Soave. Dry as a camels armpit! (Soave)

Member Name: giksy21

Product:	Soave
Date:	10/10/08 (135 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Dry, fresh and crisp

Disadvantages: can be very simple.

If I have to drink a white wine, it has to be dry. Now, when I say dry, I mean dry. You know the type of dry that makes your mouth pucker up to look like a cat's bum? Like a cow chewing a wasp? I want to be able to taste the desert in my mouth.


Soave (swah-vay.), is one of Italy's major exports. Predominantly made from the grape Garganega (it must be at least 70%), the wine itself has unfortunately been tagged with mediocracy. One famous wine critic said that its name was a synonym for insipid. I have to be honest, and say that this label is at least partly deserved. If you go into your local supermarket, and check out the cheapo wine section, you will most certainly find a soave there for next to nothing. These supermarket versions, are not representative of the quality that is out there. These wines are generally owned and produced by large co-operatives, who's sole concern is to turn a profit, not to produce fine wine.


The Garganega grape itself, is found mostly in the north east of Italy. Around the region of Verona. It is a late ripening grape, that is contains high levels of acid. Of course, it is this acid that gives the wine its dry quality. Types of wine made from Garganega, will have this dry quality. However, the best soave wines tend to be blended with a little touch of chardonnay. This will give the wine itself a little bit more complexity. Varietal forms of the wine tend to be very simple. I would suggest that these types should be drunk to get drunk, not drunk to enjoy.


Italian wines have never really kicked off in the UK. I suppose, that we can thank Sir Anthony for the popularity of Chianti. The silence of the lambs, certainly heightened our awareness for the wine with his antics on screen (I ate her liver, with some fatha beans and a nice Chianti ....... Th th th th th th th ......). But, of the others, how many do you know. Amarone, Barolo, Valpolicella, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo ? Didn't think so. I think that this is a bad thing, as Italian wines are generally getting much better in terms of quality, and watch this space as the will continue to do so.


The wine itself can be best described as clean, fresh and sharp. Definite citrus tones, predominantly lemony. Zinging off the tongue, it is strangely refreshing. In Italy, wine is seen as a great accompaniment for food, as it aids digestion. A lot of Italian wines will tend to be acidy, for this reason. Quite light in nature, it is great to drink on its own. But like all wines, it is better with food. Its light nature, will make it the perfect drink for a hot summers day salad. It is perfect with fish, of any type. I think that the lemony nature of the wine makes it amazing with lemon sole. Apart from that, its uses are limited. Pork can even overpower this wine, dependant on the sauce that comes with it.


A great summer drink, soave is a lovely starting point for getting into white wine. It is light, and it is fresh. It zings, and it fizzes slightly on the tongue. Easy to drink, even someone who has never drunk wine before can handle this stuff. One tip from me, would be to look out for Soave classico superiore. These tend to be the right blend of the two grapes, and are a minimum of 11.5% alcohol by volume. These are generally the better soave's out there. They might be a wee bit dearer, but it is worth it.

Enjoy. G

Summary: Easy drinking and simple white wine.