Lugana is an intriguing region with fabulous white wines that would pair well for the holidays or year round. I first discovered Lugana at a wine lunch at Cafe Milano. Afterwards, I was lucky to taste the wines again and get one on one time with one of the winemakers at the Wine Bloggers Conference.
The wines of Lugana benefit from a special microclimate created by Lake Garda. Lake Garda is generally considered a holiday spot for tourists from Germany and other parts of Europe. If they only left the immediate lake area to explore they would find some very special wines that are quite distinctive.
I think confusion comes for many as to what grape makes up Lugana DOC wines - Turbiana. This unique varietal was originally considered to be related to Verdicchio, but has since been proven otherwise false. There are five styles of Lugana wine that are permitted under the consortium standard Lugana, Superiore, Riserva, Vendemmia Tardiva (Late Harvest) and Spumante (Sparkling). Generally speaking, you will find the standard Lugana wines as they produce about 90% of the DOCs wine.
The standard Lugana DOC is where you'll find exceptional quality along with a not too heft price tag. The wine is young and fresh, but could be aged if desired. The wines generally are known to have a slightly floral element with some nutty characteristics along with the perfect amount of acidity. These wines would be perfect for any of your holiday celebrations, but especially for those that celebrate Feast of the Seven Fishes.