You don’t often hear the words “serious” and “Soave” in the same sentence - that’s why this single-vineyard gem from Ca’Rugate is such a revelation for us.
There’s a depth and focus to this wine that brings to mind a serious Chablis with an Italian accent at a fraction of the price. This is the kind of white we want to have around the house all summer long because it truly elevates the “everyday” drinking experience. Don’t settle for some average Italian white – not when you can have a stockpile of this on-hand. The celebrated Italian food and wine guide, Gambero Rosso, bestowed their top “tre-bicchieri” (3 glasses) prize to this bottling in past vintages and the 2015 more than lives up to the hype. For $20, this serious beauty refreshes, enchants and greatly over-delivers in price-to-quality. A true chameleon with cuisine, this Soave is a wine to buy by the case and drink all year long!
Soave is one of Italy’s most historic wine zones located just east of Verona in the wine-rich Veneto region. Verona is nicknamed “piccolo Roma,” as it boasts the greatest density of Roman ruins of any city outside of Rome itself and references to Soave wine date back to Roman times. The modern history of Soave is a little less glorious. It became one of the handfuls of Italian wines to become household names in the US in the ‘70s and ‘80s, which was more a product of Italian marketing genius and the undeniable joy in saying “suave-ay!” than the quality of the product. Soave still hasn’t fully shed this down-market, pizza-parlor image, which is a shame given how legit many of its best wines can be.
The success of Soave in export markets caused the original production zone to be expanded well beyond its original boundaries, which were first codified in the 1930s. When purchasing a Soave, look for “Soave Classico” as this designation means the wine is derived from its original appellation. Producers in the original “Soave Classico” appellation opposed the expansion for what it was – a commercial decision that diluted the integrity of “Soave” as a place name. Soave Classico, like this wine, is derived from a band of volcanic hills that eventually give way to the foothills of the Dolomites. The expanded territory includes more prolific vineyards on the plains that stretch toward the Pò River to the south, and you start to see the distinction. Add to this the fact that Soave can be a blend of grapes – not just its signature variety, Garganega. Under current Italian law, Soave can be comprised of only 70% Garganega, which stretches production with high-yielding grapes and masks its true character.
All of which leads us to this: a proper Soave Classico, like this Ca’Rugate Monte Fiorentine, is made from 100% Garganega and demands more serious consideration. Monte Fiorentine is a vineyard site in perhaps the best-known village in the Classico, Monteforte d’Alpone. It is one of a smattering of spent volcanoes that pop up across the northern Veneto, and while they aren’t as dramatic and ashy-soiled as places like Santorini or Etna, there’s an unmistakable mineral component that underpins this wine. Fermented and aged only in stainless steel, it has lift and energy that can sometimes be missing in Garganega – a textural, floral variety that can skew flabby when over-ripe.
Ca’Rugate has been in the Tessari family for four generations; the Monte Fiorentine vineyard was first planted in the 1950s, and would rightly be considered a “Grand Cru” of Soave Classico if such a classification existed. To get such a powerful, un-oaked, clear expression of this volcanic site, at this price point, is amazing to us. This isn’t just a fruity “commodity” wine but a real wine of place, loaded with apple, citrus, stone fruits, and florals stretched over a rigid, stony backbone. It is very tough to stop at just one bottle and fortunately the price is right to buy substantially more.
Serve this Soave Classico chilled (~45-50F) with some summer seafood, fried or grilled, with a generous squeeze of lemon. Decanting and further aging is unnecessary; Soave is typically best consumed in its youth. If you’re looking for a regionally appropriate project - for which you’ll need one bottle to drink while cooking - pair the Monte Fiorentine with this
Venetian-style seafood risotto. Enjoy!
