Lugana wines: Worth their Salt

The wines of Lugana around Italy’s Verona are well known in Europe, but now producers are on a mission to take them to the rest of the world. Jaq Bayles reports

SHAKESPEARE'S JULIET, while lamenting the tragedy of Romeo’s heritage on her famous balcony, could at least have taken comfort from the beauty of her surroundings – and maybe drown her sorrows in the unique wines they produce.

The balcony in question is (allegedly) in Italy’s Verona, which is one of two provinces – the other being Brescia – encompassed by the Lugana wine region.

With its groves of olives, lemons, limes, almonds and palms, the mild climate and the stunning ancient towns that dot Lake Garda’s periphery, it’s no wonder the area is a magnet for tourists – or that its wines have become popular with those tourists, particularly the many Germans who visit every year.

But, like the Pelér wind that blows down from Riva del Garda and is integral to the character of the wines, a wind of change is blowing through the Consorzio Tutela Lugana DOC, which promotes and protects the area’s wines.

In terms of exports some 60% of the wines go into Germany, and producers have woken up to the danger of such heavy reliance on one outlet. The consorzio, which was founded in 1990, is now taking an active role in trying to promote Lugana wines outside its traditional export areas.

Lugana wines are unique in that they are characterised by a salty tang, the result of the terroir on which the Turbiana variety of the Trebbiano grape is grown – layers of morainic and sedimentary clay soil, mostly calcareous, and rich in mineral salts.

Because clay soil holds so much water, furrows are dug throughout the vineyards to allow the water to drain off and the vines are trained upwards in an arch.

Only white wine is encompassed by the Lugana DOC and this in itself is proving problematic in broadening the wine’s appeal to the currently attractive Asian markets, which largely favour reds.

Producers believe education about Italian culture and cuisine is integral to introducing new markets to Lugana wines – but that is easier said than done.

Fabio Zenato, of the 1,200ha La Marette winery, says: “It’s not easy to sell white wine  in the new open market – China is more than 90% red.”

But he is optimistic that Lugana wines offer the sort of approach he found distributors looking for when he attended a fair in Tokyo last year. “They are looking for quality wines and wines with mystery in a world where so many wines are just a drink.

“Lugana could be described as an easily approachable wine because it’s very fresh. It’s quite difficult to explain to young drinkers but easy to explain to wine lovers who have more understanding.

“In Japan there’s a better unerstanding of high quality wine. In China there’s a lot of money but no culture of understanding. The future market is combining wine with food.”

Fellow producer Michele Montresor, whose father started making wine at the Otella winery in 1966, agrees: “I fly all over the world to try to introduce the Lugana DOC and culture to other countries. It’s easy in Germany and the UK but not so easy in Seoul or Shanghai. First I try to explain Italian culture, cuisine and wine, then Lugana then Otella. So I speak generally about the region then only at the end I talk about our brand so people have an idea of the philosophy and passion behind the label.”

The winery has a capacity of around 500,000 bottles a year and its current markets include Italy, Germany, UK, Holland and US – with the focus on Germany. But Montresor, too, is nervous of this spread.

“Sixty to sixty-five per cent of our production goes to foreign markets – mostly Germany. It’s OK but could be a little dangerous because we have too much market in only one country. 

“I want to focus on South America, particularly Mexico, and also Australia and China. China is very difficult at the moment. It’s very important that the wine doesn’t sit in the customs office. The government power is very important.”

With consumers in many global markets setting so much store by ‘provenance’ and ‘history’, Lugana should be a force to be reckoned with, and producers have been quick to capitalise on this. The wineries’ glossy brochures contain not only complex and thorough tasting notes, but also detailed background on the area itself and its historical roots.   

Lugana is said to be among the first districts in Italy to earn a DOC, recognising the historical tie between the wine and its specific region of origin.

And the consorzio puts focus on historical records “pertaining to the origins of viniculture in Lugana” which “seemingly trace back to the beginning of time itself, as proven by the famous archaeological find of Vitis silvestris grape seeds within Bronze Age pile dwellings in Peschiera del Garda”. It is also fond of referencing the Latin poet Catullus, who is said to have sung the praises of the area.

In line with this approach, the wineries today – most of which are relatively small and still family-owned – take pride in their history and family ties, making a point of including information on these in their literature. 

A case in point is Selva Capuzza, which lies in the center of an area that in 1859 was the scene of the bloody Battle of Solferino and San Martino – the birthplace of the Red Cross organisation.

Heading up this winery, restaurant and holiday apartment combo is Luca Formentini, whose family has been making wine since 1917. He, too, is looking to impress Asia with the story behind the wines but also has another goal in mind in terms of advancing the fortunes of his wines – he is hoping to have the first 15ha of his 50ha declared organic by the next harvest. Already, the vines are grown “following the eco-compatability protocol and we dedicate an important care regarding carbon footprint”.

The set-up at Selva Capuzza – which also includes a truffle farm – is indicative of the way many of the wineries in the area operate, with a food offering to match their wines. And, again, the consorzio has worked hard to ensure consumers have a good understanding of which foods to pair with which wines, offering specific matches for each of the five tiers of Lugana wines.

While it suggests ideally pairing with the foods of the region itself, obviously not every market has access to freshwater fish dishes such as grilled eel or frog risotto. So the organisation breaks it down to a more global offering.

Of the five tiers, the ‘basic’ Lugana  is the driving force behind the appellation and its production range covers almost 90% of the DOC. Food pairings include seafood antipasti and boiled shrimp.

The Superiore wine was officially introduced in 1998, and in order to bear this label the wine must age or mature for at least one year after the grapes are harvested. 

The Lugana Riserva, introduced with the last revision of the production standards this year,  is said to be “the natural evolution of the Superior: it must age or mature for at least 24 months, six of which in a bottle, has brighter colours, more evolved and complex aromas with smoky notes and balsamic reflexes, warmer mineral notes on the palate but otherwise just as enveloping, luscious, and persistent”.

Both the above are said to be perfect partners for richer, more complex dishes, including white meat dishes, such as chicken, capon and rabbit, “especially roasted in the oven”.

Lugana Vendemmia Tardiva is made with “over-ripened” grapes that have been allowed to remain on the vine till the end of October-early November, instead of being harvested and then stored till suitably dry. It is generally paired with cheeses.

Lugana Spumante was introduced in 1975 and today is produced using both the Charmat or Martinotti method (autoclave refermentation) and the classic method (bottle refermentation). This is recommended to go with cold meats and egg-based dishes.

The producers of the Lugana DOC have a clear vision of how their wines can work in the many and varied consumption markets they have in their sights. And with wines so deeply entrenched in the history, climate and flavours of the region, their passion for their clearly-defined product is another selling point that should stand them in good stead in their quest to go global.