Map of the traditional regions of Soave/credit: Casa del Vino (own work) via Wikimedia Commons
Soave DOC—Veneto’s beloved Garganega-based white wine—has entered a new phase with the approval of 33 new subzones. The new geographical indications were approved by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture in October of 2019—and as of March 2020, they have been approved and published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
The Soave zone has traditionally contained two subzones: Soave Classico and Soave Colli Scaligeri. The Classico zone—the original, central part of the region located about 10 miles east of the city of Verona—consists of an expanse of rolling hills within the communes of Soave and Monteforte d’Alpone. The discontinuous Colli Scaligeri subzone contains a series of hillsides surrounding the city of Verona. The name is a reference to the Della Scala family (the Scaligeri)—former Lords of Verona and once-upon-a-time owners of the land.
Vigne del Soave—a comprehensive project to map the Soave region by soil types, elevation, micro-climate, topography, and historical usage—has been in the works via the Soave Consortium for over a decade. The project was completed in 2019 with the formal designation of 33 unique geographical subzones officially known as “Additional Geographical Units” or Unità Geografica Aggiuntiva.
Photo via: https://ilsoave.com/
The 33 new Crus of Soave are as follows: Castelcerino, Colombara, Froscà, Fittà, Foscarino, Volpare, Tremenalto, Carbonare, Tent, Corte Durlo, Rugate, Croce, Costalunga, Coste, Zoppega, Menini, Monte Grande, Ca ‘del Vento, Castellaro, Pressoni, Broia, Brognoligo, Costalta , Paradiso, Costeggiola, Casarsa, Monte di Colognola, Campagnola, Pigno, Duello, Sengialta, Ponsarà, Roncà–Monte Calvarina.
Of the 33 newly-designated areas, 28 are located within the Classico Zone. Two—resting atop volcanic soils—are located near the commune of Roncà (to the north and east of the Classico Zone), and three are in the limestone hills located in the western portion of the region.
The new designations are approved for use beginning with the wines of the 2019 vintage.
Click here for an interactive map of the 33 crus of Soave, via the website of the Consorzio Soave.
References/for more information:
- Click here for a 3-D tour of the Crus of Soave, via Pierre Le Hong
- The Soave Consortium https://ilsoave.com/
- https://ilsoave.com/en/the-cru-map/
- Disciplinaire – Soave DOC updated as of November 2019
- EU Journal March 5 2020 – Soave Subzones Approved
- https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52020XC0305(04)&from=EN
- https://ilsoave.com/en/the-european-union-makes-the-soave-crus-official/
Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org