Cà dei Frati 'I Frati', Lugana 2025

Cà dei Frati's signature Lugana is bright and vibrant in youth, yet capable of real evolution with age, gaining mineral, saline and spiced notes over time. Made from the local Turbiana grape, it opens with honeysuckle, almond and a touch of citrus, backed by a textured, saline finish. No oak is used, keeping the fruit clean and the aromatics fresh. It's a classic expression of Lugana, and one that's done a great deal to put the DOC on the map.

Drink now to get its fresh, zesty side, or tuck a bottle away and let it develop some age. Grilled prawns work brilliantly here, the wine's salinity and citrus lift echoing the seafood itself.

Cà dei Frati sits near the southern shores of Lake Garda and has spent decades establishing itself as Lugana's leading producer. It has been under the Dal Cero family's stewarship, and winemaker Igino Dal Cero's close attention to detail in particular, that the estate began pushing beyond Lugana's old reputation for simple, early-drinking whites towards something with real ageing potential. Their vineyard holdings have grown substantially since the early 2000s, yet quality has risen as production has increased. That combination of scale and care has done as much as anything to transform the standing of the Lugana DOC itself.