Il Mio Ritorno A Soave

Yes. After spending roughly a year and an half in the states, I decided to move back to the medieval-walled town of Soave and revive "Soave con Zucca."

I just couldn’t stay away from this lovely little town where a glass of wine costs less than a glass of water - that is if you order a glass of Soave of course.


So I am back living among a group of wine producers who never get tired of talking about what can happen to garganega grapes with a bit of oak aging, the subtle difference between a Soave with a little Trebbiano di Soave or one with 100% garganega grapes...or how long they hang dry the grapes to give them just the right level of sweetness for their recioto.

Recioto di Soave is one of the few dessert wines that I have to control myself from having more than one glass...and I usually fail miserably.

Numerous wine journalists have recently written about the crisp clean white wines of Soave and their surprising discovery that they can indeed be…quite good. And even among some of the best white wines produced in Italy. I was let in on this fantastic little secret over 10 years ago when I unknowingly befriended a Soave wine producer, the infamous Chiara Coffele. Little did I know that our chance encounter in the small town of Murnau in Bavaria, where people still actually wore lederhosen, would lead to me living in a lovely studio apartment in the center of Soave over ten years later.
























(Just a reminder: in order to be considered a “Soave Classico,” a wine needs to have at least 70% garganega grapes, the remaining percentage can be any combination of Trebbiano di Soave, Chardonnay or Pinot Bianco).

But I could go on and on about my complete adoration for Soave wines...and am guaranteed to do so in future posts.

All I can say is that I am extremely happy to have returned to this spectacular town where I am known as “La Americana” by some and “Gambe di Oro” by others (golden legs).

And I promise that there will be no more extended periods of time between posts moving forward.

Chin Chin!

- Zucca