The region of Soave is an ancient one. Grapes have been growing in the volcanic hills near Verona since the Roman era and the primary white grape, Garganega, has long been considered to make one of the most representative white wines of Italy. Sadly, Soave became the victim of its own success in the 1970s and 80s due to overproduction, dilution and a resulting negative reputation. Over the past 30 years, however, thanks to the dedication of some small, family-run wineries, Soave is enjoying a renaissance, and there is perhaps no one more responsible for this than Graziano Prà.
Graziano has been at the helm of the PRÀ estate since the early 1980s and during his tenure he has worked to resurrect the stature of Soave and has put esteemed crus like Monte Grande on the international map. At the core of his vision is a respect for the land and its distinct terroir – those exceptional, ancient volcanic soils of the region – and a love and certainty of the unsung potential of the Garganega grape.
We are thrilled to offer a mixed case (2 bottles of each) of Graziano’s wines, with three beautifully crafted and distinct expressions of Soave:
- PRÀ 2021 ‘Otto’ Soave Classico – A benchmark for Soave, simple vinification in stainless steel produces a medium-bodied wine with hawthorn and jasmine, peach and apricot, balanced by clear mineral notes.
- PRÀ 2019 ‘Staforte’ Soave Classico – Using only the best grapes from 30 to 60-year-old vines, winemaking includes aging on the fine lees with regular battonage to achieve incredible texture. A sleek mineral core is the star here, overlaid with generous notes of yellow apple and dried chamomile.
- PRÀ 2020 ‘Monte Grande’ Soave Classico – A blend of 70% Garganega and 30% Trebbiano di Soave, the Garganega grapes are dried on the vines before fermentation and 10 months aging in Allier oak. Rich and complex, the wine shows tropical fruit, sweet almond and vanilla and like a cru Chablis has excellent aging potential.
In all of these wines, Graziano’s quest for purity and authenticity shines through, along with his commitment to quality and to interpreting the unique terroir of Soave.
PRÀ Soave Renaissance Mixed Case
$255.00 (incl. HST)
Order now for delivery the week of September 26th!
Click HERE to order!
PRÀ 2019 ‘Staforte’ Soave Classico and PRÀ 2020 ‘Monte Grande’ Soave Classico are also available by the case.
Click HERE to order.
The Wines
92 points – James Suckling, July 2022
“Quite refreshing and mineral with lots of green and white fruit. Stony nectarine and green-apple aromas. Pure and fresh with a textured, medium-bodied palate, showing some mineral and limey fruit. Gastronomic and delicious. Drink now.”
92 points – Eric Guido, Vinous, February 2022
“The 2019 Soave Classico Staforte is incredibly rich and sweetly scented with masses of pretty florals and hints of butterscotch. This gains a dusty florality with time, as it mixes ripe fruit with salty-acid tension to keep the mouth watering through the long and penetrating finale.”
94 points – Eric Guido, Vinous, February 2022
“The 2020 Soave Classico Monte Grande is so pretty yet slightly understated, with a herbal twang that gives way to orange zests and pretty yellow flowers. This is round yet amazingly fresh and vibrant, with vivid apple tones and hints of chamomile. There’s a lasting florality and staining mix of kiwi and young mango, while also salty and lightly structured. Breathtaking.”
$255.00 (incl. HST)
Order now for delivery the week of September 26th!
Click HERE to order!
About PRÀ
Soave is one of the World’s great white wines. For over 30 years, Graziano Prà has been one of a handful of winegrowers to demonstrate the impressive calibre the wines of his region can achieve. His wines have earned more than 10 ‘Tre Bicchieri’ awards from Gambero Rosso. The Wine Advocate recognizes Prà as “a reference point producer in Soave”, including Prà’s ‘Otto’ Soave Classico (100% Garganega) among ‘The World’s Greatest Wine Values’.
Graziano’s are pure, terroir-driven wines. His Soave vineyards (Pergola-trained Garganega, Guyot-trained Trebbiano di Soave) are planted on slopes of volcanic soil (in fact, a dormant volcano). This class of wine bears no resemblance to the commercial dross produced on the fertile plain by industrial producers. Staforte is a remarkably complex, mineral-driven wine. 100% Garganega, fermented and raised in inox with extended lees contact and aggressive batonage. Monte Grande is a benchmark ‘cru’. 30% Trebbiano di Soave / 70% Garganega which has been dried 25-30 days on the vine (cut stems) before harvest. It’s aged sur-lie in 3,000L botti.
In 2001, Prà turned his sights to red wine, buying a unique plot of virgin land in the Val d’Illasi overlooking the benchmark estate of Romano Dal Forno. He planted Corvina, Corvinone, Oseleta & Rondinella vines at high density and built a state-of-the -art facility for drying his grapes. 2006 was the first commercial release of Valpolicella and Amarone della Valpolicella from this organically farmed estate called Morandina — 8 hectares of vineyard planted on calcareous glacial soils at 500m elevation. The altitude and significant diurnal temperature change provide highly refined, aromatic fruit — Graziano’s red wines are all about finesse, refinement, & complexity. The reference point for us is more Burgundy than Northern Italy. The wines tend to be medium-bodied, highly perfumed, and very savoury. Even for the entry-level Valpolicella the grapes are dried for almost 3 weeks. The unicorn that Graziano has chosen for his labels represents purity. In all, 30 hectares of vineyard in Soave and 8 hectares Valpolicella give 400,000 bottles annually.
NEW! Order online at TheVineAgency.ca.
You can also email wine@thevineagency.ca or call 416.693.7994. We’d love to chat about wine with you!
PRÀ is represented in Ontario by The Vine Agency.
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