Lake Como wines: a treasure to discover

Only few people know that one of the Lake Como’s treasures are our wines. The production where specific our and for the Milano’s area, some interesting evidences were found and they are telling us that the wine culture was important also during the roman empire and in the following era, also during the middle ages. It was very important the research done by the “Ampelografica” Commission in 1800, that created a list of the vineyard that also in the past were used to produce the precious Lake Como’s wines like the white Verdesa.

Until ‘800 Como was known for a “grape therapy”: Tolstoj was talking about this therapy after experience it on the Tavernola hills that in the past were full of vineyard. After 1800 viticulture has a decline, giving more preciousness to the surviving wines. This happened because of new hangers and for the absence of solutions for this problem. Another cause was the growing of the mulberry fields that were perfect for silkworm (as you may know silk was very important for the Como’s economy). Finally the vineyards were dismantled for the industrialization and urbanization. It was not easy for farmer to have wine there, so they stopped to product it.

Now vineyards are mostly in the Lake Como’s norther part, near to Domaso, that has got some influences also from the near Valtellina, that is very well known for its wines. Another area that have good wines is into the Ticino’s area near to Cerasio. It’s difficult to let grove grape here because of high temperature range that are lower thanks to the lake, that gives to our wines a special flavour. In 2008 they had an IGT mark called “Terre Lariane’’. A little production is coming from Como and Lecco, with wines such as Sorsasso that can be white, red and rosè, but there are also white one as the Domasino (typical in Domaso) that won more prizes.

Today we are re-discovering all the Lake Como’s wines and that permitted to some interested people to explore this wine land in a different way: in Drezzo and Uggiate Trevano you could find a precious Merlot, in Montano Lucino there are merlot, chardonnay and cabernet.

What are you waiting for to discover all our Lake Como’s wines and all the typical gastronomical offers are waiting for you also at the La Veranda Restaurant: cheers!