2021 Gini Soave Classico 

People of a certain age still cringe at the word ‘Soave’ as it conjures up the virtual ocean full of really bad wine once grown in the flats along the autostrada near Soave castle between Verona and Venice.  It’s taken a generation or so for that poor appellation to live it down, but the fact is that the world has learned there is a lot more to Soave than just Bolla!  It’s in the volcanic hills that surround the castle where the Gargenega grape can achieve true distinction and in one of only a handful of vineyards marked as truly exceptional where Soave can be a wine that can compete qualitatively with any white made in Italy.  And, by almost universal decree, it’s the Gini family holdings hat rank at the very top.  I keep a small chunk of their La Frosca vineyard on my desk, a dark piece of light-as-air pumice stone with many of its tiny pores blocked with blue sulfur to remind me of how soil can truly inform a wine’s style and every time I have a bottle of Gini Soave, I feel like I am tasting the product of that stone right in the glass.  It’s dense on the palate with pretty fruit, floral notes but that richness is balanced by plenty of that siphoned-through-pumice character that adds so much life to its mineral finish.  The young, vibrant and personality-laden 2021 is here!  With the chutzpah to stand up to just about any seafood dish imaginable (the Venice lagoon is just minutes away), it’s also a natural with poultry, pork chops and just about anything else you can think of!   With spring finally sprung, this is perfect for backyard sipping too!  Very highly recommended!