Summer of Soave

Summer of Soave – UK promotion 2019, and more besides

Summer of Soave is a UK promotion that’s running, you guessed it, this summer. So look out for tastings, promotions and more besides. Soave is undoubtedly one of my favourite Italian white wines and is also a place that’s close to my heart.

Hence it’s a place to return to often, though seemingly never often enough! There is always something new to discover; a producer, wine or indeed, a different season or landscape.

Look out for the Summer of Soave promotional logo

Over this summer there will be brand new Wine Alchemy Soave stories, covering some of the topics below, as there’s much more to Soave than meets the eye.

Soave Cru

Progress on establishing the new Soave Cru designation based on specific vineyard sites continues. The previous list of 54 vineyard sites (Cru) identified by preparatory work has been honed down to 33. Producers can add these Cru names to their relevant wines from this year’s harvest onwards. Here’s a new map to view or download, produced by the Consorzio, which shows the new Cru, with a brief description of each one. The names are:

Castelcerino, Colombara, Froscà, Fittà, Foscarino, Volpare, Tremenalto, Carbonare, Tenda, Corte Durlo, Rugate, Croce, Costalunga, Coste, Zoppega, Menini, Monte Grande, Ca’ del Vento, Castellaro, Pressoni, Broia, Brognoligo, Costalta, Paradiso, Costeggiola, Casarsa, Monte di Colognola, Campagnola, Pigno, Duello, Sengialta, Ponsarà, Roncà- Monte Calvarina.

28 are within Soave Classico, with the other 5 to the east and west.

Full details about these hillside sites, with photographs, are also now availble online from the Consorzio here.

Ageworthy wine

Meanwhile, Soave ages exceptionally well, because the Garganega grape variety and it’s blending partner Trebbiano di Soave have this potential. Indeed, Trebbiano di Soave is the Verdicchio grape of Le Marche, whose terrific ageing potential was demonstrated by the Wine Alchemy Masterclasses last year. Trebbiano di Soave is finally being recognised as a truly great grape in its own right.

The high-quality Soave Cru always benefit from time in bottle and really begin to shine from three years of age. After that, many years of further development are possible as tertiary aromas and flavours gradually appear.

Older wines are, of course, harder to come by than the young vintages. Hence if you are buying great Soave then buy at least two bottles; one for now and one for later.

A Globally Important Agricultural heritage system (GIAHS)

What is abundantly clear is the continuing improvement in the quality of Soave wines, a process that’s continuing apace regardless of vintage variation. It’s a region that undertakes a lot of research and is also outward-facing; always looking to improve. Meanwhile, in November 2018, Soave was officially accepted as the 58th Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) by the Food And Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. These are beautiful landscapes that uniquely combine agricultural biodiversity, resilient ecosystems and precious cultural heritage. It’s well worth reading the proposal (in English) that was made and accepted by the UN. You can view and download it here.

Seabeds and eruptions

Soave is a region with a mosaic of limestone from ancient seabeds and volcanic soils from more recent cataclysms. That’s an unusual mix that influences the wine’s flavour profile. Look out for wines from these very different terroirs in future. They are not necessarily better than one another but are undoubtedly different. Meanwhile, some wines are a fusion of both.

Articles to get you in the mood for Soave

My Wine of the Year 2017, Salvarenza Soave Classico DOC from Gini. Congratulations are also due to Sandro Gini, as he’s now President of the Soave Consorzio.

A perennial favourite, Coffele Castel Cerino Soave Classico DOC.

And have you tried Runcata, a Soave Superiore DOCG from Tenuta Corte Giacobbe?

Here’s my take on Garganega’s sometimes partner in Soave, Trebbiano di Soave.

In short, in this Summer of Soave, Italy’s most famous white wine continues to impress. I’ll be hosting a couple of Masterclasses too, so cin-cin!