One of the things that I geek out about is introducing wines to those who are learning about them. A lot of visitors to this site are people who are a little bit into wine, but curious and wanting to learn more. I can’t encourage you enough to explore new varieties and try wines that may be unfamiliar to you. You never know what you’ll find.
One type of wine that I really enjoy, but you may have never tried is Soave. It’s pronounced SWAH-vey and every time I say it, I can’t help but think of Rico Suave… but that’s not why I like this wine. I like it because it’s a nice, floral wine with light fruit and mineral flavors.
Like many Italian wines, the name represents both the location where it’s grown and the grape variety. In the case of Soave, Veneto is the region and Garganega is the variety of grape. But it’s not quite that simple with Soave… within the region there are different classifications, based on location. Look for Soave Classico or Soave Superiore with a DOCG designation to identify the higher quality wines with more complexity.
The one I’m tasting today is produced by Villa Erbice, which dates back to 1870 and has a beautiful winery in Veneto.
This Soave has a deep, golden color, almost like a lager beer. Beautiful floral notes wisp gently from the nose, along with hay, mineral and very subtle lemon. The nose is delicate, but quite enjoyable. The acidity is sufficient—although a touch more wouldn’t hurt it. The palate has the flavor of a honeydew melon (but it’s not nearly as sweet as a melon), pear, mineral and there’s a little bit of spice too. This is an outstanding wine for light cheese or fish.
Wine: Villa Erbice Soave Superiore
Variety: Soave Superiore
Vintage: 2006
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 87
Price: $14.00
Find Villa Erbice Soave Superiore Vigneto Panvinio with Snooth
Disclosure: This wine was received as a sample.