Le Morette Mandolara Lugana D.O.C.

Le Morette's clonal research on Turbiana — conducted in collaboration with the University of Milan and the Lugana Consortium — yielded three newly certified clones now used across the entire DOC. The Mandolara is where that genetic mastery meets its most direct expression. Grown on compact, chalky marly clay of glacial-moraine origin with clay content exceeding 40% on the estate's parcels in San Benedetto di Lugana and Desenzano del Garda, the vines sit on a narrow strip between Lake Garda's southern shore and the UNESCO-listed Frassino Lake — a microclimate defined by the surrounding Alpine foothills moderating diurnal swings and the lake's thermal mass extending the growing season. That high-clay, mineral-laden substrate drives pronounced saline tension and textural weight into the fruit. Winemaking is deliberately reductive: soft crush, 100% stainless steel fermentation at 16°C, zero skin contact, minimum one month in bottle at 12.5% ABV — no oak at any stage. The special feature here is the estate's dual identity as both nursery and winery: Le Morette controls Turbiana's clonal future while simultaneously bottling its most aromatic, unoaked expression. Vineyards are farmed without synthetic chemicals to protect the tufted-duck habitat at Frassino Lake, making biodiversity a structural production constraint rather than a label claim. Drink now through three to four years for peak aromatic lift.