Pieropan Soave Classico DOC

Grapes were hand picked, starting from mid-September for the Trebbiano di Soave and from October for the Garganega, and taken immediately to the winery. Here, they were destemmed and crushed. Fermentation took place in glass-lined cement tanks of 60,120 and 180hl at 14-18°C. The wine then remained on its fine lees until bottling the following spring, with further ageing in bottle for another month before release.

Pieropan's estate covers 35 hectares of vineyard, all of which are situated on the stony hills of Soave Classico. The Pieropan family has been producing wines in Soave since the 1890s. Indeed, they were the first producer to bottle a wine with the name Soave on the label in the early 1930s. Nino Pieropan took over from his father in 1970 and was the first producer in Soave to make a single vineyard wine, 'Calvarino', in 1971. Nino's two sons, Andrea and Dario, now work with him running the estate.

In 1999, the Pieropan family bought a property in Cellore d'Illasi, in the Valpolicella and Amarone production area, where today they have eight hectares under vine. Due to a recent change in legislation, Pieropan's Soave can now be labelled as 'Classico' and sealed under Stelvin. The wine has never been better. It is scented and beautifully defined, with hints of honeysuckle and almond on the finish. They make two single vineyard wines: 'Calvarino', owned by the family since 1901, is on the classic volcanic basalt of Soave Classico; while 'La Rocca' is situated on the only limestone outcrop in the zone. The former is unoaked and minerally and reminiscent of good Chablis, while the latter, fermented in 500 litre barrels, is rich and opulent..