Pra Soave Classico Otto 2020

100% Garganega. The Prà winery, although only started in the early 1980s, has come to be not only one of the top producers in the Soave appellation but also one of the most important and visionary white winemakers in all of Italy. The winery is run by Graziano Prà, whose family owned their vineyards for generations but never commercialized the wines in bottles. The vineyards are situated in the heart of the appellation, in Monteforte D’Alpone. The Prà holdings consist of thirty hectares in Soave and eight hectares in Valpolicella. Graziano was always a big believer in natural viticulture and its positive effect on the wines and has farmed organically since the outset. His vineyards in Soave as well as in Morandina in Valpolicella are certified organic. The terroir in Monteforte d’Alpone in Soave features classic, very black, volcanic soils which help to impart an underlying power and minerality to the wines. As Ian D’Agata points out, “Prà is especially adept at ensuring the wines also showcase a remarkable degree of finesse.”  Much of the plantings were done in the late ’70s, so the average vine age is quite high, especially for the region. The Soave line-up begins with the Otto, which is a blend of multiple parcels between 30 and 60 years old, and aged on its lees in tank for 4-5 months. Some of the fruit for the Otto comes from the Monte Bisson zone which is a more limestone-rich soil compared to the other soils of Soave which are mainly volcanic. Graziano feels the limestone gives more tension and acidity to the wine whereas the more typical volcanic soil gives a bit more body as well as salinity and minerality. Unlike those mass-produced Soaves that were dumped onto us, this Soave has character and personality. A total revelation for this beautiful wine region.