Italian Wine Travel Guide 2024 - Find Memorable Wine Tours and Winery Tastings in Italy
Wine tastings, wine tours and wine in...
Soave
Tasting modern wines in a medieval setting
A half-hour's drive from romantic Verona, towards Venice, will bring you to Soave, relatively unknown to wine tourists. While still driving on the motorway, or between the vineyards if you take the peaceful local road, you can already spot the beautiful Castelli di Soave from a considerable distance.
The mediaeval town has more than 6,000 residents, many of whom are involved in winemaking or wine tourism. Despite its unfamiliarity (compared to Verona mentioned earlier), wine tourism is becoming more and more popular.
If you are in the neighbourhood, it is an absolute must to make a stop here. And to taste the lovely Soave wines and enjoy the wonderful countryside where the grapes are being cultivated -and the wines are being made.
So come, please follow me.
The wines of Soave
The most famous Soave wine is undoubtedly the white Soave. This dry (low sugar), fresh and fruity white wine is mainly made from the local Garganega grape. Supplemented with Trebbiano di Soave and, in some occasions, Chardonay. The volcanic soil and the mild climate are the perfect combination to grow the Garganega grapes in the area around Soave.
According to the production and the extended ageing of the wine, it is classified as DOC or even DOCG (higher quality). For example, the Soave Superiore DOCG (and the Recioto di Soave DOCG) have been labelled with the highest quality DOCG. The regular Soave is a DOC wine. Both DOCG and DOC are subject to specific production rules in order to carry this quality label.
Besides grape varieties and climate, geographical location is an essential element to influence the taste of the wine. Wines from the historic Soave Classico area (the two municipalities of Soave and Monteforte d'Alpone) are given the designation Soave Classico. More recently, there has been an additional geographical indication of 33 specific areas (UGA = unità geografiche aggiuntive) that are listed on the bottle as a designation of origin. And thus provide an additional quality indication to the wine. The 33 new geographical regions are: Brognoligo, Broia, Ca' del Vento, Campagnola, Carbonare, Casarsa, Castelcerino, Castellaro, Colombara, Corte del Durlo, Costalta, Costalunga, Coste, Costeggiola, Croce, Duello, Fittà, Foscarino, Froscà, Menini, Monte di Colognola, Monte Grande, Paradiso, Pigno, Ponsara, Pressoni, Roncà-Monte Calvarina, Rugate, Sengialta, Tenda, Tremenalto, Volpare and Zoppega.
A map of the Soave wine region
Avinturo Select - three beautiful wineries in Soave
Gini
For as many as 15 generations (since 1500), the Gini family has been cultivating the vineyards in the Soave Classico area. Today, the family winery is run by Sandro and Claudio Gini. With the knowledge of winemaker -and father- Olinto, the brothers produce delicious Soave wines from grapes raised on the slopes near Contrada Salvarenza.
This area is situated on the eastern part of the Classico area, which is located between Soave and Monteforte, with a section headed north. The climate and soil provide an excellent foundation for the Garganega grape, amongst others, to ripen and form the base for award-winning wines like the Contrada Salvarenza 'Vecchie Vigne' Soave Classico DOC. The grapes for this wine are from a vineyard that is over 100 years old. And you can really taste that in the wine, which has been rated as very good by wine experts.
If you would like to find out for yourself what the vineyards look like and how the wine is produced in Gini's cellars, you can choose from a number of guided tours and tastings. One is the Gini 360° experience, which also includes a visit to the historic cellar in the vulcanic rock. You will taste as many as six wines, including the award winning Soave Classico 'Contrada Salvarenza - Vecchie Vigne'.
Villa Canestrari
Like many other wineries in Italy, Villa Canestrari is a family-run business. Its start dates from 1888. Carla Bonuzzi, owner of many vineyards in the Illasi valley, was completing his wine studies at the 'Royal School of Winemaking' in nearby Conegliano. It was the beginning of a successful winemaking business, in which the Franchi family later got involved. In 1990, the Villa Canestrari name became the company's trademark and the new way of winemaking.
The advantageous location of the vineyards not only allowed the grapes for the Soave wines to be grown, but also allowed the grapes for the Valpolicella wines to be grown under the Villa Canestrari label. The limestone soil of the Valpolicella overlaps with the volcanic soil of Soave in this area. It makes the Illasi valley (between Colognola ai Colli and Illasi), just east of Verona, an outstanding area for producing great wine and for experimentation with some local grape varieties.
Villa Canestrari's Soave flagship is undoubtedly the Soave Superiore DOCG Riserva. Made from 100% Garganega from a single vineyard parcel of grapes. After being harvested and briefly dried using the appassimento method, it turns into a wonderful wine that pairs perfectly with pasta dishes, fish and white meat. Besides this Riserva, Villa Canestrari also offers the Vigne di Sande Soave DOC and the dessert wine Recioto di Soave DOCG.
Tasting of those wines can be done at Villa Canestrari's own wine museum in Illasi. Besides the Soave wines, you can also visit here to taste the specific Valpolicella and Amarone wines.
