Wine Denomination from Veneto
Lugana is a dry white wine from the southern shore of Lake Garda, in northern Italy. It is made mainly from a local grape called Turbiana. The zone is unusual because it crosses a regional border: four of its five towns are in Lombardy and one is in Veneto. Lugana is fresh and citrusy when young, but the better bottles gain depth with a few years in bottle. It became a DOC in 1967, one of the first in Italy.
A young Lugana is light to medium in body, with crisp acidity and no oak. Expect lemon, green apple, white peach and white flowers, often with a savory, slightly salty edge and a light almond note on the finish. It is always dry unless the label says Vendemmia Tardiva. Superiore and Riserva wines are fuller and rounder. With age they can show honey, dried fruit and nutty notes while keeping their freshness. If you like Verdicchio, Soave or an unoaked Chablis, Lugana is a good match.
Turbiana was long known as Trebbiano di Lugana, and it is still sometimes labeled that way. DNA studies have since linked it to Verdicchio, the white grape of the Marche, and to Trebbiano di Soave: the three are the same variety or very close relatives. It is not related to Trebbiano Toscano, the common Trebbiano of central Italy. In Lugana, Turbiana grows mostly on heavy, chalky clay soils left behind by ancient glaciers. These soils, and the mild climate around the lake, give the wine its body and its long, savory finish.
For white wine, Lugana is the best known and most widely praised wine of Lake Garda. The lake also makes good reds and rosés. On the Veneto shore to the east, Bardolino is a light red from the same grapes as Valpolicella, and its rosé, Chiaretto, is one of Italy's best-known pink wines. The broader Garda DOC covers many grape varieties around the lake.
Lugana is still good value. In the US, a basic Lugana costs about $15–25. Superiore and single-vineyard bottles usually cost about $20–35, and Riserva about $30–50. Prices are modest because the zone is fairly flat and easy to farm, and most Lugana is sold young, so producers do not have to hold stock for long. The Riserva costs more because of its two years of ageing.
Good bottles to start with include the Ca' dei Frati Brolettino, Zenato San Benedetto, Cà Maiol Molin Superiore and Tommasi Le Fornaci. For something older and richer, try the Selva Capuzza Menasasso Riserva or the Zenato Sergio Zenato Riserva. For bubbles, look at the Zenato Metodo Classico Brut.
Serve basic Lugana well chilled, at 8–10°C (46–50°F). Superiore and Riserva show more aroma a little warmer, at 10–13°C (50–55°F). Drink basic Lugana within two or three years of the vintage. Superiore and Riserva can age well for five years or more.
Around the lake, Lugana is served with freshwater fish such as trout, whitefish and perch, often grilled or with butter and sage. It also suits risotto, seafood pasta, shellfish, sushi, roast chicken and fresh or medium-aged cheeses. The fuller Riserva can handle creamy sauces, pork and veal. Avoid heavy red-meat dishes and very spicy food.
Lugana is pronounced loo-GAH-nah, with the stress on the middle syllable. Turbiana is toor-bee-AH-nah.
Lugana is the best-known white wine of Lombardy and also part of Veneto. Read our Lombardy wine guide for Franciacorta and Valtellina, our Veneto wine guide, or our best Italian white wines, or browse every Lugana in our catalog below.