Italy’s Veneto region is home to cultural touchstones like Venice, Padua, Vincenza and Verona. And to the important wine growing regions of Soave and Valpolicella, particularly for the purposes of this column the province of Verona.
After World War II, the white wine Soave and the red wine Valpolicella became incredibly popular in the U.S. But eventually quality suffered as mass production increased. In recent years, though, quality minded producers – such as Azienda Agricola Inama and Tenuta Sant’Antonio – have led a reemergence of these wines.
Soave is made primarily from the indigenous garganega grape, typically crisp with suggestions of citrus, honeydew, and a touch of appealing bitterness.
Inama is particularly notable for producing impressive Soave from the Classico zone, the original area of production, for over half a century. Inama’s vineyards cover seventy acres mainly on and around the dormant Monte Foscarino volcano.
Its entry-level “Vin Soave” is a fantastic value (2020, $16). But it is Inama’s “cru” Soaves where you can really taste the potential garganega can achieve. Inama has elevated the quality and precision of the grape with the production of single-vineyard expressions. These 100% garganega wines are richer and more complex but still attractively priced.
The 2019 “Carbonare” ($28) from a fifty-year-old hillside vineyard with eastern exposure and diverse basalt soils, showcases the freshness of the fruit – plump, fresh pear, banana and apricot – and the unique terroir. The 2019 “Foscarino” ($28), a special selection from some of the oldest vines on Mount Foscarino, offers brisk apple, and pear.
The 2019 Vigneto du Lot ($28) is a companion wine that is intended to show a different side of the amazingly versatile garganega. The vineyard (vigneto) is planted on a particular rootstock (Vitis rupestris du Lot) and shows impressive concentration, riper fruit, and powerful structure.
The 2019 Foscarino ($28) is a new wine from the finest micro parcels of old vine Garganega planted in terraces across the slopes of Monte Foscarino. The resulting wine is refined and elegant with the persistent minerality and complexity.
Valpolicella is made mostly from the native corvina grape, notable for freshness and elegance, higher acidity and bold cherry fruit.
Sant’Antonio produces a diverse set of estate-grown wines – from young, light Valpolicella to full-bodied Amarone – from the Illasi Valley and Monti Garbi. Although the Castagnedi family has tended vineyards in the area for over one hundred years, the family released their first vintage in 1995.
The entry level Valpolicella, 2019 Nanfrè ($15) is typically vibrant and light, with tart red cherry and hints of cinnamon. The 2018 Monti Garbi Ripasso ($22) achieves richer, more intense red fruit flavors and surprising complexity by macerating Valpolicella with grape materials remaining after Amarone fermentation.
At the tip of the Valpolicella pyramid is Amarone della Valpolicella. It is a special type of Valpolicella made using the ancient “appassimento” process, which involves drying the grapes to concentrate the juice. The 2016 “Selezione Antonio Castegnedi” ($47), a special selection tribute to the Castagnedi family’s father, and three months appassimento, is an impressive display of power and deep dark fruits, hints of baking spice, mocha, smoke, and tobacco, typical of this raisiny, complex wine.
But the Castagnedis don’t stop there. They have elevated the appassimento process to produce two wines of remarkable complexity and depth and that will evolve for several years.
The single vineyard 2015 Campo dei Gigli ($73). dried three months, bursts with concentrated dark fruits, a dense palate, and persistent mocha, anise, and spice.
At the epitome is 2008 “Lilium Est” Riserva ($185), a limited production special reserve, with three months of appassimento, extensively aged, is still amazingly fresh, even fruity but with concentrated, dried black fruits, spice, licorice, minerals, woodsy notes, and large scaled richness.