Rocca Sveva
In the centre of Soave, overlooking the imposing Soave Castle, Rocca Sveva has its own 'medieval village'. This is where the exceptional wines are produced in a setting that will take you back to the far past. Its appealing location, its beautiful buildings and the botanical garden will bring you back to the history of wines and Soave. The wine cellar in particular, which is carved out of the rocks of the hill on which the castle is also situated, is impressive and definitely worth a visit. You can just imagine that the Soave wines were able to mature in ideal conditions to bring out the very best in flavour here.
Rocca Sveva has several vineyards in the area to produce wine from nearby wine regions in additional to the Soave wines. These include the well-known Valpolicella and Amarone wines but also the lesser known Bardolino and Lake Garda wines. Rocca Sveva's Soave wines are the award-winning Castelcerino Soave Classico DOC and the Soave Classico DOC, both made from 100% Garganega.
There are many options for a truly unique tour and tasting of the Soave wines. From a more traditional wine cellar tour to an outdoor experience in the botanical garden with its unique view of Soave Castle. And what about an unforgettable combination of wine tasting and horseback riding through the beautiful vineyards of Rocca Sveva?
Wine tourism in and around Soave
The Soave wine consortium (Consorzio Tutela Vini Soave) is a joining of forces of 95 wineries from Soave and the surrounding area. The Soave winemaker consortium (Italy has over 100 such wine consortia) provides collective control of wine quality. And of course for the joint awareness and the promotion among wine lovers and tourists.
For instance, there is an official wine route through the beautiful region. This Strada del Vino Soave will take you along beautiful views and vineyards and introduce you to the area and its wine. You will be able to drive part of the route, stopping at one or more wineries to taste their specific wines. Many of the wineries have several options to combine a wine tasting with a walk through the vineyards, a bicycle tour or, for example, a picnic where, in addition to lunch, you will really learn about the wines of that particular winery by discovering the wine together with a delicious meal.
In addition, the wine consortium organises several wine festivals or events outside the national wine events organised by the Movimento Turismo Vino (national organisation that coordinates wine tourism in Italy).
The Volcanic Wine Park is another initiative (joint promotion of several wine consortia, including those of Lessini Durello, Soave, Gambellara and Colli Berici). Tasting Experiences in the 'Romeo & Juliet Hills' as they describe it themselves.
Wine tastings tours at Soave's wineries
As mentioned earlier, most wineries offer the opportunity for a guided tour of their cellars and tasting of some of their own wines afterwards. The proud winemakers will lovingly and proudly tell you why precisely their wine is the very best, tastiest or most special. Very fun -and educational- to experience 😀
Below is a selection of the wine tasting tours offered by the Saove wineries themselves (where possible, with a direct link to the website's english version and the wine tasting page).
All-inclusive wine tasting tours with by local guides and tour-operators
If you don't have time or desire to organise a tasting or tour in advance yourself, you can also choose the convenience of a fully organised tour. For Soave, you can choose from the offers below.
- Pagus Wine Tours - A taste of Soave or Soave and Amarone
- Veronissima - Soave Wine Tours
- Taste Verona - Soave
- Italy Tours And More - Amarone & Soave Tour
- Ways Tours -
Soave Borgo and Wine Tasting Tour
Wine resorts or winery hotels in Soave
What is more enjoyable than spending the night in the accomodation of a winery itself? Plus, it's very practical as you don't have to get into a car yourself or order an expensive taxi to get back to your accommodation after an extensive wine tasting.
The following wineries in Soave have (often several) rooms where you can stay overnight:
- Tenuta Coffele
- Monte Tondo
- Pieropan - Vignaioli dal 1880 (Wine Relais Villa Cipolla Pieropan)
- Antica Corte
- Corte sant'Alda
- Vini Balestri Valda
Travelling to Soave
Soave is located east of Verona, about half an hour by car. If you can't get to Soave with your own car, you might fly to Verona (Aeroporto di Verona, airport code VRN, about a 30-minute drive). All other nearby airports are:
- Venice, VCP (Aeroporto di Venezia Marco Polo - about 1 hour's drive)
- Bergamo, BGY (about 1 hour and 15 minutes' drive)
- Bologna, BLQ (about 1 hour and 30 minutes' drive)
- Milan Linate, LIN (approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes' drive)
- Milan Malpensa, MXP (about 2 hours' drive)
Would you like to taste some wines in Soave too? We are very excited to hear about your wine adventures. And if you have any tips to include on this page, please let us know.
Have a great time 😀
Avinturo is an Italian wine travel guide, packed with great tips about the many unique wine tastings tours in Italy.
Celebrate with locals at one of their great wine festivals. Visit one of the many famous wine regions. Or discover the countless hidden gems of undiscovered local wine regions with its unknown wines. Made from one of the many autochthonous grape varieties that Italy has.
Let yourself be guided along one of the nearly 100 official wine roads or plan your own winery tasting by visiting one of the thousands of Italian wineries. Be surprised by their hospitality and delicious wines. Discover and enjoy.
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