2015 Ottella "Le Creete" Lugana DOC 750 ml

 

In the late summer of 2016, we stopped for lunch at Esplanade, a fine bistro on the southern bank of Lake Garda. The lake dividing Lombardy from Veneto shimmered before us, the bucolic majesty of the Alps towered in the distance. Even better than the scenery was the pairing. After picking at plates of traditional fritto misto, whole whitefish (il coregone) and trout hit the table next. We had full glasses of the “Le Creete” Trebbiano di Lugana from the nearby Ottella Estate. The combination of the grilled freshwater fish with the snappy, crunchy, mineral white seared the moment in our memories — thousands of years of Italian food culture synthesized on our tongues.

Italian white wine has always been designed for food. Some 3,000 years of continuous experimentation pays off in these magical pairings. As we begin mapping out the summer months ahead, we can’t help but think back to our trip to Italy last summer, our mouths watering with the memory of that memorable meal. As the mercury rises, if there’s one white Trebbiano you drink this year — or if you’re looking for any mineral white to cut a delicious seafood plate — it has to be Ottella’s. Here’s why.

When you’re talking about the Ottella Estate, you can start your history in 1890, when the Montresor family began tending the vines on the banks of Lake Frassino, just south of the much larger Lake Garda. Or you can trace the estate’s name and coat-of-arms on the label to the 15th century birth of octuplets. But you’d be better served looking much further back, to the end of the last Ice Age, when a glacier carved out the valley and deposited Italy’s largest lake. Most importantly, the glacier gifted the region with white chalky-clay soils that today provide the wine drawn from vines grown here their exceptional character and minerality.

They call the grapes grown here Turbiana, but they’re better known as Trebbiano di Lugana. Genetically similar to Verdicchio from the Marche, Trebbiano di Lugana still stands apart, boasting unique characteristics befitting a grape with roots this deep.

The 2015 Ottella “Le Creete” Lugana shows an alluring light golden hue in the glass. Delicate aromas of white flowers, ripe pineapple and mint-infused-verbena on the nose. The ultra-rich mouthfeel is packed with preserved lemons, fresh-cut pineapple, and candied melon. Lively on the mid-palate, mouthwatering acidity and mineral texture provides an excellent counterpoint to the high-toned fruit profile. The finish is extremely long, marked by a leesy component that resembles a well-crafted Cru Chablis at twice the price — the perfect match for a rich freshwater fish preparation or even fritto misto. Drop-dead gorgeous to enjoy today, but prepared to lay down for another 3 to 5 years.

But don’t just take our word for it — we’re not the only ones transported by the wines from this Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri-winning winery. Wine Enthusiast rated “Le Creete” 92 points, praising this “savory white” for its “energizing mineral” complexity and “bright acidity.”

At $21/bottle, we strongly recommend a CASE-BUY; stock up before this summer AND the summers to come. Only 75 cases are up for grabs. Shipping included on 6.