Soave (wine)

Location of the municipality of Soave in the province of Verona

Cultivation zones for the various wines in the Soave area

The main grape variety of Soave wine: Garganega

Soave is a well-known Italian wine-growing region in the province of Verona , Veneto region . The dry white wine is named after the Italian town of the same name, Soave, east of Verona , Veneto. The wines produced here have the status of a "controlled state designation of origin " ( Denominazione di origine controllata - DOC) or have been classified since 2001 with the additional designation "Superiore" as a "controlled and guaranteed designation of origin" ( Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita - DOCG) .

Growing area

Soave DOC and DOCG wines are only allowed in the municipal areas (in whole or in part) of Soave , Monteforte d'Alpone , San Martino Buon Albergo , Mezzane di Sotto , Roncà , Montecchia di Crosara , San Giovanni Ilarione , San Bonifacio , Cazzano di Tramigna , Colognola ai Colli , Caldiero , Illasi and Lavagno . There are also two sub-zones in which “Soave Classico” and “Soave Colli Scaligeri” are produced. In the Italian wine glossary, the term Classico refers to wines that come from the core of the area around Soave and Monteforte d'Alpone.

generation

In 2014 516,834 hectoliters of Soave wine were produced from 5,301 hectares of vineyards , including the DOCG wines "Soave Superiore" and " Recioto di Soave ". A sparkling wine (Soave Spumante ) is also produced.

Soave wine can be made from the following grape varieties:

• 70-100% Garganega
• 0-30% Trebbiano di Soave and / or Chardonnay
• in the range of 0–30%, other white grape varieties approved for cultivation in the province of Verona may also be used, up to a maximum of 5%.

The Chardonnay grape is not mentioned for “ Recioto di Soave ” wine.

Wines with the designation “Soave” should only be put on the market after December 1st of the harvest year . Wines with the designation "Soave Classico" and "Soave Colli Scaligeri" should not go on sale until February 1st of the following year. Wines with the designation “Soave Superiore” or “Soave Superiore Classico” should not be marketed before April 1st of the following year. Wines with the designation "Soave Superiore Riserva" should not be sold before November 1st of the following year.

description

According to the denomination (excerpt):

Soave (including Soave classico and Soave Colli Scaligeri)

• Color : straw yellow with a tendency to greenish
• Smell : characteristic, with an intense and delicate fragrance
• Taste : dry, medium-bodied and harmonious, slightly bitter
• Alcohol content : at least 10.5% vol. (With Soave), 11.0% (with Soave classico or Soave Colli Scaligeri)
• Acidity : min 4.5 g / l
• Dry extract : min. 15.0 g / l (with Soave), 16.0 g / l (with Soave classico or Soave Colli Scaligeri)

Soave Spumante

• Perlage : fine and persistent
• Color : straw yellow, sometimes with greenish reflections
• Smell : characteristic, with an intense and delicate fragrance
• Taste : medium-strong and harmonious, slightly bitter in the "extra brut" or "brut" or "extra dry" or "dry" stages
• Alcohol content : at least 11% vol.
• Acid content : min 5.0 g / l
• Dry extract : min. 15.0 g / l

The above wines can sometimes be stored in wooden casks in accordance with traditional practice.

Soave Superiore

According to the denomination (excerpt):

• Color : straw yellow, sometimes with intense green and golden reflections
• Smell : strong with floral notes
• Taste : full and slightly bitter, with maturation in the wood the taste can become more intense, with notes of vanilla
• Alcohol content : at least 12% vol.
• Acidity : min 4.5 g / l
• Dry extract : min. 19.0 g / l
• Residual sugar : maximum 6 g / l

Soave Superiore Riserva

• Color : straw yellow, sometimes with intense green and golden reflections
• Smell : strong and rich, with notes of vanilla
• Taste : round, intense, enveloped with a bitter note in the finish, vanilla notes when matured in wooden barrels
• Alcohol content : at least 12.5% ​​vol.
• Acidity : min 4.5 g / l
• Dry extract : min. 19.0 g / l
• Residual sugar : maximum 6 g / l

Recioto di Soave

→ Main article : Recioto di Soave

history

There are different opinions of historians who tried to discover the origin of the name “Soave” over the centuries. The most likely assumption is that the Soave area got its name from the "Swabians" ( Suebi ), the German people who came to Italy under Alboin .

Web links

• Map of the growing areas and list of all DOCG and DOC wines in Veneto , Italian, on federdoc.com, accessed on June 4, 2017

literature

• Jancis Robinson : The Oxford Wine Lexicon, 3rd revised edition . 1st edition. Gräfe and Unzer Verlag, Munich 2007, ISBN 978-3-8338-0691-9 .
• Burton Anderson: Italy's Wines 2004/05 . Hallwag, Gräfe and Unzer, Munich 2004, ISBN 3-7742-6365-5 .
• Jacques Orhon: Le nouveau guide des vins d'Italie . Les editions de l'homme, Montreal 2007, ISBN 978-2-7619-2437-5 .
• Steffen Maus: Italy's wine worlds - wine, vino, wine . Gebrüder Kornmayer, 2013, ISBN 978-3-942051-18-7 .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e} Disciplinare di Produzione della Denominazione di Origine Controllata (production regulations and description of the DOC). (PDF) In: ismeamercati.it. November 27, 2017, accessed July 21, 2018 (Italian). 
2. ↑ ^{a b c} Disciplinare di Produzione della Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (production regulations and description of the DOCG). (PDF) In: ismeamercati.it. November 27, 2017, accessed July 21, 2018 (Italian). 
3. ↑ Viticulture in figures 2014 . (PDF) federdoc.com (Italian)
4. ^ Disciplinare di Produzione della Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (Production regulations and description of the DOCG for Recioto). (PDF) In: ismeamercati.it. November 27, 2017, accessed July 30, 2020 (Italian).