I don´t know about you, but the novelty of nesting at home has long since worn off for me. As of late, my thoughts have been turning more and more to travel. I long to hear a foreign language, to taste new flavors, to see mountains or the sea, to meet new people. Alas, since that appears to be out of the question for a bit longer still, I must content myself instead with memories of past travels.

Every year in April, Gonzalo and I travel to Italy to visit our producers and to attend VinItaly, an enormous wine fair in Verona (yes, that same Verona made immortal in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet). While VinItaly is incredibly productive, it is undoubtedly the visits to producers that bookend the fair that we most relish. 

Quite close to Verona, is the winemaking zone of Lugana. Lugana is one of those under the radar wine regions whose wines (and superb olive oils), until recently, had been hardly tasted outside of the zone. There was very little to export since the vast bulk of production was consumed at home, by northern Italians and the lucky tourists who visited Lake Garda. 

Lugana DOC is made of a grape varietal called Turbiana, a clone of Trebbiano, and it is capable of producing precisely the sort of crisp, linear, high-toned, refreshing white wine that I most want to drink these days. In addition to dry, racy white wine, Lugana DOC can also take the shape of late harvest botrytised wine and dry sparkling wine.

My husband and I have been enjoying the wines of Alessandro Cutolo of Azienda Agricola Marangona.An embarrassing number of Lugana bottles in our building´s recycling bin can attest to the same. The thing is, Ale´s entry-level Marangona Lugana Classico DOC drinks like a much more expensive wine than it is, and it seems to go with everything- on its own as an aperitivo with briny olives, with a great big green salad, with smoked trout, with unctuous Gorgonzola. And truly, one would be hard pressed to find a nicer guy. Kind, gentle, passionate, respectful, young - Ale is an absolute gem. 

The Marangona estate has been in his family for generations, but it wasn´t until 2007 that Ale took over. Since then, the estate has become certified organic, and the wines have assumed a decidedly natural tone. There are no manipulations in the vineyards or the cellar under Ale´s watch. Only the smallest amount of sulfites are added at the time of bottling to preserve freshness. What I most admire of Ale´s wines is their supreme sense of balance. There is perfect tension between the acidity, the minerality, the restrained citrus notes. This is good, clean, elegant wine. He stewards the sanctity of his family´s vineyards and lets the pure fruit speak for itself. And yet, he does have a curious side. In addition to using stainless steel, he has begun experimenting with different sorts of vessels - octagon cement tanks, clay amphorae. We find his experiments delicious and enjoy tasting the versatility of Lugana DOC under his skillful hand. 

Lugana Classico DOC 2017 - bright, crisp, racy, wildly fresh. This is a gorgeous, versatile dry white wine. Pairs beautifully with lake fish, sashimi and simply dressed salads. 

Lugana Tre Campane DOC 2017 – el cru this is Marangona´s Lugana cru. It's the big brother of the Classico - more concentrated, more elegant and utterly delicious. Similarly suited to lake fish and seafood, but able to stand up to richer dishes such as Sole Meuniere 

Lugana Cemento 2016 - there's a wild and savage character to this complex wine that is fermented and vinified in octagon cement tanks. It´s fuller bodied and more savory than its dry Lugana brethren. This is one for the natural wine lovers or for those red wine fans who search for heft when they drink white wine. 

Rabbiosa Vendemmia Tardiva DOC 2015  - this wine is only produced in exceptional vintages in which botrytis spontaneously develops. This off-dry wine sings with acidity and should not be relegated only to the dessert course. It pairs beautifully with spicy Thai dishes and is right at home with a cheese plate.