Wine Travels with Dr. Sharon: Desenzano del Garda

Showing posts with label Desenzano del Garda. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 1, 2023

YES, a wine social with Italian red wines of course!

I love flashbacks where I picture myself in Italy drinking some of the best Italian red wines. One of these flashbacks takes me back to those Live Wine Social events at the Wine Media Conference (#wmc22) in Lake Garda. An earlier post I focused on white and rosé wines, and this post is on red wines. Live Wine Social, known as the signature event, is nirvana for #winelovers. The Live Wine Social event is a highlight for attendees. Tasting these red Italian wines quickly transported me to vineyards throughout Lombardy. Imagine if you combined speed dating with tasting Italian red wines that makes the Live Wine Social! So much fun, right?

Lombardy's Red Wine Live Wine Social © Spaswinefood

Live Wine Social – Red Wines

Participating wineries each have about five minutes to pour one wine for a table of attendees. The attendees taste, analyze, and write about the wine and/or winery on the spot. Wineries then move to a new table in a speed-dating format. Let's take a look at some of the red wines featured during the most recent Wine Media Conference's Live Wine Social. Check out the participating wineries below:

1. Winery: Rocche dei Vignali
Wine: Valcamonica IGT Rosso 2017 “Camunnorum” (Still Red)

Rocche dei Vignali, Camunnorum, Valcamonica IGT Rosso 2017

Rocche dei Vignali, Camunnorum, Valcamonica IGT Rosso 2017 © Spaswinefood

2. Winery: Maggi Francesco
Wine: Buttafuoco dell’Oltrepò Pavese DOC 2018 “Vigna Costera” (Still Red)

Maggi Francesco, Vigna Costera, Buttafuoco dell’Oltrepò Pavese DOC 2018

Maggi Francesco, Vigna Costera, Buttafuoco dell’Oltrepò Pavese DOC 2018 © Spaswinefood

3. Winery: Magri Sereno
Wine: Moscato di Scanzo DOCG (Still Red, Passito)

Magri Sereno, Moscato di Scanzo DOCG © Spaswinefood

It was so lovely meeting everyone sharing the wines.

4. Winery: Quistello
Wine: Quistello IGT Lambrusco Rosso “80 Vendemmie” (Sparkling Red)

Quistello, 80 Vendemmie, IGT Lambrusco Rosso © Spaswinefood

5. Winery: San Michele

Wine: Capriano del Colle DOC Marzemino 2020 (Still Red)

San Michele, Capriano del Colle DOC Marzemino 2020 © Spaswinefood

6. Winery: Cantina Bergamasc

Wine: Valcalepio DOC Rosso (Still Red)

Cantina Bergamasca, Valcalepio DOC Rosso © Spaswinefood

7. Winery: Cantina Bergamasca
Wine: Arkos Valcalepio DOC Rosso Riserva (Still Red)

Cantina Bergamasca, Arkos Valcalepio DOC Rosso Riserva © Spaswinefood

8. Winery: Cantina Gozzi
Wine: Garda DOC Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 (Still Red)

Cantina Gozzi, Cabernet Sauvignon, Garda DOC 2021 © Spaswinefood

This was another great Live Wine Social. At the end we had a brief time to follow up with the wineries.

Throughout the conference and press trips I had further opportunities to taste Lombardy red wines. Such as, a dinner outing to the Museum Rambotti in Desenzano del Garda.

Giovanna Pradini Greeting, Museum Rambotti, Desenzano © Spaswinefood

Giovanna Pradini, our conference host, President of the Lombardy Wine Asociation ASCOVILO, and owner of Perla del Garda, was always there to help us discover Lombardy wines. For sure our dinner outing to the museum was perfect for me to continue exploring Lombardy red wines.

Red Wine Time, Museum Rambotti © Spaswinefood

Amongst some of the Moscato di Scanzo DOCG (Still Red, Passito) wines shared that evening was a Cantina Pagnoncelli Folcieri.

