The Lugana Wines of Lake Garda

Lugana mapLugana DOC in northern Italy is unusual in that it straddles two regions, Veneto and Lombardy. Having a cross regional appellation is uncommon, but the decisive factor here is the huge Lake Garda. It is the lake that creates the conditions for these wines, and the border between Veneto and Lombardy runs straight down the middle.

Formed by glacial activity over 10,000 years ago, the retreat of the glaciers left behind morainic hills rich in clay, limestone, and mineral salts. This compact soil naturally limits vine growth, and temperature in the vineyards are moderated by the lake and its breezes, which also keep disease and mildew at bay.

The long growing season is ideal for the local variety, known as Turbiana. Locally, some still refer to it as Trebbiano di Lugana, but in fact DNA analysis has confirmed it has its own distinct genome from the Trebbiano grown in nearby appellations. It is closely related to the Verdicchio of the Marche region.

Turbiana grows in compact bunches and retains high levels of tartaric acid. That makes it ideal for the production of sparkling wines, but also lends freshness to young wines. The acidity also gives Lugana wines at Reserve level the potential to be cellared for a decade or more. Three levels of still wine are bottled (as well as sparkling and late harvest): Lugana DOC constitutes 90% of production and is youthful and fresh, almost always made of 100% Turbiana in stainless steel tanks. Lugana Superiore DOC has a minimum of one year maturation, usually partly in oak, but larger, older barrels. Lugana Riserva DOC must be aged a minimum of 24 months, six months of which are in bottle, the rest often in barrels of varying sizes.

Bottles of wineI recently presented a tasting of eight wines from Lugana to UK wine journalists, on behalf of the Lugana DOC Consorzio, the body which represents Lugana’s wines and winegrowers.

This was made up of four Lugana DOC wines, one at Superiore level and two Riserva examples. The final wine was another Lugana DOC, but a little bit different in that it was a skin-contact, ‘natural wine’ style, and something of an outlier in this set of wines.

These wines are charming. The common theme across the DOC wines is a gentle, downy peachiness of fruit, but allied to crisp and quite salty/mineral acidity. The Superiore and Riserva wines wore their barrel-maturation very lightly, the character just a little more phenolic and intense.

The Wines

(2024) Farmed by four generations, hillside vineyards begin just ten kilometres from Lake Garda. Soft pressing followed by light maceration on the skins and six months in steel barrels. Moderately deep straw/lemon colour, and a sense of mealiness with a hint of almond to the fruitiness. Quite an exotic character to this, both aromas and then fruit on the palate flirting with lychee and mango, copious ripeness and a little phenolic edge adding to the acidity too.
(2024) Founded 1938, the Franzosi family originally produced a limited quantity of wine and olive oil from six hectares of land. Today, their vineyard covers 25 hectares, plus an additional 15 hectares which they manage. Fermentation is in stainless steel followed by ageing in bottle. There's a softening almond and oatmeal nuance to the fresh sliced apple and more peachy fruit here. Clean, well-balanced palate, the acidity braces and extends into a long, pleasing finish that is dry and food-friendly.
(2024) From a 200-year-old winery owned by the Begnoni family, who have a focus on sustainability and environmental protection. This comes from hillside vineyards of carbonate minerals and clays and was fermented and given short ageing in stainless steel. A particularly peachy, soft and fragrant wine, a crisp golden delious crunch and bite of acidity freshens the palate, but it zips along with abundant fruit and zest.
(2024) From third generation winemakers this is 100% Turbiana from hillside vineyards. Hand-selected fruit is softly whole bunch pressed and fermented in stainless steel. It's a zippy example, aromas of juicy apple, confit lemon and a hint of peach. The palate has texture and plenty of sweetness, then that brisk acidity and sparky brightness of the fruit, edged with a little saltiness powers through. No UK stockists at time of review.
(2024) 100% Turbiana from hillside slopes at 150-250 metres on calcareous clay soil, vineyards 20 years old. After fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel, it aged 10 months in a combination of steel and small barrels. A fresh, floral and quite mineral nose, subtle almond nuttiness. In the mouth this has a clarity, tension and brightness - even edginess - compared to some. Fresh, crisp and appley acidity adds to the impression.
(2024) A separate company from Carlo Zenegaglia, also reviewed: Vittorio Zenegaglia left his vineyards to two sons, whose descendants now run the respective companies. The third and fourth generation here farm 25 hectares, this from the oldest vines of the estate on calcareous and clay soils. It was fermented in a combination of stainless steel and French oak tonneaux, then spent 18 months in barrel, six in bottle. A little depth to the colour, and an intense peach and jasmine-touched aromatic. The barrel adds just a creamy edge of richness. In the mouth the juiciness is delicious, a mouth-watering combination of zesty grapefruit and lime with a core of nectarine.
(2024) Sourced from vines over 40 years old, this spent two years in barrel and a further six months in bottle before release. Gorgeous almond-touched, ripe peach and juicy red apple aromas. The palate has texture and nuttiness, again almond and a classic bitter almond nuances, just gently ramping up the intensity into a long finish balanced by a fat lemony acidity.
(2024) Ambra Zanetti is the third generation winemaker at this family estate, where vines are up to 60 years old, and yields very low. Work in the vineyards observes some biodynamic principles, but the wine is not certified biodynamic. It was fermented and aged in concrete vats with a 24 hour maceration with skins, them 24 months in vat. It certainly stands out among the Lugana wines tasted here, much more herbal, leafy and limey. There is that lightly earthy, kaolin and yeasty note too. The palate has a little phenolic grippiness and this is a citrus, acid-driven style. It has texture, a little nuttiness and good length with a certain juiciness. Different, but very good.

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