Ambra and Franco Tiraboschi started making wine in 1992, almost by accident. Franco’s background is in real estate and when he and Ambra encountered this property for sale, it seemed too good to pass up. But when harvest time came that year, they couldn’t find a buyer for the grapes, so they decided to make their own wine and the rest is history.
The house itself dates back to the 13th century and was the summer residence of the Bishop of Verona. They named the property Ca' Lojera (House of the Wolf in local dialect) after a local legend that wolves protected the houses of smugglers who traded weapons and black-market salt along the coast of Lake Garda.
The 30 to 40 year old vines are planted on 18 ha of land, rich with the distinctive white clay of Lugana that was once a part of the lake bed. Lake Garda is Italy’s largest lake but was once much larger, and the dried lakebed soil imparts a distinctive minerality to the wines. The principal grape in Lugana is something called Turbiana or Trebbiano di Lugana, which despite the name is not Trebbiano at all. It's actually much more closely related to the Marche's Verdicchio grape (the family resemblance can be seen in the subtle almond oil note that sometimes emerges in the riper examples). All of Ca' Lojera's Lugana wines are 100% hand-harvested Turbiana, fermented and matured in stainless steel.
Their 18 ha of vines are all organically farmed, but they are not pursuing certification simply because they do not want to deal with the bureaucratic headache. The mainstay of their production, the Lugana DOC, is a crisp, medium-weight white redolent of stone fruits, green almond, lemon pith, and white flowers. The Lugana “Riserva del Lupo” is made from a selection of later harvested grapes and frequently exhibits luscious and exotic botrytis-related flavors despite being dry on the palate. These wines are among Italy’s longest-lived whites, and despite the tiny production, we are privileged enough to occasionally be able to offer library releases for sale-- just ask!
Last but not least, they also produce a small quantity of “Tur Blanc” metodo classico sparkling wine from 100% Turbiana, aged 48 months on the lees and finished with zero dosage. The Tiraboschi’s passion and dedication shines so vibrantly in their wines and care for the estate, you would never know this is a second career for the couple.
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