Cantina Pagnoncelli Folcieri, Moscato di Scanzo DOCG 2016 © Spaswinefood

In this case there were some wine producers at our table.

Francesca, Cantina Pagnoncelli Folcieri, Museum Rambotti © Spaswinefood

Francesca Introducing Moscato di Scanzo DOCG 2016 © Spaswinefood

Earlier Francesca Pagnoncelli Folcieri of Cantina Pagnoncelli Folcieri participated in a session, Le Donne del Vino: Women wine stories of creativity. At that event she shared a Moscato di Scanzo DOCG 2017.

Women Wine Stories © Spaswinefood

Moreover, there were also some Lombardy reds at the Desenzano Castle dinner. While white and rosé wines of the Lugana and Valtenesi Consortia were poured that evening there were a few reds.

Red Wine Moments, Desenzano Castle © Spaswinefood

I invite you to join me in our wine travels in Italy and elsewhere at Wine Travels with Dr. Sharon, and at Spaswinefood on Twitter and Facebook. I am so looking forward to sharing more on vine-filled explorations in Italy.

CHEERS!

Sharon

Remembering October 2022

Desenzano del Garda, Italy

Museum Rambotti © Spaswinefood

Grana Podano Cheese Tasting, Museum Rambotti © Spaswinefood

Off to Desenzano Castle © Spaswinefood

Italian Wines Awaits, Desenzano Castle © Spaswinefood

Thursday, November 3, 2022

Take me to Lake Garda to drink some Lugana DOC wines

I not only get to visit a fabulous Italian wine region but I also, get to taste exciting Lugana wines. We came to Desenzano del Garda on Lake Garda at the end of September. I still remember that first evening when we headed down to a restaurant on the lake for dinner. Over the next days, we would learn about Lugana DOC, a white wine region in Lombardy. Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy, one of northern Italy’s premier tourist destinations. I can not think of a more perfect setting to explore Lugana DOC wines.

Just After Sunset, Lake Garda © Spaswinefood

Getting to know Lombardy's wines was the focus of the wine conference that I attended. Luganda DOC wines, if you have not heard about this Italian wine treasure, then you really should give them a try. Take me to Lake Garda to drink some Lugana DOC wines!

Welcome to Lombardy

The WMC22 (Wine Media Conference 2022) took place in the Hotel Acquaviva in Desenzano del Garda. Desenzanzo, along with its sister city Sirmione, are the best known destinations on the lake. The conference's focus was on getting to know Lombardy's wine region. A large and geographically complex region, Lombardy has 5 DOCG , 21 DOC and 15 IGP titles. Lugana is one of its DOCs. ASCOVILO (Associazione Consorzi Vini Lombardi), an umbrella association that represents 13 different winery associations in Lombardy, partnered with WMC22 in hosting the conference.

Lugana DOC Wines © Spaswinefood

Lugana DOC

Lugana DOC, founded in 1967, is one of Italy’s oldest protected wine-growing areas. This small appellation in Northern Italy is one of the few Italian wine regions that crosses over two provinces, Brescia and Verona; and hence is located in the two wine regions, namely Lombardy and Veneto. Lugana DOC is located in the southern part of the lake. The grape vines grow in an area of morainic origin, which rises from the shores of the Lakeland extends towards mountains.

Where is Italy's Lugana DOC © Spaswinefood

Lugana DOC regulations allow for up to 10% of complementary white grape varieties (as long as they are non-aromatic), the majority of the producers tend to make their Lugana wines exclusively from Turbiana grapes. Turbiana is indigenous to Lugana.

Turbiana, Lugana's Indigenous Grape © Spaswinefood

Lugana DOC Consortium has developed a new format for introducing its wines. I was introduced to their stimulating senses format during a session on Lugana DOC wines. This session was a 360 ° degree experience, which created an unforgettable tasting.

