Lugana DOC, the wine that made our land and our Ca’ dei Frati winery famous. After thirty years of work between the vineyard and the winery, it was in 1967 that people started talking about Lugana, the year the denomination was born – among other things the first Lombard DOC to be born in the region.

The Dal Cero family of Ca’ dei Frati has Venetian origins, when great-grandfather Felice and great-grandmother Edvige moved to the southern shores of Lake Garda in search of fortune after the First World War. They bought the estate here in 1939 and continued to do what they do best, with foresight: wine. His son Pietro then participated in the birth of the Lugana DOC in 1967, starting to bottle his first label of Lugana Casa dei Frati starting just two years later, in 1969. A look to the past and always one to the future, this is the secret of the 85 years of history of the Ca’ dei Frati winery and of our DOC.

But now let’s see what territory we are talking about. Lake Garda is an unusual corner of the Mediterranean nestled between the Lombardy-Veneto Prealps: a calcareous, clayey and silty soil, combined with the wind and the mild climate contribute in a fundamental way to the production of Lugana DOC, this wine so exclusive and typical of our beloved area. It is precisely this combination of elements that allows us to obtain elegant and long-lived wines, with great mineral expression. Once upon a time the entire area was covered with woods and marshes: it was the Silva Lucana (hence the name Lugana, which also takes our hotel), populated by deer, fallow deer and wild boars. Thanks to the mild climate, today the area has a totally different appearance: in addition to the vine, olive trees, lemon trees, cedars, almond trees, agaves and palm trees flourish. The mild climate of Lake Garda is what gives life to such exclusive wines, such as Lugana DOC. The wind also plays a decisive role. In particular, the Pelér, which blows from north to south, generates temperature variations that allow for the production of grapes with great varietal expression; but also the Luganott, the wind that takes its name from the bay of Lugana. The lake essentially acts as a thermoregulator, creating an ideal microclimate, despite the territory being predominantly flat, with some vineyards even on the morainic hills with sandier soils. It is precisely in these areas that vines are grown with care and dedication.

The grape variety used, Turbiana, is the native vine of the area and is part of the large family of Italian Trebbiano, a relative of Trebbiano di Soave and also of Verdicchio. Once vinified, this wine is fresh, linear, vertical and direct in its youth, endowed with great finesse and elegance with delicate notes of white flowers, white-fleshed fruit and hints of apricot. Originally conceived to be consumed in the vintage, it expresses its best part years after bottling: time allows it to evolve with greater determination the mineral notes, thus acquiring its complexity with hints of iodine, spices and candied fruit. This is what Ca ‘dei Frati offers with the name “Privilegio di Famiglia”.

In the mouth it is capable of enveloping the entire palate thanks to an important savoury essence accompanied by lively and exuberant acidity. Lugana DOC is therefore perfect with cold or warm appetizers, but delicate, and accompanies steamed and grilled fish dishes. If Lugana DOC is a young wine that should be consumed within the year, which remains on fine yeasts for at least 6 months and is refined in the bottle for another 2, Lugana DOC Privilegio di Famiglia, on the other hand, is another expression of Lugana over time. This wine is refined in the bottle for 5 years and before that for at least 12 months on fine yeasts.

“Drink your Lugana young, very young and you will enjoy its freshness. Drink it two or three years old and you will enjoy its completeness. Luganas, a rare thing in wines, have an extraordinary ability to make themselves recognized.” – Luigi Veronelli

With these words we conclude this brief excursus on our prized Lugana Doc, the image of our area in Italy and in the world. If you want to find out more about the wines of the Ca’ dei Frati winery, you can find more information on: www.cadeifrati.it.

For those who want to deepen their knowledge of typical local products, first and foremost the Lugana Doc wine, a visit to our Ca’ dei Frati winery is a must. The company, known since 1700 as an agricultural estate, has a much longer history that began with the activity of the Discalced Carmelite friars of the order of Santa Maria de Senioribus who produced wine for mass. Ca’ dei Frati also saw the birth of the Lugana Doc: among the signatories of the first specification was Pietro Dal Cero, founder of the winery. Special weekend visits are planned that also include lunch or dinner on the lake in our restaurant (La Lugana Trattoria).

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Lake Garda, the largest lake in Italy, is not only an enchanting tourist destination for its breathtaking landscapes and its always mild climate, but also a land rich in food and wine traditions. Thanks to the particularly favorable climatic conditions, the area surrounding the lake offers a variety of unique typical products, including extra virgin olive oil, fine wines, famous citrus fruits, lake fish and artisanal cheeses. During your stay at our Hotel Lugana Parco al Lago & Wine Hotel, we invite you to discover these authentic flavors and immerse yourself in the Garda culinary experience.

The hills surrounding the lake are covered with vineyards that produce high quality wines, appreciated both in Italy and abroad. Among the most famous are:

• Bardolino: a light and fruity red wine, perfect to accompany white meat dishes and first courses.
• Bardolino Chiaretto: a rosé variant with a fresh and delicate taste, ideal for an aperitif.
• Lugana DOC: an aromatic and mineral white wine, excellent with lake fish.
• Groppello: typical of Valtenesi, it is a soft and spicy red wine, perfect with local cured meats and cheeses.

Numerous local wineries offer tastings and guided tours, allowing visitors to discover the secrets of wine production, in particular Ca’ dei Frati offers free guided tours during the week and special events when the winery is closed on weekends. You can combine the experience in the cellar with a gourmet menu on the lake in one of our establishments: La Lugana Trattoria or La Fenice Bistrot.

Lake Garda offers a wide variety of freshwater fish, protagonists of the local cuisine, especially in the past. Among the most popular today are:

• Lavarello: a light and delicate fish, often served grilled or marinated.
• Coregone: similar to the lavarello, it is ideal for the preparation of tartare and carpaccio.
• Pike: typical is “luccio in salsa”, served with polenta.
• Lake sardines: used for the traditional “carpione”, a dish marinated with vinegar and onions.

The restaurants in the area offer numerous traditional recipes based on lake fish, accompanied by local wines. At La Lugana Trattoria you will find a menu entirely dedicated to lake fish, paired with Ca’ dei Frati wines, for a 360-degree gastronomic experience.

The hilly and mountainous areas around the lake are ideal for the production of artisanal cheeses and cured meats. Among the most renowned are:

• Formagella di Tremosine: a soft cheese with a sweet and delicate taste.
• Monte Baldo: a mature cheese with a strong flavor.
• Salame Morenico: produced in the morainic hills of Garda, it has a spicy and intense flavor.

Many local mountain huts, especially on Mount Baldo, offer tastings, allowing visitors to savor these products accompanied by honey and artisanal jams. At our Bistrot La Fenice, don’t miss a platter of zero-mile cured meats and cheeses, where you can taste many typical artisanal products of the finest quality, selected by our chef Edo.