Suavia

Taking its name from the Roman name for Soave, Suavia is one of the leading producers in the region, its performance described by The Gambero Rosso as "being at the very top of what the DOC zone has to offer." Founded in 1982 by Giovanni Tessari the winery is now run by his four daughters.

Much of the success has been based on Suavia's chosen raw materials; unlike many Soave wineries the Tessaris ignore the duller clones of high yielding Trebbiano that is responsible for the boring, cheap wines that ruin Soave's reputation. At Suavia, the Tessaris choose to use Garganega and Trebbiano di Soave, a low-yielding variety that that is similiar to Verdicchio and completely unrelated to the Trebbiano di Toscana that has replaced it across Soave. Until recently this grape was in danger of extinction. Thanks to the work of Valentina Tessari and the University of Milan it is starting to re-establish itself on the hillside slopes of the Soave Classico region. This is a real victory for those who love the diversity and heritage of Italian wines.

The wines have a level of intensity and concentration rarely seen in this part of Italy, whilst keeping the freshness and minerality that is at the heart of Soave. The Classico is a textbook wine - surprisingly aromatic and ripe with a delicious bitter almond note. Going up the scale, the Monte Carbonare is richly oaked, where Soave meets white Burgundy. Far from being just another ambitious super-cuvee, it is beautifully balanced and a past winner of a Tri Biccheri award in the Gambero Rosso. The unctuous Recioto demands an oozing gorgonzola piccante.