Guerrieri Rizzardi's 'Ferra' Soave is a deeply delicious and highly expressive version of one of Italy's greatest but most misunderstood white wines. So many Soaves leave you wanting for more, but this one that will delight your senses with its exotic aromas and its luscious palate. I guarantee it!
Only produced in top years, this single vineyard wine is quite rich, ample, and exuberant. Produced entirely from Garganega (the key Soave grape), this is the rare Soave that sees a long maturation on the lees along with a bit of oak aging. The finished wine is quite complete, balanced, and relatively complex. It's also a new staff favorite, and we can't wait for you to try it!
2019 Guerrieri Rizzardi 'Ferra' Soave Classico
Deeply aromatic, exotic, ripe, and gorgeous. - 92 points - Yours Truly
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Soave gets a bad rap, and for good reason. Soave experienced a wave of popularity in the mid-20th century, leading to overplanting, overproduction, and simple and forgettable wines. Thankfully, over the two decades or so, we have seen an influx of Soaves from smaller and more quality-minded producers, like Guerrieri Rizzardi. It is wines like their Ferra Soave that have helped American wine lovers experience the joys of this classic Venetian white.
The Soave DOC spans the hills east of Verona. Along with Valpolicella and Bardolino, it is the most important wine zone in the Veneto. Heck, I'd say with 100% confidence that it is one of the most important white wine zones in all of Italy. The Garganega grape is the key to any great Soave's success. If handled with patience, care, and maximum TLC, the grape can yield complex, engaging, and age-worthy white wines that marvel the senses.
That's exactly what you are getting here, a world-class version of Soave from a producer that takes great pride in their craft. Guerrieri Rizzardi's 'Ferra' comes from a single vineyard located on a hillside beside the old Castle of Soave. The vines are old, farmed organically, and south-facing, capturing maximum sunshine. This exposure combined with these low-yielding old vines produces a deep and rich white with a ton of personality.
Right out of the bottle, this pours a nearly-golden color and exhibits aromas of orange zest, white peach, honeydew melon, and green herbs. Quite concentrated and assertive on the palate, the flavors are a continuation of the bouquet. I love the way this wine carries its weight and intensity while also maintaining zesty acids and pure drinkability. It's not too heavy, but it's certainly not light, and it really gives the drinker an idea of what Garganega can "do" when handled with care.
I'm dreaming of a bottle of this along with some clam pasta or some scallops....or both :) I love to pair wine and food, but I also enjoy having a glass of something tasty right when I get home from work. Don't we all? This would also serve in that role just fine.
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Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville