The Soave DOC zone is located in the hills surrounding the town of Soave, a beautiful walled town that is our launching point for our Italiaoutdoors Food and Wine Amarone Walk and Wine tour. The vineyards lie in the Tramigna, Mezzane, Illasi and Alpone valleys of the Veneto. The grape variety featured in this DOC is the white Garganega, one of the premier indigenous white grapes of Italy, which is used either alone, or can be blended with up to 30% Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay, or the traditional blending grape, Trebbiano di Soave.

I recently spent an afternoon with an award winning producer of both Soave and Valpolicella wines, Prà. Graziano Prà comes from a family of grape growers, as both his father and his grandfather grew grapes for other producers. Graziano had more ambitious plans, heading to the wine college in Conegliano in the 80’s, then returning home to begin producing his own wines. Today he is still in charge of the winemaking, still driven by a belief that a quality wine comes from local varietals that thrive in the extraordinary terroir of his land.

Soave is a relatively small area, but this DOC produces more still, dry white wine than any other in Italy, and is home to over 3000 growers. The area has volcanic origins, where over time the lava flows have turned into sediment. The basalt soil is dark, and rich in minerals that express themselves strongly in the relatively neutral palate of the Garganega grape. But there are marked differences in terrain, obvious as you approach, between the vineyards in the hills and those on the flat lands.

Prà is located just outside of Monteforte d’Alpone, the family’s original estate. Here, among 30 hectares of vineyards, Graziano erected a modern production facility in 2009. The family also owned an additional 2 hillside hectares in the Soave Classico zone nearby at Montegrande. We headed here to see firsthand this unique location, home to the best white wines in the Prà porfolio.

My host Giulio drives me along narrow farm roads, then up a steep, rutted gravel road to the Montegrande vineyards. A fountain built by Graziano marks the beginning of their property. To the left are rows of Garganega vines, identifiable by the pergola trellising system. The pergola system trains the vines up vertical stakes, then along an overhead pergola to create a lovely canopy. Its advantages are that it shades the ground in hot, arid climates to preserve moisture, and shades the thin skinned Garganega fruit from direct sunlight. Nearby, a smaller plot has vines trained using the Guyot system, these are the Trebbiano grapes which are thicker skinned and less susceptible to damage from the sun.

Giulio describes for me the unique drying process they employ in this vineyard, which they call ‘taglio del tralcio’, or ‘cutting of the shoot’. One month before harvest, workers come through the vineyard and partially cut through the stem just above each bunch of grapes they plan to harvest. This cut interrupts the flow of water to each bunch, causing it to dry out over the next month. When they return to harvest, the grapes have dried for a month, concentrating sugars and flavors.

After an auspicious start to his wine production career focused on white wines, Graziano branched out to red. Keeping close to his roots of wines based on local varietals grown in exceptional terroir, he began his search. His long hunt for the perfect vineyard brought Graziano to the high marl slopes of La Moradina in the Valpolicella zone. Sitting on white soil of chalky rock, ancient clay and marine sand, La Morandina is located at 500 mt altitude on rubble and schist. The grape yield is very low, giving more body to the wines. The high levels of chalk and marl produce wines that are fine and elegant with good freshness and medium body, perfect for long aging and easy drinking.

Back at the estate, Giulio set up a tasting for me on a lovely terrace with a panoramic view of their vineyards. I enjoyed tasting a variety of wines from their wonderful portfolio.

Otto Soave Classico

100% Garganega, from their vineyards in Monteforte d’Alpone. The wine is fermented and matured in stainless steel vats.

Pale yellow in color, with a floral bouquet with notes of stone fruits. Medium body, lots of fruit flavor with mineral notes. Excellent with an antipasti of Berico Euganeo prosciutto and Asiago cheese.

Staforte Soave Classico DOC

100% Garganega, from their vineyards in Monteforte d’Alpone. A selection of the best grapes from the vineyards. The wine is fermented and refined in stainless steel vats with regular batonnage for 6 months.

Bâtonnage is a French term for aging the wine a bit on the “lees”. The lees are the sediment of winemaking, made up of dead yeast and bits of grape seeds and solids. Winemakers sometimes like to keep some of these solids in contact with the wine as a way to extract flavor, aroma and texture.

If left alone, these solids will settle to the bottom of a barrel, where they run the risk of producing hydrogen sulfide. Bâtonnage prevents this, by stirring the wine on a regular basis, instead of just letting it sit on the bottom. Prà has invested in stainless steel tanks with paddles at the bottom specifically designed for stirring the settled lees as needed.

Strong nose of apple and fresh stone fruit, with floral notes. Smooth and round with a nice minerality and persistent finish.

Pairs with raw fish and shellfish, as well as lighter pasta dishes.

Monte Grande Soave Classico DOC

70% Garganega, 30% Trebbiano di Soave from their Monte Grande vineyards. The grapes are ‘taglio del tralcio’ one month prior to harvest. Fermentation is carried out in large casks made of Allier oak. The wine is then left in the casks to mature for 10 months.

Minerality is the distinctive characteristic of this cru. A wonderful scent of ripe tropical fruit and citrus. A elegant, fresh palate with notes of vanilla. Should age well.

Perfect with shellfish and fish dishes as well as risotto and light pasta dishes.

Colle Sant’Antonio Soave Classico DOC

100% Garganega from their Monte Grande vineyards. The grapes are ‘taglio del tralcio’ one month prior to harvest. Fermentation is carried out in casks made of Allier oak. The wine is left to mature in oak for 18 months.

Intense yellow in color. A very fruity nose with notes of spice, vanilla, and honey. Full bodied with a crisp acidity. Complex palate with flavors of nuts and dried fruit.

Perfect with local specialties like sarde in saor and baccalà alla vicentina.

Passito Bianco Delle Fontane

This is Pràs sweet passito style dessert wine. 100% Garganega, only the most sun ripened are selected from the vineyards for this wine. Grapes are dried for one month. Refined in stainless steel vats.

This wine has a deep golden color. Sweet aromas of stone fruits and honey. Rich and full-bodied, flavors of dried fruits and citrus with a long finish.

Pair with aged and blue cheeses, as well as traditional desserts such as sbrisolona and zaleti.

Morandina Valpolicella Ripasso DOC

A blend of traditional Valpolicella grapes Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Oseleta from their organic vineyards in Mezzane and Tregnago.

Ripasso wines are made by employing a second fermentation of Valpolicella wine over the Amarone dried grape skins. Maceration for 5 days. 12 months aging in tonneaux of Allier.

Ruby red color with hints of purple. Typical aromas of fresh cherry and spice, cherry and plum flavors with black pepper and well-balanced acidity.

Pair with red meats and meat based pastas or risottos.

Amarone Della Valpolicella DOCG

A blend of traditional Valpolicella grapes Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Oseleta from their organic vineyards in Mezzane and Tregnago.

Grapes selected by hand, dried for 2 months. The grapes are destemmed, pressed and vinified. Fermentation for 15 days in vertical stainless steel vats. 2 years aging in tonneaux and barriques, the last year in large Allier oak casks. One year bottle aging.

Bright ruby red. Intense aromas of plum, cherry and spice. Typical flavors of cherry, plums, ark chocolate. Elegant structure, well-balanced tannins.

Enjoy with roasted red meat and game, as well as flavorful braises. Also goes well with aged cheeses, like Parmigiano Reggiano.