Tommasi is a well-regarded and storied Italian producer, most known for their Valpolicella Amarone, which is made with a unique process of allowing early harvested grapes to dry and rasinate (known in Italian as appassimento) for several months, removing moisture from the fruit but also concentrating its sugars and acidity. With extended fermentation and ageing periods, a very rich and intense Amarone wine is thus produced.

Yet, while the 120 year old producer has already cemented its name for Amarone, it is rather interesting then that the big focus for the fourth-generation family-owned producer has been on elevating the recognition for another wine from northern Italy - that's Lugana's whites.

(Image Source: Wine Folly)

Lugana sits at the base of Lake Garda, tucked between Lombardy and Veneto.

Lugana actually stands as one of Italy's oldest official winemaking designations, having received official recognition for its wines as far back as the 1700's. The flat once marsh-y region sitting at the base of Lake Garda, Italy's largest lake, is a relatively small area that is at the western border of Verona, and tucked between the Veneto and Lombardy regions. It is also home to its own unique grape variety known as Turbiana. Given its scenic sites, Lugana is often thought of by those who visit the area as a secret hideaway holiday destination, and whilst the Lugana white wine is very much enjoyed by those in the area, it's inadvertently found itself associated with simple and easy table wines.

Which is why many of its producers have begun to turn a big focus towards raising the Lugana flag in hopes of its whites being recognised instead as a wine of quality - the likes of Tommasi included. And these producers are not wrong - there's definitely more to the Lugana white than meets the eye. For an extended period of time, the unique local Turbiana variety had stumped oenologists and wine lovers - they had long thought that it was simply an extension or even a local name for the otherwise common Verdicchio, or perhaps the workhorse Trebbiano.

The unique Turbiana grape native to Lugana. (Image Source: Veronissima)

Yet with its juicy citruses, light nuttiness, minerality, freshness and fuller body, with the added capability of spectacular ageing potential that only elevates the wine further - it didn't quite make sense that the Turbiana would be one of these more common and simpler varieties. After much testing, it was eventually concluded that the Turbiana was indeed a unique variety of its own that was only localised to the Lugana region - and thus worthy of recognition for both its expression of distinct locality and great flavours.

The Lugana region, as mentioned earlier being at the base of Lake Garda, holds dense soil that coats a foundational base of mineral-rich moraine. It's light clay mineral rich soils hails from its glacial origins that were also the result of the creation of Lake Garda - and in turn gives its white Turbiana grapes much acidity. And it is for these reasons that producers are convinced that Luganat's white wines are incredibly underrated gems that have the potential to become the next big thing.

Tommasi have demonstrated their expertise in the Veneto region, often having great foresight as to great emerging regions, which makes the Lugana all the more worth giving a try.

Next big thing or not? Let's find out!

We're going to try Tommasi's Le Fornaci Lugana that the family-owned producer has been incredibly convinced of to be big in the future. It's 100% Turbiana grapes, slow fermented, stripped of natural sedimentation, and then aged for about 3 months on lees and fine yeasts, after which it is further aged in steel.

Very excited to try this! Let's go!

Tommasi, Le Fornaci Lugana 2022 - Review

Tasting Notes

Colour: Light White Wine

Aroma: A perfumery but moderately rich bouquet of white fruit reduction - white peach skins, lychees without the sweetness, alittle bit musky and green too, with some gooseberries as well. It's got some depth and richness to it, certainly not thin or dry, with a light acidity that subtly traces its outline. The acidity is present and gives its aromas structure but for the most part remains fairly light.

Taste: Richer here, a medium to full body. Here it's heavier on the gooseberries and pears, more green and alittle more musky, with a pronounced juicy sweetness of biting into lychees (but without the floral or rose note) with the juices leaking out, which is then contrasted with a light sourness of green gooseberries. 

Finish: The sweetness recedes to be replaced by a light tartness, with more acidity coming through here and some light sourness, nothing too overwhelming. Texturally its soft and clean, with some residual sugar.

My Thoughts

Very impressive - I find that this Lugana, a young one from the 2022 vintage, has alot of presence. It's more flavourful and forward, with a good richness and a fuller body than say a standard Sauvignon Blanc. Yet at the same time it keeps its acidity and therefore offers up more complexity and for me a better balance between sweetness and the tartness, with it being more sweet than tart on the body but with more vibrance and acidity on the nose.

Where it also pulls out ahead is also in the depth it offers, it's not thin in both body or flavour, and that makes it that much more weighty and impactful. It would be very interesting to have this aged for a couple of years to see how it evolves. 

Definitely pay attention to Lugana's whites. The excitement is valid.

Kanpai!

@111hotpot