Ep. 1042 Fabio Zenato Pt. 1 | On The Road Edition With Stevie Kim

Welcome to the Italian wine podcast. This episode has been brought to you by the wine to wine business forum twenty twenty two. This year, we'll mark the ninth edition of the forum to be held on November seventh and eighth of twenty twenty two in Verona Italy. This year will be an exclusively in person edition. The main theme of the event will be all around wine communication. And tickets are on sale now. The first early bird discount will be available until August twenty second. For more information, please visit us at wine to wine dot net. Welcome to another episode of On The Road Edition, hosted by Stevie Kim. Each week, she travels to incredible wine destinations, interviewing some of the Italian wine scene's most interesting personalities, talking about wines, the foods, as well as the incredible travel destinations. Hello, everybody. My name is Stevie Kim, and we are here in lugana today. A beautiful day. And we are here to learn a little bit about, this territory, which is called lugana. Very it's quite near, Verona. It's between Verona and I would say Milan. Is that correct? No? Yeah. Yeah. I see Verona and Prischen? Verona and Brescia, given better. We are here today with Fabio Zenato. He is the newly elected Neil president of the consortium of Lugana, and we want to learn a few things about Lugana today. So, thank you. So so congratulations. I don't know what that means. If if it's good or bad. It's a mission. Yeah. It's a big submission. So would you mind telling us, just kinda give a brief overview of what lugana is, like in terms of territory, in terms of number of producers, give us a little bit of the stats. Yes. Of course. With pleasure. Yes. So thank you, first of all, for being with us and to discover this territory, right, a small territory, tiny territory. It's a territory made of two thousand five hundred hectares of vineyards and it represents the base of lake gardner. So we are crossing the border of Veneto and Nombardy. So we are here in Bostolingo and Lonato. This is the five villages, the five villages that are in Land of Uganda. Is it more Verona, or was it Russia? In terms of surface, Russia is dominant. More than eighty percent. Wow. I didn't know that. When we moved to bottles and wine production, because of most, let's say, most of us as producers are owning lands in Corona and Inbration. Oh, okay. In terms of bottles, then there's much more balance in between their own immigration. But in reality, what we love to say is it's one unique territory. It's in Uganda because it's quite impossible to find one pure producer in one or the other of the side, let's say. And for us, the important is the base of lake Ganda because the origin of this territory has to be found when this lake was a glacier. That moved down a lot of clay where we are today. So this very, very important information creates the base of the operation. This grape is Tour Vienna indigenous, growing in this place. These two dominant characters. So how many, producers are there? So in two thousand five hundred hectares, there are two hundred and eight families of Venus. And more or less fifty percent, ninety five wineries. Oh, ninety five wineries. Yes. So there are growers, few growers, and then growers toward the production of wine and bottles. So, Fabia, you are, like, kind of specialized mister Treviano in a way. Right? So so tell us a little bit about the great, variety, specific to Ligana, what it is. And how it's if it's different from Trebiano the lugana Trebiano Diswave. Tell us a little bit about it. Yes. We've pleasure because this needs to be done, let's say, in one way. Because there's a little bit of confusion on my side. Which which, which has an origin linked to the MPography. So the national catalog is, dated back in the years when there was not as much of DNA research. Right? Now we have much more deeper way to investigate the variety and the genetics of the grape. And this allow us to discover some extra details that allow us to really go in the DNA of the plants. So back twenty years ago, there was the possibility to investigate the DNA of these plants in relation to many other Treviano belonging group, let's say, of of plants. You know, Tribbiano as a family, as group of white grapes is the biggest really. Are you serious? Yes. Oh, I didn't know. And that's only in Italy. There are Trebbiano grown in Russia to Spain. Because as this No. As a family. Yes. As family. Yes. Okay. Some Turbiana. Not Turbiana. Okay. Turbiana has a its own DNA characters that, identify, let's say, genetically speaking. Done, going to the vineyard, what we are to look is the expression of the DNA in the plants. So it has a great identity in terms of potential of production and grape and skin characters. That's, really, are in unicum with this soil. So the plant has DNA factors, but then the response is in this area unique because of the soil. So this DNA plant our clay soil create this unicom in terms of stability in the fresh version of the wine, and in mineralities speaking about the long gauge and potential of this variety. Are you enjoying this podcast? There is so much more high quality wine content available for mama jumbo shrimp. Check out our new wine study maps or books on Italian wine. Including Italian wine unplugged, and much, much more. Just visit our website, mama jumbo shrimp dot com. Now, back to the show. But it is similar to the bianna dish. Right? The the more similar in terms of, plant familiarity are