Madre Perla – Lugana Riserva 2022

Perla Madre by Perla del Garda – Lugana Riserva DOP

The Perla del Garda Perla Madre is a Lugana Riserva DOP 2022. For the Riserva quality level, the organic grapes are harvested late. The wine must be aged for at least 24 months, including 6 months in the bottle. Thus, it is not designed for freshness, but for elegance, structure, and longevity.

Its straw-yellow color, with a tendency towards gold, radiates from the glass. On the nose, one can discern a hint of fresh fruits, such as apple and white peach, with hazelnut and meadow herbs emerging, but complex flint notes and eucalyptus are also detectable. On the palate, the Lugana Riserva Perla Madre displays the full splendor of the Turbiana grape and the special minerality of its calcareous soils. It is powerful and round, broad and complex, so much so that it pairs wonderfully with spicy dishes, and even meat dishes.

Winemaking – Giovanna Prandini

In Lonato del Garda, on the southern shore of Lake Garda, twenty-year-old vines grow in hilly vineyards (only 4 hectares) on calcareous soils of morainic origin. At an altitude of 150-250 meters above sea level, in the Casalin area, this organic Lugana Riserva DOP is produced by Azienda Perla del Garda. In the Guyot training system, 5,000 vines per hectare stand close together, because the Turbiana grape variety has enormous growth and quickly produces quantity instead of quality if not properly managed. Winemaker Giovanna Prandini keeps them in check; closely planted, they have to compete for water and nutrients, and consistent yield reduction on the vine is also implemented. Harvesting takes place a little later than with classic Lugana, around mid-September.

Harvested by hand in small crates, they are manually selected again at the winery, which is located in the middle of the vineyards, before being transferred to the cold room to protect them from oxidative stress and preserve the fruit. After gentle whole-bunch pressing, the 8-10 day fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks at approx. 15 degrees. The Lugana Riserva DOP is aged for 18 months on lees in stainless steel tanks and at least 6 months in the bottle before it goes on sale. The result is a top-class Lugana.

Lugana Riserva DOP – White Wine from Lake Garda

Since 1967, Lugana wine has carried the DOP or DOC (Denominazione di origine controllata) designation as a controlled designation of origin. On around 700 hectares of vineyards, which the DOC area on the southern shore of Lake Garda encompasses, the grapes also known as Verdicchio Bianco grow: Turbiana and Trebbiano di Lugana. From these, the straw-yellow to greenish white wine is produced, which owes its freshness to the microclimate characterized by the large lake, with mild temperatures and fresh winds.

Madre Perla – an organic wine and its values

• 13% vol. alcohol
• 5.1g/l acidity
• 0.8g/l residual sugar

Organic control body IT BIO 012 – Italian agriculture