LOVELY LUGANA
Elegant, structured and delicious, wines from the tiny Italian region of Lugana are some of the country’s premier white bottlings. Made from Turbiana, a unique native grape grown on the southern shores of Lake Garda, they are crafted in five distinct styles, and all are loaded with personality.
Lugana Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) wines account for about 90% of total production, while the rest are either designated as Superiore or Riserva releases, or produced as sparkling or late-harvest selections.
For years, the Lugana region was a secret shared among the thousands of tourists who flock annually to the delightful villages that surround Italy’s largest lake. But thanks to a continuous rise in quality, Lugana’s fame has finally spread beyond northern Italy.
Of the more than 17.5 million bottles produced in 2018, nearly 70% were exported around the world. The U.S. was the denomination’s fourth-largest market.
Some of the top names in Italian wine have bought land and vineyards recently in the area. The list includes Amarone powerhouses Allegrini, Tommasi and Cesari, as well as the Santa Margherita group, which acquired the Cà Maiol firm in 2017.
