La Rocca, Soave Classico, Pieropan

Note:

Pale – med gold colour. And the scent is ‘golden’ too, if a scent can be ascribed with a colour ? There is a zing of orange zest, nut (almond), honey and even a touch of toffee apple – although not in an oxidiative way. Pierropan’s website describes this as a vintage that produced ‘fresh and savoury wines that were more fragrant and long-lived than in 2022. But does that even matter ? This is a wine to enjoy (at any point); you really don’t need to agonise over the ideal drinking window. On the palate: fullish bodied. Ripely orangey. Lots of breadth. Depth even. Some mineral, sure, but most of you get flavours of apricot, orange, almond, and chocolate. Enough acidity for lift and definition, but this is generous, not stingy. Has some of the flavours of a top white from the Northern Rhone, but without the overt alcohol – this is 13% only. 100% Garganega from a single clay and limestone vineyard. Atypical of Soave but a brilliant wine – one of the world’s great white wines in fact – at a really reasonable price. You could drink this equally happily with any sort of (rich, intense) seafood – or a roast chicken with morels (say) but it is absolute perfection with Risotto con Seppie Nero (see below).