Sommelier Roberto Matetich tells us the secrets of Lugana, the official wine of the 77th Italian Open

The Milanese September temperatures, much softer than the oppressive heat of the nearby August but still far from the autumnal greyness, encourage you to discover and discover. On this occasion, we went towards a rediscovery, participating in the “Armonie senza tempo” (Timeless Harmony) Masterclass, held by the Lugana DOC Consortium to tell the public about the lesser-known aspects of a wine that is often an underrated protagonist of our tables.

As the title suggests, which traces the same words used during the presentation, Lugana is able to give great satisfaction both drunk in youth and tasted after a period of maturation and refinement.

Its versatility is only partially justified by the extension: 2,500 hectares of vineyards, 260 winegrowers, 5 municipalities, 2 regions. The DOC develops between the provinces of Brescia and Verona along a territory forged by the action of the ancient glacier that descended from the Alps to cover the current lake extension, a plain of morainic origin south of Lake Garda, enclosed between municipalities of Sirmione, Pozzolengo, Desenzano, Lonato and Peschiera del Garda.

The area of ​​the ancient Selva Lucana, which later became ‘Lugana‘, reclaimed in the fifteenth century by the Serenissima, benefits from a soil composed mostly of white clays and limestone, capable of giving the grapes that are grown here an extraordinary flavour and elegance.

The vine, the Turbiana, close relative but unique expression of Trebbiano di Soave, gives the wine the notes that in youth are expressed in the gustatory clarity and with the passage of time in evolved scents that refer to hydrocarbons, to balsamic. Body and warmth, acidity and flavor in the structural backbone of the wine; vigorous, clear aromas, between almond and citrus.

There are five variations of vinification in purity: the sparkling version, both classic method and Charmat, the classic one (the most produced), the Superiore and Riserva versions and finally the Late Harvest.

The Classic version is consumed young, has immediate connotations: pale straw yellow colour with greenish reflections, delicate aromas with floral sensations mixed with notes of almond.

The Superiore, aged for at least 12 months from harvest, has a variegated and complex profile starting from the colour with golden reflections, the aromas with hints of wild herbs, ripe apple, citrus.

The Riserva, which to be such undergoes a minimum of 24 months of ageing, of which at least 6 in the bottle, has brighter chromatic tones, more evolved and complex aromas, with balsamic and smoky notes. It is warm on the palate, savoury and persistent.

Among the sparkling versions, the Charmat version stands out for its creamy perlage, simplicity and freshness, accompanied by citrus scents; with a more elegant bouquet and a graceful and crunchy perlage, the classic method is revealed.

Finally, the Vendemmia Tardiva (Late Harvest) is a novelty: far from the sweetness of the traditional passito, it is obtained from over-ripening on the plant of the grapes harvested late at the end of October.

In common with all these declinations, the characteristic sapidity and acidity of Lugana remain, which make it suitable for culinary combinations based on fish, particularly that of the lake, and crustaceans. Among the first courses, the combination is also happy with pasta-based recipes that include cheeses inside and with saffron risotto. Even with pizza, the combination can be a winner.

The strong personality of the more temporally evolved versions allows it to be accompanied with soft cheeses and appetizer courses, except of course cold cuts.

So Lugana is certainly an immediate wine, to be drunk young, but at the same time it turns out to be capable of a certain longevity, hence the versatility that makes it a timeless harmony to be grasped in time.

Roberto Matetich
Italy4golf Italian Ambassador
www.vinonpertutti.com

Lugana is the official wine of the Italian Open. The Consorzio di Tutela supports the 77th edition of the main golf tournament in the Country currently in progress (from 22 to 25 October 2020) at the Chervò Golf San Vigilio in Pozzolengo, one of the 5 municipalities of the Garda doc.

A consolidated union between wine and golf, because this discipline more than others embodies the values ​​of the quality of life, requires patience, perseverance and dedication, elements that unite it to the most prestigious oenological productions.