SERIOUS SOAVE

Soave—the Italian dry white wine made around the eponymous medieval town east of Verona—is often associated with light-bodied, zesty bottlings destined for immediate consumption. But the best of them, made with grapes grown in hillside vineyards planted in volcanic or calcareous soils, are world-class, full of flavor and characterized by depth and surprising longevity.

To help highlight the two distinct styles, the denomination introduced 33 official vineyard areas or crus. Starting with the 2019 vintage, they’re officially known as Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive (UGA). These areas account for 38% of the appellation and highlight the growing zone’s most suitable areas, where native grape Garganega thrives.

Besides the newly established vineyard areas shared by multiple producers, Soave,