Trebbiano… I must admit when I hear the mention of this grape, I still feel some negativity brewing inside of me. Perhaps this is because of its inappropriate use as a blending partner in the often thin, astringent Chianti wines in the past decades. Fortunately, Trebbiano is no longer allowed in Chianti Classico. New winemakers have since taken interest in Trebbiano as a stand alone grape and some interesting wines have developed as a result. Talented producers will turn Trebbiano into wines with with bright fruit, crisp acidity with notes of almonds. Better known as Ugni Blanc in France, it is responsible for producing the famous distilled products of Cognac and Armagnac.
Lugana is a beautiful, white wine specific region located on the southern shore of Lake Garda, an area straddling the border between Lombardy in the west and Veneto to the east. There are over 100 producers in this area, but Ca’Lojera are known for their distinct, highly aromatic and great quality wines. This estate represents the appellation and
what it stands for, along with Ca’ dei Frati, the latter estate I hope to cover in a future post. Ca’ Lojera is dialect for “house of the wolves” and is based on a legend in Lake Garda that the area was protected from pirates by wolves.
Trebbiano produces 1/3 of Italy’s white wine, permitted in 80 DOCs and although indigenous to central Italy, can be found planted everywhere in the country. Its characteristics are high acidity with a neutral flavor, and has traditionally been known for producing a lot of generic table wines. Whereas a lot of the wine produced by Trebbiano is forgettable, there are luckily some standouts of which the Ca’Lojera Lugana DOC 2011 is a great example.
Trebbiano di Lugana (also known as Trebbiano di Soave or Trebbiano Veronese) is the least planted, but best sub-variety of this grape, and considered vastly superior in quality and lower in productivity than the Trebbiano Toscano. It is the only grape used in Lugana, where the wine is typically fuller bodied with more of a personality. Trebbiano has in fact said to be a variety of Verdicchio, a high quality grape from Italy’s Marche region, which could be why it has achieved increased interest in the wine world.
The Ca’Lojera Lugana DOC 2011 is made by a husband-wife team who, from their 14 ha vineyard, do it all themselves. Franco Tiraboschi makes the wine, while his wife Ambra hosts visiting guests and their daughter Alessandra takes care of sales.
The wine is 100% Trebbiano di Lugana from 40 year old vines, and fermented in temperature controlled steel tanks. I highly recommend this as a fun alternative to the ever popular Pinot Grigio most people resort to when thinking of white wines from Italy. While I have nothing against Pinot Grigio, there are so many other wonderful white varieties from this country, it would be a pity not to experiment and try out something new. Start out with the Ca’Lojera Lugana 2011 and you’ll see what I mean!
Tasting Notes:
Light, golden core, with intense, ripe fruit aromas. Full bodied and honeyed when entering the palate with flavors of tropical fruit, ripe melons and apples and somewhat waxy on the finish. Tremendous fruit but nicely matched with good acidity. Balanced with a long finish.
Conclusion: A delightful, balanced wine that is both refreshing and soft, with plenty fresh fruit throughout. A wine guaranteed to please most palates, and can also easily be enjoyed on its own. A wine I will enjoy more of this summer!
Food Pairing: Pasta arrabiata, fish dishes in lemon cream sauce, salami and other charcuterie.
Average Retail Price: $15
Rating: 4.5/5
SOILFUL WINES 