2019 Gini Soave Classico Superiore Contrada Salvarenza Vecchie Vigne, Italy, Veneto, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$36.00USD

Gini is one of the top producers of Soave white wines from Northeastern Italy.  This is 100% Gargenega grapes made from vines that are over 100 years old.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has a floral quality (yellow and white flowers) with a touch of lemons and a bit of minerality/salinity.  Light to medium bodied.  Good acidity.  Nice, lean but firm texture.  On the palate, the lemony notes come out more with a touch of minerality.  Long finish.  There is come depth and concentration.  This is nice on its own but better with food.  It would be great with a plate of past

2022 Pieropan Soave Classico, Italy, Veneto, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2022
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$16.00USD

One of my favorite white wines of Italy.  This is their basic Soave and while not at the level of the vineyard designated wines, this is still very good and a very good value.  It is a blend of 85% Garganega and 15% Trebbiano di Soave.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has peaches, lots of minerality, salinity, and lemon peel.  Medium bodied.  Crisp, but with some viscosity.  Medium acidity.  On the palate, its more about the minerality although there is some peach.  Easy.  This would work well with Indian cuisine.  Drink over the next few years.   

Fattori 2020 Valpolicella Superiore Col de la Bastia

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$35.00USD

Fattori began making wine in 1900 in this Northeastern region of Italy. Now, as a 5th generation run operation, they are turning out wonderful wines. Made from 85% Corvina along with Rondinella, Molinara and a few other varieties, this offers light, bright cherry, black cherry, pomegranate, rhubarb and plum notes. This fairly simple wine is an ideal companion with a diversity of foods. It’s not an aggressive, heavy tannic thing, but a mellow, warm and delightful wine meant to work well with others. Briefly aged, the fruit is perky and beaming.

2014 Pieropan Soave Classico La Rocca, Italy, Veneto, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

The name Soave doesn't normally conjure up thoughts of a long lived white wine with depth, but for this producer and especially the vineyard designated wines, it should.  This is golden in color with just a hint of copper coloring.  The nose is nice with baked apples and stony minerality.  Perhaps just a touch of orange peel.  On the palate, this has a creamy texture.  A nice backbone of acidity.  Depth and complexity.  Layers of pears, orange/citrus and minerals.  Long finish.  This will work great with all kinds of seafood, veggies or fowl.  This is mature and won't get better (based on t

2014 Pieropan Soave Classico La Rocca, Italy, Veneto, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

It was nice to try this blind, having tried it a couple of weeks ago.  There was some bottle variation for whatever reason.  This one had a deeper gold hue to it.  The nose was more mineral driven and less fruit with a crushed sea shell quality to it.  On the palate, this is dry with good acidity.  A bit of orange pith which wa quite nice.  In general it seemed a bit more advanced, but then with some air as it sat in the glass, it seemed to get a second life.  Some honey came out on the palate.  It got a bit more energy but that great minerality was still there.  This bottle had apparently

2014 Pieropan Soave Classico La Rocca, Italy, Veneto, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

Pieropan makes some amazing Soave wine from the Garganega grape.  This one is dry and works quite well at the table.  Light golden in color.  The nose has slight under ripe peach, some honey and a bit of spice.  On the palate, this is dry.  Crisp acidity.  Peaches and honey carry thru but more about the minerality.  Nice texture.  Drank over two days without any change.  Has a decade left easy.  

2014 Pieropan Soave Classico Calvarino, Italy, Veneto, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

Some wine regions get a but of short shrift.  How great can a Soave be?  Isn't it just a simple white wine?  Well, truth be told, they can be outstanding.  And this one is.  Golden in color.  The nose is great with melons and peaches but also a crisp minerality that while not at the forefront, gives great structure to the aromas.  On the palate, this is almost seamless.  How can that be?  That descriptor usually comes into play for wines well above the $100 mark.  Lots of minerality.  Not sweet but almost sweet; probably just under the threshold.  Some peach and melon.  Nice finish.  Drinki