2019 Soave Classico La Rocca

You can’t speak of Soave’s greatest producers without including Pieropan. In fact, when this region was suffering a downturn in popularity due to the mass-produced and often-simple wines that had flooded markets, Pieropan managed to stay relevant, literally to the point that, today, their name has become synonymous with Soave. I was able to tour the new carbon-neutral winery, nestled into the hillsides of the region within sight of the renowned Calvarino vineyard, with Andrea Pieropan. One of the things I’ve always appreciated about this portfolio is not just the drastic difference between the two single-vineyard wines, but how they both impress in completely different ways. For the tension, structure and minerality, you can always look to the Calvarino, which is raised all in cement; yet for a richer, deeper expression, the barrel-fermented and aged La Rocca is always a sure bet. That said, the Soave Classico is typically among the top three to five wines in its category from year to year, and it achieves this at an amazing price point. Lastly, don’t make the mistake of overlooking the Amarone or Valpolicella either, because this master of white wines manages to capture the same high-toned tension and savory minerality in his reds. Frankly, the 2016 Amarone is stunning. I cover those wines in a separate report that is coming soon.