Soave (wine) Soave (wine) Soave (() is a dry white Italian wine from the Veneto region in northeast Italy, principally around the city of Verona. Within the Soave region are both a "Denominazione di Origine Controllata" (DOC) zone and a "Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita" (DOCG) designation known as "Soave Superiore" with both zones being further sub-divided into a general and "classico" designation for the wines produced in the heartland of the Soave region around the sloping vineyards of Verona. Throughout the Soave production zone Garganega is the principal grape variety though Trebbiano di Soave and Chardonnay are permitted in varying
Soave (wine) critics have argued that this designation does not mean as much since the DOC/G changes of the early 21st century. For most of its history, Soave was produced in a medium-bodied style that was often compared to Chardonnay, except with a distinct bitter almond note. In the 1980s and 1990s, production styles shifted to producing more lighter and crisper styles that were closer to Pinot grigio than to Chardonnay. But at the turn of the 21st century, production trends were shifting towards a Soave that better reflected its own character and that of the Garganega grape. Master of Wine Mary