Moving east from Friuli-Venezia Giulia to the Veneto, we kick things off with their white. Soave!
Soave
Much like Piedmont, the Veneto is home to a large number of amazing wines, not just limited to Soave. Among them are Valpolicella (a red we’ll talk about), Amarone (a more complex red we’ll talk about), and Prosecco. To start, we’ll talk about Soave.
A still white hailing from Veneto, Soave is made from the Garganega grape with a smaller amount of trebbiano di Soave (this isn’t Trebbiano, that’s a different grape!). At their best, these wines are smooth (hence “Soave” aka, Suave, [don’t you look smart!]), but also light and crisp. Age is not the friend of Soave, and it’s pretty much solid from anywhere in the region. If you want a bump up in quality when buying a bottle, look for Classico on the label.
Inama Vin Soave Classico 2015
When I picked this bottle up, something seemed familiar. Sure enough, over five years ago I covered another bottle of Inama (their Carménère). That probably could have gone better. So can Inama Vin Soave Classico play pick up, and prove it’s a smooth operator?
Sight: Pale gold
Smell: There’s a solid mix of apple, citrus, and herbal notes blending. The herbal notes pull in a bit of lime, salinity, and underripe green pear.
Sip: The body is light, highly bright, and still round and smooth and it’s texture. The herbs mix with pear and lime tinged with minerals. A slight bitter pithy note pervades throughout.
Savor: The ending is short, slightly herbal, and a touch lime based.
Inama Vin Soave Classico is texturally smooth, and deeply entrenched with herbal notes. There’s great fruit present, but it competes for the spotlight with the green, herbal elements in this wine. The easiest comparison would be a meeting between a cool climate Chardonnay and an old world Sauvignon Blanc. Both have great characteristics, and they sound good. Just don’t expect a 100% harmonious experience from Inama Vin Soave Classico, this one has a little fight in it.
Verdict: Herbaceous, Apple, Lime, Pith
Rating: 84
Price: $10
Verona, Italy
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