The Bounty of the Tri-State June 18, 2013 Lake Garda, the largest lake in Italy, lies just to the west of Verona at the intersection of Lombardy, Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige. This is the heart of the Italian Lake Country, along with Lake Como, Lugano and Maggiore. Lake Garda is also home to some fantastic DOCs. Some are well known, like Soave and Valpolicella, others not so well known, like Bardolino and Lugana. Lugana sits at the southern edge of Lago di Garda on heavy clay and mineral rich soils. The wines are made from Trebbiano di Lugana, a grape that’s closer to Verdicchio from the Marche region . The grape produces wines ranging from grassy and slightly herbaceous to apple and and mineral. But the key is this lovely vibrant acidity that gives the wine freshness. The 2010 Tenuta Roveglia Lugana is a beautiful example. It is fermented and aged in stainless steel to maintain its freshness. The 2010 has a bit more bottle age than some current releases but still shows fresh apple and mineral on the nose. The palate shows some of that age with apple mash with a slight thyme and grassy flavor and nice roundness. The acidity is still there on the finish, giving a brightness to the apples and slight salinity, with more herbacousness continuing on the long finish. Even if you can’t find the 2010 from Roveglia, hunt down some Lugana. On a label you might see just Lugana or Trebbiano di Lugana or even Turbiana. The wines are worth tracking down. You should also explore the area of Lombardy and Trentino-Alto Adige. They produce lots of beautiful whites similar to those from Austria, some lighter-styled reds as well as the Champagne of Italy, Franciacorta.
Posted on: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 04:16:40 +0000
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