verdic enter beyond this lava. Okay. And what is the difference between, in terms of taste, taste profiles? In terms of taste profiles. They're very similar in a way. They are similar, but here, this I would say there's more texture as a global sensation, and, the green note is quite always well balanced with the fruity notes. As per the young version, for the fresh version, as for the long aging potential of the grade. So this has, this versatility, which is, linked to the activity, to the green side, but always well prepared by the fruity notes in the wine. Okay. So for, lugana, is it hundred percent Thulbiana? Or I think you can actually add some other grapes, right, a small percentage? You're right. Since the region, nineteen sixty seven, the first Appalachian of Lombardy, Uganda was, and one of the first ten of Italy, the Appalachian rule says minimum ninety percent of tourbillon. Which means that there's a ten percent window of other white grapes. Any white grape varieties? No non aromatic. Okay. On our aromatic. To respect the state of the wine. But it can be both international and local grape varieties. It could be local or international. But to be honest, nowadays, the majority of the producer are focusing hundred percent on tourbillon. Why why is that? Because, we realized that ten percent as blend is almost Nothing plus. Let's say. So a better detailed verification process, giving the best expression to the potential of the grape in terms of minification, fermentation, and maturation certainly. Shows a more realistic and authentic sign of the territory in the glass. That's the feelings. So most of the producers will, tend to use hundred percent of Vienna. Correct. Is that correct? Yes. Alright. What else can you tell us about Lucana in terms of the characteristics? You said stupidity? Yeah. And, acidity? Yes. Is that one of the characteristics? I'd say, of course, these are the predominant for the fresh for the young face of the wine that turn to minerality when you wait some in years and you retaste the wine after four, five, six years and plus. So for for anyone who hasn't tried, lugana, what is it similar to? Like, difficult question. No. What is it similar to in terms of the international wines? Is it similar to chardonnay? It's certainly not similar to sovignon, but is it similar to chablis? Is it, sir, similar to I think that they would go to the direction of Chablis or kind of chardonnay, but we have an extra hint of green conversation, like, maybe the peanut style. So I'm kind of blending that direction. So a nice richness in the in the body of the wine but this green hint in the beginning in the, front face of the tasting, let's say. That would be an idea. So, Fabio, you as the mandate. How long does your mandate last as the president of the three years? Three years. In these three years, what would you like to accomplish? Like, what are your goals in the in the perfect world? What would you like to do? To be honest with you, it's really an idea because we are just getting. Right? So it's it's a we are very, very, let's say, last minute election because we're a few days before we need to Right. Right. My idea is, trying to get a more international profile on the wine. We are as appalachian now already two third for rain market versus one third domestic. Oh, really? But this international, dimension is now mostly Europe, right, Europe. So So less less in America. Bella, the project, the idea would be to go far and to get the right attention in the real international big markets as a population. We are pretty convinced that the wine has great potential in the taste for, let's say, well educated consumers, of course, and we are always targeted to a very small niche of the market and of the consumer. Loves the wine, the territory, knows the area. So, of course, we need to get this kind of, let's say, fence for the territory and for the wine. But this, of course, has to pass through a way of promotion of great, investors, of great lovers and fun of Ligana that let people experience the wine. So talking about ambassadors, of course, the consortium of Ligana is a supporter for Vineeto International Academy. And we are looking forward to bringing the ambassadors back to the territory, in November. Just to close off Fabio, if you were to describe Lughana in three words, what would that that be? Three adjectives. Three adjectives. Yes. The first one, the young and immigail Mhmm. And, reach, and, the last button of this, it's a versatile wine. Versatility. Yes. Versatility. Okay. Great. Alright. Cheers. And looking forward to seeing you soon. Salute. Thank you. We hope you enjoy today's episode brought to you by the wine to wine business forum twenty twenty two. This year, we'll mark the ninth edition of the forum to be held on November seventh and eighth. Twenty twenty two in verona Italy. Remember, the first early bird discount on tickets will be available until August twenty second. For more information, please visit us at white to wine dot net. Hi, guys. I'm Joy Livingston, and I am the producer of the Italian wine podcast. Thank you for listening. We are the only wine podcast that has been doing a daily show since the pandemic began. This is a labor of love and we are committed to bringing you free content every day. Of course, this takes time and effort not to mention the cost of equipment, production, and editing. We would be grateful for your donations, suggestions, requests, and ideas. For more information on how to get in touch, go to Italianwine podcast dot com.