Who would say, looking today at the neat rows of vines stretching along the southern shore of Lake Garda, that this area was once covered by the dense Selva Lucana, a marshy forest dotted with stilt houses? The Serenissima transformed it into fertile farmland, yet vines had already found their home here since the time of Catullus.
Today, Lugana DOC, divided between Brescia and Verona, sinks its roots into clay and limestone soils that enhance the voice of Turbiana, a native grape variety that finds here its most authentic identity. It is a grape that demands patience and care, yet rewards with white wines of Mediterranean breadth, capable of combining freshness, sapidity and longevity.
Five styles are provided for by the production regulations — from the classic version to Superiore, from Riserva to Late Harvest and Spumante — yet the common thread remains the unmistakable imprint of a unique territory: almond, citrus, white flowers and a minerality reminiscent of wet stone.
Since 1967, the year the denomination was established, the Consorzio Tutela Lugana DOC has worked to protect and enhance this excellence. Through refined communication, targeted promotion and an international outlook, it has positioned Lugana as an ambassador of the Italian art of living, capable of uniting quality and style.
To tell this story of identity, the Consortium created the “Lugana Sunset Tour”, a journey bringing the white wine of Lake Garda to some of the most evocative beaches of the peninsula. After stops in Milano Marittima and Jesolo, on September 7 it was Follonica’s turn, with the Marula Restaurant transformed for one evening into a refined seaside lounge.
An event scented with a 1960s Riviera vibe: minimal yet colorful setups, retro graphics, and background music that seemed to evoke the atmosphere of Sapore di Mare. Barefoot on the sand, with glasses glowing in the sunset light beneath a magnificent red moon and the scent of the sea blending with that of the wine, the tasting became a true multisensory experience.
More than 15 Lugana DOC labels accompanied Mediterranean tapas specially created for the occasion by the Marula kitchen.
Elegance, attention to detail and freshness: these were the traits that made the evening shine, reminding everyone that Lugana is not just a wine, but a way of life.
It was difficult to choose among the fifteen labels tasted. Each one expressed the richness of Lugana: every wine a reflection of its author, its terroir and its vintage. Yet four, more than the others, struck me for their finesse and personality: here is my top 4 of the evening.
Pasini San Giovanni – “Sopravento” Lugana DOC 2024
Raffa (BS) – Morainic hills, clay soils on the southern shore of Lake Garda – 100% Turbiana – Organic
In the glass it shows a bright straw yellow color with greenish reflections, reminiscent of sunlight shimmering on the waters of Lake Garda.
On the nose it is fragrant and immediately complex: it opens with elderflower and ripe pear, followed by the citrus freshness of kumquat. Notes of sun-dried hay emerge alongside a pronounced minerality of wet stone, while a Mediterranean hint of thyme elegantly accompanies the aromatic finish.
On the palate it is harmonious and juicy, with good body yet always supported by a fresh mineral tension that gives dynamism to the sip. The fleshiness of the fruit meets vibrant citrus acidity, amplifying the savory trail and leading to a long, citrusy and saline finish that leaves the mouth clean and eager for another sip.
“Sopravento” represents Lugana in its youngest and sunniest expression, a symbol of immediacy but also of aging potential: fragrant and dynamic in youth, capable of gaining depth over time without ever losing its Mediterranean vocation.
A savory, mineral and elegant white wine that carries in the glass the voice of Turbiana rooted in the southern clays of Lake Garda. It is a wine that smells of summer, with the lightness of the wind and the breath of the lake.
Tenuta Roveglia – “Limne” Lugana DOC 2024
Pozzolengo (BS) – limestone-clay soils – 100% Turbiana – vines 25–35 years old
In the glass it appears bright straw with golden reflections, lively and brilliant.
The nose is multifaceted: it opens with the grace of a spring meadow of daisies, dotted with balsamic hints of calamint, while a Mediterranean breeze carries sage, thyme, wild incense and helichrysum. The fruit moves across different registers: on one side medlar and lime, fresh and direct; on the other the softness of white peach and pear. With time in the glass, the wine reveals a more exotic side, gently hinting at pineapple and passion fruit, never intrusive but elegant.
The palate is decisive and vibrant, driven by precise citrus acidity reminiscent of mandarin. The finish is savory, long and marine, with fruity and balsamic echoes that prolong its elegance.
“Limne” is Lugana that combines energy and complexity, elegant and persistent, capable of expressing Turbiana in a vibrant, modern style deeply rooted in its territory.
Zenato – “Santa Cristina” Lugana DOC 2024
Peschiera del Garda (VR) – Podere Massoni, historic vineyard – 100% Turbiana
Straw yellow in the glass, it opens with a Mediterranean scrub character that evokes the terroir of Lake Garda, bringing to mind its olive trees and lemons. It unfolds into notes of lemon thyme and helichrysum, with fragrant touches of citron zest, jasmine and oleander. The fruit moves between white peach, grapefruit and citron, with a discreet tropical hint of pineapple, closing on elegant mineral powdery nuances.
The palate is taut and fresh, guided by lively lime acidity that sets the rhythm of the sip. The savoriness supports and amplifies the experience, leading to a long and refined finish with echoes of white peach and a slightly almond note, a classic signature of the denomination.
A Lugana that combines tradition and freshness, multifaceted on the nose and precise on the palate. It is the white wine that naturally accompanies a sunset by the lake or the sea, with the same timeless elegance.
Tenuta Frontelago – Lugana DOC 2024
Sirmione (BS) – morainic soils – 100% Turbiana – family-run estate
In the glass it appears pale greenish, delicate and luminous.
The nose is a whisper of elegance: subtle powdery notes, honeysuckle, citron zest and pear intertwine discreetly, never overpowering, in an aromatic texture that captivates through balance and grace.
On the palate it is harmonious and refined, beautifully flowing. The citrus freshness of lime meets minty breezes that enhance the sensation of lightness. The finish is savory and persistent, leaving a long and delicate trail.
One clearly perceives the delicate imprint of Turbiana grown on the morainic soils of Sirmione.
It is the Lugana of subtlety and balance, not seeking to impress with power, but making its way through elegance. A family-run, authentic production that carries into the glass the discreet yet unmistakable voice of its territory.
Between one tasting and another, the common thread uniting all fifteen labels was the same that has always defined Lugana: freshness, minerality, a vibrant citrus and fruity expression, and a floral breath sometimes touched by balsamic hints. It is the Mediterranean soul of Lake Garda that emerges — olive trees and lemons, palms, the wide light reflecting on the water — and that in Maremma has found a natural rhyme. And while the denomination remains technically divided into two areas — the flat, clay-rich and compact belt between Desenzano, Sirmione, Pozzolengo and Peschiera, the historic cradle of the more lake-driven and mineral style; and the hillier ridge toward San Martino, Pozzolengo and Lonato, with increasingly sandy clays, gravel elements and wines that are more acidic and fuller — it is precisely in the sum of these differences that Lugana finds its completeness.
Because Lugana, ultimately, is this: a wine that dances lightly between freedom and luminous memories, caressing the senses with the same sweet melancholy as a summer you never want to let go. It is a sip scented with sea breeze and white flowers, carrying the smile of carefree days and the suspended emotion of sunsets by the shore. A wine that lingers like the soundtrack of a 1960s film, capable of bringing back loves, friendships and expectations. And when the glass empties, it is never a farewell: it is the aching desire for a new scene, for a summer that always begins again, with the sea in your eyes and Lake Garda in your heart.
