This weekend at Piazza Italian Market, we will taste the Soave DOC, 2023, ($16.99, ABV 11.5%), a white wine from the Tamellini Winery in Soave, near Verona in the Veneto. The family Tameillini had been winemakers for several generations, but two brothers, Gaetano and Pio Francesco, wanted to take their legacy to the next level. Their goal was to create a stellar Soave that would set them apart from other winemakers and they founded their own winery in 1998.
Their label of two brothers holding a yoke of a large bunch of grapes illustrates their equal division of labor for Soave. Gaetano takes care of the growth and production of their vineyards while Pio is the winemaker who transforms the Veneto region’s signature grape, Garganega, into Soave. Their vineyard covers 30 hectares in the Soave DOC area of production that was established in 1968.
The medieval town of Soave was once a strategically located fortress equidistant from Verona and Vicenza. Writings from the Roman era show that wine has always been made in this area, but it wasn’t until the 20th century that Soave was among Italy’s best-selling wines. The grapes for the Francesco brothers’ DOC Soave is grown on the valley floors at the foot of the Lessini Mountains. The deeper, more fertile volcanic soils are rich in clay and sedimentary material, which makes their Soave DOC wine crisp, with refreshing acidity and minerality.
Soave’s primary flavors are ripe pear, white peach, and green apple. I like to pair it with seafood risotto, grilled shrimp, roast chicken, salads with a citrus vinaigrette or grilled veggies. Since Friday is the beginning of the dog days of August and a glass of chilled Soave. This wine is best served in a glass with a narrow bowl and opening, to maximize the fragrant and floral aromas and intense velvety flavor with a hint of the perfect antidote to August’s hot, humid days.
Soave has long been a customer favorite but if you have not yet tasted it, come join me Friday from noon to 5:45 or Saturday from Noon to 4:45.
Cin Cin!
Jenn
August Wine Dinner: Check Piazza’s website for info on our next wine dinner on Saturday, August 9th, celebrating wines from the Dogliani region of Piemonte. Emily and Chef Chris have compiled another stellar four-course dinner accompanied by wines from the Dogliani production area. Cost is $90/person; tickets are available online now.
Piazza Italian Market is located in the Talbot Town Shopping Center at 218 N. Washington St., Suite 23, in Easton, MD
Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a real estate agent for Meredith Fine Properties. She especially enjoys using her architectural expertise to help buyers envision how they could modify a potential property. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoons.
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