“The aim is to reach a new segment of customers, the younger ones who still struggle to relate to the world of wine but who already consume it, for example, as an ingredient in mixology and therefore have every right to know what they are drinking.” These are the first words Giovanna Prandini, owner of Perla del Garda, tells us when we ask her the reasons for choosing to use a can for one of her wines (to which Garda DOC has shown openness in recent months). “It’s a regional white, certified, made with the Turbiana grape but not denominated as the Lugana regulations currently do not include this format. The packaging was designed by my niece Alessia Prandini, and the format is 25 cl., reminiscent of the quartino consumed in taverns in a mix of tradition and modernity.”
And it is precisely this that surprises us as we listen to Giovanna speak: the wine, in terms of quality, is on par with the other products of the winery. We are talking about very good wines, respectful of the grape varieties and the different areas in which they are planted. Wines very much tied to their territory, so much so that some of her company’s wines have won the coveted Tre Bicchieri award in recent years.
What Perladellago is like
Fresh, highly drinkable, very savory, and endowed with an energy that comes from perfectly balanced acidity. A slender body, no doubt, but never trivial or, even worse, evanescent. Rather, it’s a simple wine but endowed with a character that undoubtedly brings it closer to its bottled siblings and does not betray its origins, those of a wine born in a hilly area on morainic soils, in Lonato del Garda.
“The idea is to embrace the challenges posed by new target groups entering the world of wine without snobbery,” continues Giovanna Prandini. “For us, the can business is still in its infancy, but elsewhere it already represents a response to consumption occasions different from traditional ones. The hope is that the product can be included in the Garda DOC regulations, but we believe that the small format and aluminum packaging can already convey a new message of freshness, practicality, and sustainability, given that the can is 100% recyclable.”
Sustainability for Perla del Garda
The first winery in Garda to receive sustainability certification, Perla del Garda has long embraced values that respect the environment, as well as the company’s good social and economic practices. Having already achieved SQPNI and MakeIt Sustainable certifications, it also officially enters the prestigious world of Equalitas, the most complex certification to obtain, whose promoter years ago was also Gambero Rosso. “Embarking on this journey was a cultural choice, as I have acquired the deep conviction that this is an important added value not only for our work today but especially for the future,” says the owner.
Her company, organic since 2013, can count on 45 hectares of vineyards for a total production of 300,000 bottles firmly based on denominations of origin. “We are the only company in Lugana that interprets the entire set of regulations and produces not only a young and fresh version but also Riserva, Superiore, Vendemmia Tardiva, and Spumante. We believe in the value of DOCs and in the territory’s ability to offer high-quality and certainly long-lived wines.”