19 May 2025

Pinot Grigio and Lugana del Garda: Best Pairings

Pinot Grigio e Lugana del Garda: con cosa abbinarli? cesari

Discover the best food pairings for Pinot Grigio and Lugana del Garda: fresh and refined wines, perfect with fish, vegetables, and delicate cheeses.

The Lake Garda region, with its mild climate and fertile soils, is one of Italy’s most renowned wine-producing areas. Among its finest white wines are two refined and versatile expressions: Pinot Grigio and Lugana. At Cesari, our Centofilari vineyards—located on the southern shore of the lake—allow us to express the unique character of this exceptional territory.

Pleasant acidity, freshness, and minerality are the common traits of these wines, which are capable of enhancing a wide variety of dishes. But what are the best gastronomic pairings for Pinot Grigio Garda and Lugana wines? Let’s find out together.

Pinot Grigio del Garda: Key Characteristics and Pairings

Pinot Grigio from the Garda area stands out for its fresh and fruity aromatic profile, with pronounced freshness and minerality. Our interpretation—Pinot Grigio Garda Centofilari—in particular, offers an intense bouquet of apple, pear, and banana. On the palate, it shows good body, balanced by marked sapidity and acidity. Typically, Pinot Grigio del Garda is made using traditional white vinification methods, although in our case it also includes a stage in amphora.

Thanks to its versatility, it’s a wine that adapts beautifully as an aperitif or as a companion to light dishes, thanks to its pleasant acidity and its adaptability at the table.

Pinot Grigio Garda Pairings

Appetizers

A glass of Pinot Grigio is ideal for starting a meal with delicate and fresh appetizers. In relation to the zero-kilometre cuisine of Lake Garda, it pairs beautifully with sarde in saor. It also goes perfectly with crunchy toasted bread topped with smoked salmon or trout, perhaps served with a light fresh cheese and chive cream.

Another delicious option could be seafood salads, dressed with extra virgin olive oil, lemon, and a pinch of pepper, or white fish tartare, where the delicacy of the fish harmonizes with the freshness of the wine. We particularly recommend pairing Pinot Grigio Garda Centofilari with light dishes based on avocado and shrimp—you’ll be amazed!

First Courses

Moving on to first courses, Pinot Grigio finds perfect balance with delicate risottos, such as asparagus risotto, which mirrors the wine’s herbaceous and citrus notes. A seafood or lake fish risotto, thanks to its natural saltiness, is also enhanced by the wine’s freshness and minerality. For pasta lovers, Pinot Grigio goes wonderfully with dishes made from fresh vegetables, like pasta with zucchini and shrimp, or with recipes dressed with light sauces based on extra virgin olive oil and aromatic herbs.

Second Courses

Among main courses, Pinot Grigio pairs beautifully with simply prepared fish, such as baked sea bream with lemon and herbs, grilled sea bass, or baked lavarello, in keeping with the lake’s culinary tradition. White meats also work well, particularly in light preparations like lemon chicken breast or turkey with yogurt sauce. Lastly, for a cheese pairing, Pinot Grigio is perfect alongside fresh and delicate varieties like buffalo mozzarella, robiola, and mild goat cheeses.

Lugana del Garda: Main Characteristics and Pairings

Lugana is a white wine produced in the southern part of Lake Garda, made primarily from the Turbiana grape. The production rules allow for a small percentage of other local white grapes. At Cesari, the blend for our Lugana DOC Centofilari includes a minimal share of Chardonnay.

Aromatically, Lugana is known for its elegance and complexity. In Lugana Centofilari Cesari, you’ll find intense notes of flowers and fruit, along with citrus and delicate hints of tropical fruit, ripe apple, and peach. On the palate, it shows pronounced minerality and sapidity, with a strong aptitude for various gastronomic pairings that enhance its freshness and structure.

Lugana del Garda Pairings

Appetizers

To begin, Lugana pairs perfectly with delicate preparations such as fish carpaccio, where the wine’s minerality elevates the saltiness of raw fish. Another excellent match is tuna tartare, perhaps finished with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a dusting of pink pepper. Even bruschetta with cherry tomatoes and basil is a great option, as the sweetness of the tomatoes and the aromatic freshness of basil find an ideal counterpoint in Lugana’s freshness.

First Courses

Lugana shines with creamy risottos, especially risotto al Lugana, made using the same wine in cooking. The combination of the risotto’s creaminess and the wine’s freshness creates a perfect harmony.

Perch risotto is another great choice, as is pasta with clams or shrimp, where the sea’s savory notes are heightened by the wine’s acidity and minerality.

Main Courses

Once again, Lugana is the ideal companion for lake fish, such as lavarello or coregone, cooked grilled or stewed with herbs, according to Garda tradition. Delicate white meats, like herb-seasoned chicken or vitello tonnato, also find in Lugana a perfect match, thanks to its ability to enhance soft meats without overpowering them. Finally, for those who prefer vegetarian dishes, Lugana goes beautifully with grilled vegetables, asparagus quiches, and savory tarts. For cheese lovers, this wine pairs well with soft and slightly tangy varieties, like stracchino, taleggio, or crescenza.

Pinot and Lugana: Comparison and Special Occasions

Both Pinot Grigio and Lugana share freshness and versatility, making them perfect for pairing with light dishes and for enjoying during spring or summer dinners. However, they differ in key ways: Pinot Grigio, with its more neutral and lighter profile, is suitable for an even wider range of dishes, while Lugana, with its greater structure and minerality, is especially well suited to fish and vegetable-based dishes.

For special occasions, Lugana is ideal for a romantic seafood dinner, perhaps served with oysters or scampi, while Pinot Grigio is perfect for a picnic by the lake, accompanied by fresh salads and cold dishes. Both wines are excellent for an aperitif with friends, offering freshness and pleasant drinkability.

Conclusion

Both Pinot Grigio and Lugana del Garda are outstanding examples of Italian winemaking excellence, capable of enriching every gastronomic experience with their distinctive character and exceptional versatility at the table.