Review: 2022 Wines of Lugana – Olivini, Le Morette, and Tommasi

Lugana is an under-the-radar wine region in Italy, found in Lombardy, south of Lake Garda, Italy’s largest lake. The wines here are exclusively white, vinified from a single varietal called turbiana. Previously known as trebbiano di Lugana, turbiana makes for bright but lightly sweet wines, reminiscent of pinot grigio but with a bit more body.

All of the Lugana-based wines below are 100% turbiana from the 2022 vintage — and are all excellent values.

2022 Famiglia Olivini Lugana DOC – Mildly sweet with notes of cantaloupe and orange blossoms, this wine builds to showcase more floral qualities, lifting its way to a blend of stronger, orange-fueled citrus notes alongside a lightly doughy sesame character. A balance is found on the finish — serve this one very cold — where the melon notes find a curious foil alongside a brisk, grassy quality. Versatile alone or with a wide variety of foods. Best value. A- / $15

2022 Le Morette Mandolara Lugana DOC – Also slightly sweet, with more of a citrus bent. Fresh lemon curd and sesame are fairly immediate, with a more familiar melon note coming into focus as the wine warms a little. Floral, almost perfumed on the finish, showing a bit of gooseberry as things wrap up. Again, very easygoing, versatile, and refreshing. A- / $17

2022 Tommasi Le Fornaci Lugana DOC – Fruity, with a slight edge of salinity, this wine has a lot in common with the others in this roundup, though the melon character tends to lean more into a guava note on the palate. Refreshing from the start, a lemon curd quality builds on the bright finish. Again, there’s that coconut/gooseberry hint that comes into focus with some time in glass. A- / $20

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