Contents
A drink with an unusual euphonious name is of Italian origin.
White wine from the Garganega variety first appeared in the northeastern part of the country, in the province of Soave of the same name, located in the Veneto region.
Modern Soave is a decent wine, which is considered a budget analogue of the popular Chardonnay and exquisite Chablis.
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Features of local winemaking and the history of Soave
It is curious that only white wines are produced in the region.
The main share of local vineyards falls on the fragrant Garganega variety, while no more than 10% is allocated for the rest.
The latter include Pinot Blanc, Trebbiano and Chardonnay.
Grape plantations in Soave occupy more than half of all land.
Private winemaking is well developed here: the number of large and small farms is about a hundred.
The owners of wineries work closely with the owners of industrial enterprises.
The Garganega grape is believed to have been developed by crossing Mediterranean white varieties with wild native vines.
As for Soave, the exact time of the appearance of the drink is unknown.
There are suggestions that wine appeared as early as the XNUMXst century: statements are based on archival references to “white wines of Verona”.
However, it is unlikely that it was about this drink. More plausible is the version about the appearance of Soave in the XIV century, which connects the origin of wine with the appearance in the vicinity of Verona of the author of the Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri. However, this story also has no confirmation.
Peak of popularity
White Italian wine from Garganega survived in the middle of the XNUMXth century. The drink was enjoyed by noble people and representatives of the arts: it is known that Frank Sinatra and Federico Fellini fell in love with Soave.
Nevertheless, fame did not benefit the wine: his reputation was badly damaged at the turn of the century.
Manufacturers began to increase volumes without paying due attention to quality, which led to a natural decrease in interest in the famous drink.
From the end of the twentieth century to the present day, Soave has been undergoing a period of restoration.
A lot of work has been done to correct the situation: the areas most favorable for growing the Garganega variety have been identified, the exact production technology has been approved, and the classes of the drink have been distinguished.
These measures have revived interest in Soave and increased production to 70 million bottles per year.
Filming also added popularity to the drink: in the vicinity of Verona, the film Letters to Juliet was filmed, which was released in 2010.
The frames flashed not only local wineries and cellars, but also the drink itself, which filled the glasses of the main characters.
Description of wine and production specifics
Translated from Italian, the word “Soave” means “pleasant, sweet, gentle”, which is the best fit for the drink and perfectly characterizes its taste.
Soave is produced from Garganega (which accounts for at least 70%), Trebbiano, Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc.
Of great importance is the degree of ripeness of the fruit, which affects the flavoring properties of the finished wine.
Having reached the desired state, Garganega berries are able to give the drink a subtle minerality and exquisite spice, which makes it possible to compare Soave with the best Italian wines.
Oak barrels or steel containers can be used to store drinks: each manufacturer decides this issue independently.
The same can be said about the mixture of raw materials: some manufacturers consider Garganega a self-sufficient variety, others prefer to supplement it with a slight inclusion of other fruits.
Product characteristics directly depend on the style of production and the zone in which the grapes were grown.
Color
Light straw, the intensity of the shade may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.
fragrance
The aroma is dominated by fresh fruity and herbaceous notes.
Taste
Slightly mineral, balancing between mild sourness and delicate sweetness. The finish is long, fruity.
Soave wine classification
There are many producers of Soave wine in the Veneto region.
In order to put things in order and systematize the categories of wines, a clear gradation of territories was introduced depending on the conditions for growing raw materials.
It includes three groups of drinks:
Soave Superiore DOCG
This category includes the best wines, the number of which is limited. Trebbiano grapes are not used for their production.
Many critics are doubtful about the allocation of this class of wines, believing that the second group is in no way inferior in quality, and sometimes even surpasses the first.
Soave Classico DOC
It combines wines made in the traditional territory of Soave, where the drink was produced from time immemorial using classical technology.
Among these wines there are instances that are no less worthy than products from the “excellent” group.
Soave DOC
The most numerous category includes simple wines, for the preparation of which raw materials are used that are not collected in the most “successful” areas: in lowlands or low-yielding places.
The division of wines into “classes” is very arbitrary: you can find great drinks in any of them. It all depends on the manufacturer and adherence to the correct technology.
Special mention deserves “Recioto di Soave” (DOCG)
, which is separated into a separate species.
This wine is made from dried grapes, which determines its unique sweet taste.
Fruits for making a drink are dried for several weeks and even months.
As a result, the grapes lose up to 40% of their weight, while maintaining high levels of natural sugars, which are also present in the finished wine.
“Recioto di Soave” is quiet and sparkling.
Recommendations for use
It is advised to try Soave chilled: the optimum temperature is 14-18 ° C.
Wine can be supplemented with fruits, cheeses, desserts, snacks, meat dishes.
The drink is also suitable for making summer cocktails.
Relevance: 21.09.2018
Tags: wine and vermouth