Pieropan Soave Classico Calvarino 2012
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Blend: 70% Garganega, 30% Trebbiano di Soave
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
Made from vines that are between 30 and 60 years old, this radiant white opens with aromas that recall white spring flower, mint and pear. The elegant, linear palate delivers concentrated flavors of juicy apple, creamy pear and zesty citrus, with firm acidity. The lingering finish closes on a mineral note.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2012 Soave Classico Calvarino impresses for its depth and the supreme quality of fruit. The classic blend used here sees 70% Garganega and 30% Trebbiano di Soave from the estate's prized vineyard sites. Smooth and silky in texture, Calvarino flows freely imparting aromatic highlights of peach, honey, orange peel, pressed jasmine and crushed mineral along the way. It ages in glass-tiled cement vats that help to lock in aromas.
-
Wine Spectator
Aromatic, with a waft of Stargazer lily on the mouthwatering palate, this elegant white offers a well-knit mix of cantaloupe, Meyer lemon, fresh herb, ground anise and smoky paraffin. The long-lasting, chalky finish echoes distinctive aromatics. Drink now through 2022.
Other Vintages
2021-
Wine
Enthusiast -
James
Suckling -
Wine
Spectator
-
James
Suckling
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
James
Suckling -
Wine
Spectator
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
James
Suckling
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
James
Suckling -
Wine &
Spirits - Decanter
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling -
Wine &
Spirits - Decanter
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
James
Suckling - Decanter
-
Robert
Parker
-
James
Suckling -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine &
Spirits -
Wilfred
Wong -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine &
Spirits -
Wine
Spectator
-
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling -
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine
Spectator -
Wine &
Spirits
-
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator -
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Robert
Parker
-
Wine
Spectator
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
Robert
Parker
-
Wine
Spectator
Enclosed by the original town walls and dominated by its medieval fortress, Soave has a peaceful, timeless quality about it. In the heart of the old town is the winery of Leonildo and Teresita Pieropan, which goes back to 1860. The present Leonildo ("Nino")'s grandfather, Leonildo Senior, founded the estate and 'invented' Recioto di Soave, a concentrated dessert wine applying a system similar to Tuscany's governo to the indigenous, white Garganega grape.
Today, the estate's 74 acres under vine include three single vineyards, all within the historical backbone of the Soave appellation (Soave Classico): Calvarino, La Rocca and Le Colombare. Terrain is respectively clayey/basaltic, calcareous/clayey, and clayey/marly/tuffaceous, yielding small crops of highly concentrated Garganega and Trebbiano grapes. The range is crafted by Leonildo himself, whose wine-making genius, constant research and innovative methods have carved a unique niche for these exceptional, extract-full and long-living whites that go far, far beyond their own appellation.
One of Italy’s classic white varieties, Garganega flourishes in the rolling vineyards surrounding the medieval village of Soave and is the dominant variety in the wine from the region, aptly known as, Soave. By law it makes up 70-100% of the blend with the remainder traditionally finished off by Trebbiano di Soave for its crispness. Somm Secret—The best Soave wines, measurably elegant and vibrant, come from the Soave Classico zone, in the center of Soave, where the hills are made of decomposed volcanic and granitic soils.
Among Italy’s classic whites capable of great potential, Soave is named after the medieval village and surrounding hillsides from whence it comes. The original, historical Soave zone, delimited back in 1927, covers the eastern, volcanic hillsides of today's general Soave zone and is called Soave Classico.
Garganega, the indigenous grape responsible for great Soave, produces medium bodied white wines with fine acidity. Typical in the best Soaves are lively flowery and fresh herbal aromas and flavors such as orange zest, peach, melon and marjoram. The best can take some age and in so doing, develop notes of chamomile, marmalade and honey.
By the 1960s and 70s, Soave was enjoying such a glorious global reputation, that its demand forced growers to push beyond the zone's original borders. Expansion led west out of the hills and onto the alluvial plain of the Adige River. This, coupled with an increase in yields and allowance of additional varieties such as Trebbiano, Chardonnay and Pinot blanc, met demand but created a softer, fruit-forward, everyday Soave. Today the broader region can be the source of charming and value driven whites. But those labeled as Soave Classico or in rare cases, as Soave Colli Scaligeri (nearby hillside vineyards abutting the Classico zone), will be the best quality and age-worthy Soaves. These are often 100% Garganega.