Sensations of Lugana, #WMC22 © Spaswinefood

Sensations of Lugana Kit © Spaswinefood

During the session we tasted five types of Lugana wines in a completely new way.

Lugana Wines © Spaswinefood

Five different styles of Lugana wines are permitted: Standard Lugana, Superiore, Riserva, Vendemmia Tardiva (late harvest), and Spumante (sparkling). Each wine type was explored focusing on a different sense.

Exploring Lugana Wines © Spaswinefood

The session was led by Alberto Ugolini, Wine Educator, Brand Ambassador, and a consultant in Sensory Analysis. Ugolini is Professor in Sensory Analysis at Viticulture and Enology Faculty, University of Palermo, and he teaches in the Master of Sciences of Sensory Analysis at University of Piacenza. Both Alberto’s engaging personality and his professional expertise was a perfect combination for this Lugana wine experience.

Lugana DOC Wines

Lugana DOC Wines, #WMC22 © Spaswinefood

We explored the following Lugana DOC wines:

1. Ca' Maiol Molin 2021

Ca' Maiol Molin Lugana DOC 2021 © Spaswinefood

2. Pasini San Giovanni, Lugana Brut Metodo Classico NV

Pasini San Giovanni, Lugana Brut Metodo Classico, Lugana DOC NV © Spaswinefood

3. Perla Del Garda, Madonna Della Scoperta, Superiore DOP

Perla Del Garda, Madonna Della Scoperta, Superiore DOP © Spaswinefood

4. Le Morette, Lugana Superiore

Le Morette, Lugana Superiore © Spaswinefood

Since leaving Italy I received this message:

Just a brief message to express our gratitude for your attendance to the events of Consorzio Lugana and the interest in its wines during the Wine Media Conference days in Italy. I hope my team and I will have the pleasure to welcome you at Le Morette, or to meet you in the U.S., and to let you discover even more about Lugana wines: but in the meantime let’s keep in touch!

With my warmest regards,

Fabio Zenato

Az. Agr. Valerio Zenato s.s - Viale Indipendenza 19/D -

San Benedetto di Lugana - 37019 - Peschiera del Garda - Verona - IT

Tel: +39.045.755 27 24 - Fax: +39.045.640 97 64

www.lemorette.it - commerciale@lemorette.it -

FB:@lemorette.lugana - IG: @lemorette.lugana

5. Tenuta Roveglia, Filo di Arianna Vendemmia Tardiva

It was awesome to learn about the various styles of Lugana DOC wines by focusing on the senses.

Also, a drinking timeframe for the wines was suggested.

It was awesome to learn about the various styles of Lugana DOC wines from a sensory perspective. During this session the tasting characteristics were discussed, and food pairings were suggested. For me what was most significant was the saltiness and high acidity of these wines.

Tasting these five types of Lugana wines in a completely new way, was an eye opening experience for me. I particularly liked the saltiness and high acidity of the specific wines that I tasted. These are the characteristics that made me fall in love with these wines.

More on Lugana DOC Wines

While in Italy I also tasted more Lugana wines over dinner at Desenzano Castle. The wines of the Lugana and Valtenesi Consortia were both poured that evening (see Valtenesi Wines).

Here are a few visual images of the Lugana DOC wines that I tasted:

Spumante (Sparkling)

Lugana

Superiore

Accompany these wines that evening were very tempting food pairings. Yes, there were vegetarian options, too. Thank you Lugana DOC for your attention to detail.

Any time in the future when I drink a Lugana DOC wine it will take me back to Lake Garda. I would highly recommend that you checkout Consorzio Tutela's Lugana DOC wines. These are indeed white wine gems from northern Italy. I invite you to join me in our wine travels in Italy and elsewhere at Wine Travels with Dr. Sharon, and at Spaswinefood on Twitter and Facebook. I am so looking forward to sharing more on our vine-filled explorations in Italy.

CHEERS!

Sharon

October 2022

Desenzano del Garda, Italy