Lugana, Italy, is a picturesque area in northern Italy that stretches across both the regions of Lombardy and the Veneto. The Lugana area is comprised of clay soil and receives great influence from the breezes that come off the famous Lake Garda that aid in the development of the popular white wine of the region, also called Lugana. So you have Lugana the region and the name of the wine.
Lugana white wine, a hidden gem that many outside Europe do not know about, is made from the grape turbiana, which is native to the region and also known as trebbiano di Lugana. Turbiana is a medium size, thick-skinned grape that results in white wines with a fresh vibrancy, great minerality and notes of almonds and citrus fruits. While it has aging potential, the wines are best to be enjoyed while young within a couple of years of the label’s vintage. The wines marry well with the region’s cuisine, which is predominantly seafood and vegetables. Lugana is also a good partner for the New England summer cuisine of shellfish, fresh tomato and corn salads, and grilled white fish. Red wines are lesser known in this area, still present in lesser quantities and made mostly from grapes indigenous to the region.
I had the great opportunity to visit Lugana earlier this year, meeting with one of the families producing Lugana wines. Lombardy is where the vineyard Cà dei Frati is located, specifically in Lugana’s Sirmione town that borders the southern end of Lake Garda. With a history dating back as early as 1782, Cà dei Frati is one of the most unique producers of white wine donning the same name Lugana.
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LUGANA EXPORT: Cà dei Frati is one of the vineyards that produces Lugana white wine in the region of northern Italy with the same name.
COURTESY JESSICA NORRIS GRANATIERO[/caption]
Family-owned by the Dal Cero family since its inception in 1939, Cà dei Frati is in its third generation. Felice Dal Cero was the patriarch who began cultivating the vines and the start of the company. It was not until 30 years later that his son Pietro bottled his first DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllate) label in Lugana and was a prominent figure in the creation of the Lugana DOC-regulated wine. The closeness of the family and the care they take in warmly welcoming each visitor are evident. It is now run and overseen by Pietro’s wife, Santa Rosa, and children Igino, Gian Franco and Anna Maria.
The scenic property, like others in the area, has a beautiful blend of both new and historic structures with stained glass windowpanes, murals that cover some of the walls and ceilings and a stately barrel room full of arches and columns. Its library of wines sits on pedestals against a majestic wooden backdrop that makes you want to stay and gaze at the grandeur.
To give Lugana whites freshness and minerality, the wines are carried out in stainless steel tanks and then aged briefly in steel tanks before resting in a bottle. Very few in the region are aged in oak barrels. Yet Cà dei Frati has experimented with aging Lugana in oak barriques, giving the wine more body and richness and still with great acidity for pairing with food.
While the region is most known for its Lugana wine, reds and red blends made from indigenous grapes such as marzemino and other international grapes such as sangiovese and cabernet sauvignon are also produced there. One of my favorite red blends is the Ronchedone, which is comprised of sangiovese, marzemino and cabernet sauvignon. It shows a medium weight body with black cherry and plum notes. It almost tastes like a lighter amarone. It has a beautiful minerality that makes it a great partner for both hearty fish, such as tuna and salmon, as well as grilled meats, such as New York strip steak, turkey burgers with gorgonzola cheese, and beef kebobs with tomatoes and peppers.
Jessica Norris Granatiero is the founder of The Savory Grape, a wine, beer and spirits shop in East Greenwich. She can be reached through her website, www.jessicagranatiero.com.
