provinces of Brescia and Verona. It’s actually just east of one of my fave regions – Franciacorta. I seriously need to get on a plane and visit both! A one hour train ride from Venice, and you’re there.
With the influence of Lake Garda, the region enjoys a mild, moderate Mediterranean climate. Vineyards, located in clay-rich soils, are planted in a north-south orientation due to the winds that come off the lake. These characteristics lead to wines with excellent balance and even contribute to aging potential.
And the physical region is just as beautiful as what’s in the bottle. If ever there was a region to visit, it’s Lugana. With the beauty of Lake Garda as a backdrop, the region offers up hot springs, hiking, beaches, sailing, olive groves, and of course the wine. What’s not to love?
What are Lugana Wines?
The region is known for one grape – Turbiana, which is also known as Trebbiano di Lugana. But yeah, it’s not actually one of the Trebbiano varieties and instead is more closely related to (but not the same as) Verdicchio, which I’ve waxed poetic about as one of my grilling wines. It’s indigenous to the area and you’re unlikely to find it growing anywhere else. For me, that makes it truly special and seems to track what wine lovers these days are looking for – authentic, local, home-grown wines. Small amounts of other grapes may show up in the region’s wines (up to 10% non-aromatic white varieties allowed) but make no mistake, it’s all about Turbiana. And in practice, most producers make 100% Turbiana wines.
But with that one grape, wines are made in a number of styles. As they like to say in Lugana – “one grape with a thousand nuances.” And how true that is! Lugana wines can be light-bodied and easy-drinking aperitivo style to fuller-bodied wines that can pair with a meal. Overall, the wines are noted for their bright acidity, floral aromas, as well as of citrus, almond, and mineral characteristics.
Lugana
Bearing just the Lugana name, these wines are the foundation of the region and tend to be young and fresh. They typically do not undergo barrel or “sur lie” aging (things that typically add complexity) but instead offer up lean and fresh characteristics with vibrant acidity. This acid-head was quite a fan! Think delicate and elegant with citrus, almond, stone fruit, minerals, and salinity.
Lugana Superiore
These wines are required to be aged for at least a year and tend to be more developed and more complex. With that aging, the wines may appear a little darker gold in the glass and you may pick up characteristics beyond citrus fruit, nuts, and minerals like herbs, orchard fruit, and even some spice. With some barrel aging (typically neutral), the wines tend to have a rounder, richer, less sharp mouthfeel, but the hallmark minerality and acidity is still there.
Lugana Riserva
Moving on up the quality pyramid, “Riserva” wines must be aged for at least 24 months, with at least 6 months in the bottle. Here, there’s much more depth of flavor and increased complexity. And because the production is so small, these are a little more difficult to come by. Another reason to hop on a plane and visit up close and personal. For these wines, a little patience can yield great rewards as many of them age beautifully when held for 3-5 years. But if you can’t wait, well that’s all good too. Either way, the mouthfeel on these wines is amazing offering up nice richness balanced by great acidity.
Lugana Vendemmia Tardiva
I love a well-crafted Alsace Vendange Tardive, so was thrilled to see this as a category for Lugana wines. For those not in the know, “vendage tardive” is French for “late harvest” and generally refers to a sweeter, dessert style wine. Basically, the grapes hang on the vines longer and the sugars get really concentrated in the grapes. But no worries, this is not some syrupy, sweet wine. With the higher levels of acidity, Lugana wines strike a great balance with the sweeter, richer fruit. And if you’re still on the “I can’t drink sweet wine bandwagon” just move along and leave these for me!
Lugana Spumante
Yes, my lovelies, there are sparkling versions of Lugana! Wines are made using either using the Charmat Method (the same method as Prosecco) or the Traditional Method (along the likes of Champagne, Cava, and Franciacorta). The Charmat wines will be fresh, simple, and easy-drinking with more fruit forward characteristics while the Traditional Method wines will show more developed fruit characteristics and offer up more complexity. Can’t miss me with either!
Why Lugana Wines?
Because I felt transported. I felt the cool water, the warm sunshine, the salt, the purity of fruit in those amazing sips of wine.
I loved the versatility. It was eye-opening to taste so many expressions of a single grape. Whether you want a fresh, youthful wine or a more complex, age-worthy expression, you can get that in Lugana wines. Those different expressions in the wine means a wide range of pairing options. The locals enjoy their wines with risotto, local pasta with sardines, trout from Lake Garda, clams linguine, and fried calamari. Yes, please! If I’m looking closer to home, pork carnitas, crispy roasted chicken (fried chicken would be amazing too!), pan-seared red snapper, lobster roll, a fried shrimp po-boy, or just simple guac and chips would all go well. And they are so affordable. On wine.com the wines are generally in the $20-25 range. This is also likely the best place to grab a couple.
Plus, anyone that lives in Houston and has been without power – in July – needs these wines in their lives. Beyond that, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc lovers would be big fans. Just imagine a richer style Chenin and you’d be in the ball park. And if you’re a bubbly fan, yes, Lugana is for you too! Better late than never, I’m thrilled that Lugana wines have entered my life!
** Cover image courtesy Consorzio Tutela Lugana D.O.C.
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