Wine note – March 2023
Ca’ del Lago Lugana 2021 (Lidl £7.99)
Lugana is a small village on the southern shore of Lake Garda. The vineyards lie to the south benefitting from the clay soil and the microclimate of the lake. The grape variety is Turbiana, which, it is a claimed, is unique to the area.
It sounds idyllic but all is not what it seems. Turbiana turns out to be Verdicchio, a common variety in this part of Italy (although Lidl mistakenly calls it Verdaccio). The area available for vineyards is limited; the land has to be shared with the demands of the A4 motorway, the railway line and holiday home developers.
No matter, this is still a charming wine from a romantic area.
It’s very pale in colour with tropical fruits on the nose. It tastes of stone fruits and the balancing acid and minerality give it a delightful freshness.
The locals apparently drink it with tortellini di Valeggio (very thin pasta with meat stuffing). Lidl ravioli would make a very good substitute.
Buon appetito!
John Freeland (u3a Wine Tasting Group)
Last Minute Theatre – March 2023
