Getting to know Lugana and Valpolicella wines

Lugana & Valpolicella at Savoy Grill London

Getting to know Lugana and Valpolicella wines at The Savoy Grill

Getting to know Lugana and Valpolicella wines at The Savoy Grill

Onwards with my wine education, I was recently introduced to the Italian wines of Lugana and Valpolicella over dinner at the iconic Savoy Grill in London. Lugana wines are relatively unknown in this country, but the Consorzio Lugana D.O.C. is making an effort to raise their profile here in the UK.  I was invited to a delicious meal at The Savoy Grill to get to know about Lugana and Valpolicella by UK Sommelier Association.

Lugana is located in northern Italy, in and around the territory of lower Lake Garda. It’s a gorgeous place, I’ve seen pictures, with vineyards ringing the lake and the Italian Swiss Alps in the background. They mainly produce white wines made with the Turbiana grape, which is a variant of Trebbiano. The wine is classified into five designations, ‘basic’, the Superior, Riserva, Vendemmia Tardiva and Spumante.

The ‘basic’ Lugana D.O.C. makes up 90% of the production and gives wines that have an intense and delicate bouquet with notes of almonds, white flowers and citrus. On the palate, it is dry, fresh and refined.

Lugana & Valpolicella at Savoy Grill London

Fresh Crab Avocado Salad with Lugana and Valpolicella wines

At the Savoy Grill, our first course was Fresh Crab Avocado Salad with crème fraîche and was paired with various Lugana whites. I found the wines to be smooth and elegant, a far cry from your usual Pinot Grigio. Our next few courses were matched with wines from the Valpolicella DOC. Valpolicella is also located in and around Lake Garda as well as having proximity to Verona and Venice.

The UK is one of the top markets for Valpolicella. It’s commonly found in your local supermarket, but there is much more to it than that. The wines are divided into three separate categories. There is the  Valpolicella Classico, Valpolicella Ripasso and  Amarone della Valpolicella.  The sweet red wines  are known as Recioto della Valpolicella. The main grapes used for the blend are Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara. Each wine is made in a distinct style, and they vary wildly from light and fruity to dark.

The Valpolicella Classico is a blend of the three grapes and is vinified in the usual red wine making method. Ripasso is made by macerating the wine with fermented marc (grape brandy) and dried grapes that have already been used to produce Amarone and/or Recioto. Amarone is made by drying the grapes for up to 3 months before being vinified into wine. Finally, Recioto is a sweet red wine perfect for dessert.

Lugana & Valpolicella at Savoy Grill London

Lugana and Valpolicella wines

Lugana & Valpolicella at Savoy Grill London

Lugana and Valpolicella wines

These are gastronomic wines, mostly being strong and robust, they need dishes that can stand up to their intensity. The second course was Steak Tartar with Caviar, slow cooked egg yolk and Parmesan cheese. It was paired with Valpolicella Classico and the Valpolicella Ripasso. The wines were real powerhouses with a long finish, smooth tannins with balanced acidity and structure.

The main was Venison Wellington with Salt Baked Celeriac and bitter chocolate sauce. It was paired with the Amarone della Valpolicella. The wine has an illusion of sweetness, being full bodied with hints of dried fruits, firm tannins and high acidity. Be careful with them because they are ka-pow!

Savoy Grill London

Lugana and Valpolicella wines

Black Forest Trifle with pistachio brittle at The Savoy Grill

Lastly, we had the Recioto della Valpolicella which are the sweet red wines of the region matched with Black Forest Trifle with pistachio brittle. The dark chocolate and sour cherries of the Trifle were reflected brilliantly in the dessert, a fabulous way to end the evening.

Wines Tasted:

Consorzio Lugana

1) Lugana 2016 Bio, Az. Agr. Marangona
2) Lugana 2016, Conchiglia, Az. Agr. Citari
3) Lugana 2016, Az. Agr. Bulgarini
4) Lugana 2016, Vigneti Villabella
5) Lugana 2016, Gruccione, Az. Agr. Nunzio Ghiraldi
6) Lugana 2016, Limne, Az. Agr. Tenuta Roveglia
7) Lugana 2015, Brolettino, Az. Agr. Cà dei Frati
8) Lugana 2015, Fabio Contato, Az. Agr. Cà Maiol
9) Lugana Riserva 2014 Molceo, Az. Agr. Ottella
10) Lugana Superiore 2011 Madonna della Scoperta, Az. Agr. Perla del Garda

 

Consorzio Valpolicella

Valpolicella

1) Az. Agricola Montetondo – Valpolicella DOC Superiore 2014
2) Az. Agricola Meroni – Valpolicella DOC Superiore 2010 “Il Velluto”

Valpolicella Ripasso

3) Corte Merci – Valpolicella DOC Classico Superiore Ripasso 2015
4) Tenuta Santa Maria alla Pieve – Valpolicella DOC Classico Superiore Ripasso 2014
5) Benazzoli – Valpolicella DOC Superiore Ripasso 2013

Amarone della Valpolicella

6) Vigneti di Ettore – Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2013
7) Cantina Valpantena – Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2012 “Torre del Falasco”
8) Crosarola – Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2012
9) Villa Rinaldi – Amarone della Valpolicella DOC 2003 “Corpus” (my favourite!)

Recioto delola Valpolicella

10) Villa Crine – Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG 2014

Thanks to UK Sommelier Association, Consorzio della Valpolicella and  Consorzio Lugana DOC  for the opportunity to savour such delicious and elegant wines.

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