What is it about Lugana wines that I love? Is it the fact that I don't see them very often in the UK, so when I have a chance to taste one, I positively relish the opportunity? Is there something intrinsic about the styles of wine produced by the Turbiana grape that I particularly enjoy? Do the wines match the types of food that I prefer to eat? Well this is what I wanted to find out when I had the chance to join a Lugana Zoom tasting in July.
Lugana is a DOC white wine region on the southern shores of Lake Garda, the largest lake in Italy. The area has been planted with vines since Roman times and it's also one of the few wine regions that crosses over two provinces - Brescia and Verona - and two regions - Lombardy and Veneto.
Lugana DOC was established in 1967, the first DOC in Lombardy and one of the first in the whole of Italy. Wines classified as Lugana DOC can be made in five communes - Peschiera del Garda, Desenzano del Garda, Lonato del Garda, Sirmione and Pozzolengo.
Lake Garda was formed by glacial activity more than 10,000 years ago. As the ancient glacier melted, it left behind the morainic hills which we see today. Vineyards stretch from the lake to these hills on land that is relatively flat.
The lightly coloured, mineral-rich soil here is primarily dense clay with limestone, but is also sandy in some places. The climate is mild, with temperatures and growing conditions moderated by the cooling influences of the lake. Indeed, the Peler (cold night wind from the north) and Ora (warm daily wind from the south) keep the north/south-facing, Guyot-trained vineyards relatively free from disease. As a result, the thick-skinned, late-ripening Turbiana grape variety thrives in this area.
Once thought to be part of the Trebbiano family and, indeed, previously known as Trebbiano di Lugana, DNA research has shown that it is closely related to Verdicchio. However, it does have its own distinct characteristics.
One of Turbiana's most important features is its ability to maintain high levels of tartaric acid that lends freshness to young wines, while also giving Reserve wines aging potential of up to a decade or more. This high acidity makes the grape extremely versatile for both still and sparkling wines, which can pair successfully with many different types of food.
There are five different styles of Lugana DOC wine:-
Both tank and classic method fermentations are used. The wines are bright in colour and show a delicate fruit character, typically with crisp, citrus and creamy, bready notes.
Representing almost 90% of the DOC, these wines are pale straw-coloured, sometimes with a slight green tinge and characteristically show delicate floral, green apple, pear or peach, citrus and almond notes.
After a minimum of 12 months' ageing, these gold-coloured wines tend to have an aromatic and richer fruit profile, including notes of citrus, ripe apple, tropical fruit, herbs, hazelnut, almond, spice and minerality.
After a minimum of 24 months' ageing, of which 6 must be in bottle, these bright gold-coloured wines show more complex and evolved notes, such as gunflint, tangy fruit flavours of lemon, apple or pineapple, minerality and a long finish.
A dessert wine made by allowing the grapes to overripen on the vine between late October and early November. This results in rich, concentrated stone fruit flavours, but not an excessively sweet style, with acidity balanced by the residual sugar.
There is currently a trend among producers to use less oak for Lugana Superiore and Lugana Riserva, preferring lees ageing in stainless steel, as well as mixed maturation (part stainless steel and part wood).
The following wines were presented in an online tasting this summer, led by wine writer Richard Baudains.
Nose: Fairly aromatic with notes of wet grass, lemon peel and herbs.
Palate: Characterful and tangy with mouth-watering acidity, salinity and minerality plus notes of preserved lemons, herbs and a hint of tropical fruit.
Food pairings: Fish goujons, white anchovy starters, light summer green salads.
Nose: Fresh and floral with hints of citrus, almond/apple blossom and a touch of wisteria flowers.
Palate: A saline tang with notes of lemon and lime cordial, melon and juicy, sweet stone fruit plus a touch of almond and peach kernel on the mineral finish.
Food pairings: Many fish courses or salads.
Nose: Hints of peach, lemon and tropical fruit.
Palate: Racy acidity with ripe, juicy peach and green pear fruitiness plus peach kernel minerality, a touch of green almonds, a savoury edge and a saline tingle on the persistent finish.
Food pairings: White fish goujons, nut roasts, various salads.
Classy-looking label too!
Nose: Notes of honey, spring flowers, gala melon and a slight hint of smoke.
Palate: A richer texture than the above wines with notes of honey, melon, peach, wet stone and a hint of smoked almonds.
Food pairings: Versatile for a variety of dishes, including fatty fish, tandoori lamb chops (yes, I know that's a little off-piste!), mixed seafood salads and roasted cauliflower.
Nose: A touch of pear cordial with lemon, lime and hints of stone fruit and oak.
Palate: Expressive, soft and textured with good acidity, notes of citrus, peach and brown butter with a slightly oaky mouthfeel on the long finish.
Food pairings: Roast chicken, chicken casserole, fish pie, shellfish, various cheeses.
Nose: Mildly floral with fruity notes of lemon, underripe white peach and hints of oak and smoke.
Palate: Citric acidity and a savoury mouthfeel with a bitter lemon and ginger edge, a touch of smoky oak and a slightly drying, mineral finish.
Food pairings: Veal casserole, hard cheeses, various fish and risottos.
Nose: Touches of citrus, grated almonds and white peach with floral hints.
Palate: Similar notes of citrus and stone fruit, with a touch of crème caramel and a saline, mineral edge that persists on the long finish.
Food pairings: Very versatile, but particularly good for grilled fish.
Nose: Delicately floral with hints of apple, smoke, vanilla and papaya.
Palate: Mineral, saline and a little smoky with fruity notes of citrus and peach plus a hint of buttered bread, finishing with a cleansing touch of peach stone bitterness.
Food pairings: Great with oysters, white fish, hard cheeses, pasta and turkey dishes.
You can read find more information about the Lugana DOC region and its wines on the Consorzio Lugana website.
