Ep 452: The Soave Region of Veneto, Italy

<p style="font-weight: 400;">This week’s show is about one of the most famous white wines in Italy, the region's/wine's 1000 year history, and its recent comeback in quality and stature. The region? Soave (<em>SWAH-vay)</em> in Veneto, Italy.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;"><img style= "display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src= "https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/show/45638/soavemap.png" alt="" width="450" height="265" /></p> <p style="font-weight: 400; text-align: center;"><a href= "https://www.ilsoave.com/en/the-uga-map/"><em><span style= "font-size: 8pt;">Map: Consorzio Tutela Vini Soave</span></em></a></p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">Located just east of the famed city of Verona (Romeo and Juliet, anyone?), in the foothills of the Lessini Mountains, Soave is a tiny region that packs a punch in reputation and in flavor. Made from one of the oldest known grapes in Italy, the Garganega grape, Soave’s cheek coating, almond-flavored, floral, and sometimes waterfall-like notes creates a food friendly, crowd pleasing wine.  Although often maligned by the wine trade, who is woefully behind on this trend, Soave is one for us, normal wine lovers. Surely there is garbage to be had when the grapes are grown on the flats of the region, but on the ancient, steep, volcanic hillsides, worked meticulously by hand, the grapes farmed for these wines create outstanding examples of Italian white at its best. If you haven’t had it, go and get an example from the producers we recommend (Gini, Inama, Pra, Pieropan, Suavia – you won’t be sorry!)</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><img style= "display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src= "https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/show/45638/gini.jpeg" alt="" width="216" height="353" /></strong></p> <p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Here are the show notes...</strong></p> <ul> <li>Soave is located east of Verona, at 45.45° N latitude</li> <li>It is a small region, with just 6,500 hectares (16,062 acres) planted, but those plantings give a lot of bang