Cà Mail Lugana Brut Metodo Classico. The sparkling wine was made entirely from Turbiana grapes.

In early November we attended a wine tasting of Turbiana wines from the Lugana DOC in Northern Italy. The DOC lies south of Lake Garda. Turbiana is the main white varietal grape in this region of Italy. The wines are divided into Lugana, Lugana Superiore and Lugana Riserva. The superior wines have been aged for a year while the riserva wines have been aged for a minimum of two years of which six months of that time the wines are aged in the bottle. Many of the producers also make a sparkling (spumante) Luguna.

Grapes have been cultivated and wine crafted in this area since the time of the Roman Empire. Lake Garda is a large lake in Italy, and provides about 30% of Italy’s fresh water. The lake helps control the temperatures in the vineyards. The soils are mostly clay and stone. The Lugana DOC has 4,628 acres under vine. The region produces 15 million bottles of wine of which 70% is exported.

We arrived at the Italian restaurant Café Milano in the Georgetown area of Washington DC. Our Lugana wine and lunch was held in the Wine Room on the second floor. Notable in this room was the wall of cooper colored shingles that were backlit. This was a perfect setting for a presentation of the Luguna Consortium and several Luguna Turbiana wines. The Lugana Consortium promotes, markets and protects the wines produced in the DOC.

Café Milano in the Georgetown area of Washington DC

During our lunch, representatives from the Luguna Consortium discussed their wines. They believe that the United States is a potential market for Lugana wines made from the Turbiana grape. We discussed white wines that were similar to Turbiana. Some mentioned Pinot Grigio, Chenin Blanc, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. If you like Pinot Grigio, you will probably like wines crafted with Turbiana, especially those from the Luguna DOC.

Wines

Prior to lunch, we had a chance to try several wines. I started with the Cà Mail Lugana Brut Metodo Classico. The sparkling wine was made entirely from Turbiana grapes. It had a yellow color with multiple columns of tiny bubbles forming a mousse on the surface. The sparkling wine offered citrus and freshly baked bread on the aroma and taste. The finish was crisp and palate cleansing. Producers have a challenge in selling a sparkling wine. The Luguna wine region lies between Prosecco and Franciacorta.

One of my favorite pre-lunch wines was the 2013 Cà Lojera Luguna Riserva del Lupo. The yellow colored wine had a floral aroma. The smooth mouthfeel had a taste that was complex with layers of roses, daisies, citrus and a faint hint of petrol.

2016 Cantina La Pergola Lugana DOC paired with an arugula salad with pears, goat cheese, hazelnuts and Sardinian bread.

During lunch we had several Luguna Turbiana wines. The 2016 Cantina La Pergola Lugana DOC was a light yellow color. The wine had mineral and floral notes on the aroma. The taste reminded me of roses, honeysuckle, mineral and a hint of tropical fruit.  The wine was paired with the Antipasti course consisting of an arugula salad with pears, goat cheese, hazelnuts and Sardinian bread. The finish was crisp. The 2016 Tenuta Roveglia Lugana Limne DOC was also a light yellow color. The wine offered lemon and tropical fruits. The crisp finish yielded to a mineral aftertaste. The wine was paired with the first Prime course, a house made tortilla pasta filled with pumpkin and parmigiana cheese, butter, sage and almond sauce.

For the second Prime course we had the 2016 Selva Capuzza Lugana DOC. This wine was yellow colored with floral and oak notes on the aroma. The taste had orange blossoms, vanilla and butterscotch. The finish had mineral and citrus. The wine was paired with Tagliolini pasta with green beans, potatoes and basil pesto. For the Second course, we had the 2013 Perla del Garda Luguna Riserva Madre Perla. The wine spent two years in stainless steel tanks and had a light yellow color and offered an aroma and taste of flowers and citrus. The finish was crisp. This wine was paired with Branzino filet in a white wine sauce with seasonal vegetables.

2016 Selva Capuzza Lugana DOC paired with Tagliolini pasta with green beans, potatoes and basil pesto.

The Dolce course had a 2014 Maragona Lugana DOC Vendemmia Tardiva. The yellow colored wine’s aroma was floral and sweet. The taste reminded me of honeysuckle and citrus. This late harvest wine had less that 20 g/L of residual sugar. The finish had mineral notes. It was paired with house-made cookies and biscotti.

If you enjoy white wines, search for a Turbiana wine from the Lugana DOC. It should pair nicely with holiday fare.

Cheers,
Terry