Soave (wine) share of US sales were eventually eclipsed by Pinot grigio and an influx of new wines from southern Italy. The Soave DOC was created in 1968 with those boundaries revised and expanded periodically over the next few decades. As a point of introduction, it should be said that Soave and Chianti were the first zones in Italy (in 1931) to be recognized by Royal Decree as having the potential for producing fine wines. This document delimited the borders of the production zones which, in the case of Soave, coincide with those fixed under the current production regulations for Soave Classico.
Soave (wine) percentages. While most Soave is dry, still wine within the DOC zone a sparkling "spumante" style is permitted as is the passito "Recioto" style, that in 1998 was granted its own Recioto di Soave DOCG designation for grapes grown in the hilly region. Soave saw a peak of popularity in United States during the mid-20th-century Italian wine boom that followed the end of World War II. Driven by the marketing efforts of large producers like Bolla, Soave even surpassed Chianti in the 1970s as the largest-selling Italian DOC wine in the US. By the end of the 20th century, Soave's