Pieropan, `La Rocca` Soave Classico

The Pieropan family has produced wines in Soave since the 1890s and today, their estate comprises 58 hectares of vineyards planted on the stony hills of Soave Classico. In the early 1930s, they were the first producer to bottle a wine with the name Soave on the label. Nino Pieropan took over from his father in 1970 and became the first producer to make a single-vineyard Soave, ‘Calvarino’ in 1971. When Nino sadly passed away in 2018, his two sons, Andrea and Dario, began running the estate, continuing their family’s traditions and passion for making outstanding wine.

The Soave Classico has a richness and zest that is extremely attractive. It is scented and beautifully defined, with hints of honeysuckle and almond on the finish. Pieropan are famed for their two single-vineyard wines. The ‘Calvarino’ vineyard, owned by the family since 1901, is planted on the classic volcanic basalt of Soave Classico, while the ‘La Rocca’ vineyard is planted on the only limestone outcrop in the zone. The former is unoaked and mineral, reminiscent of good Chablis, while the latter, fermented in 500-litre barrels, is rich and opulent. ‘La Rocca’ has won seven gold medals at the International Wine Challenge over the years. Such consistency is rare but entirely expected from an outstanding producer like Pieropan.

While renowned for their white wines, the Pieropan family also produce exceptional Valpolicella and Amarone from their 16-hectare property in the Val d‘Illasi (to the west of Soave Classico), which they bought in 1999. Thanks to the vineyard's elevation of 40 metres above sea level, the wines produced here have a particularly ethereal character. Their ‘Ruberpan’ Valpolicella Superiore is fresh, scented and attractive, while their ‘Vigna Garzon’ Amarone is similarly elegant and perfumed. Both continue to get better from vintage to vintage as the vines mature and the hand in the cellar acquires greater certainty.

To accompany the opening of their new modern winery, Pieropan created a special wine, ‘Calvarino 5’. This blend of five vintages (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012) represents the five years it took to build this new winery. The wine has great complexity and shows the immense ageing potential of Pieropan’s wines. The Recioto di Soave ‘Le Colombare’ is made by picking ripe, healthy grapes and allowing them to dry naturally for approximately five months. This causes them to dehydrate, concentrate their flavours and for botrytis to develop. The resulting wine has an intense gold, almost amber colour and boasts dried apricot and lightly toasted almond aromas, accompanied by a delicate sweetness and fresh acidity.