Tenuta Santa Maria 2018 “Lepiga” Soave ($16.99)

Made from the Veronese Garganega variety, this attractive Northern Italian white is a light greenish color, a distinct brassy hue. Its light but delicious aromas speak of orange peel and lemon alongside subtle pear and melon scents. Its dry, pleasantly acidic flavor fills the mouth with gentle mixed-fruit flavors that follow the nose, with hints of fresh herb and limestone minerality with light 12.5% alcohol. Remarkably, there’s a distinct whiff of salt – a common descriptor for Soave – in a long, snappy finish. U.S. importers: Indigenous Selections LLC, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Skurnik Wines & Spirits, NYC, and other regional importers. (Oct. 13, 2020)

FOOD MATCH: The winery suggests enjoying it as an aperitif or pairing it with appetizers, raw fish including sushi, and white meat. We found it food-friendly and versatile, and enjoyed it over a couple of meals with food as diverse as Yucatan cochinita pibil and nopales to meatloaf and fried chicken from a local soul food storefront.

WHEN TO DRINK: Soave is not a wine made for aging, so I’d recommend enjoying it rather than putting it away in a cellar, but It should be fine for a few years assuming reasonably good storage conditions.

VALUE:
My $17 local price is close enough to Wine-Searcher.com’s $16 average U.S. retail to keep me happy. Considering today’s prices and, in particular, new U.S. tariffs on European wines, it’s a decent value.

WEB LINK
The winery offers an extensive fact sheet in English at this link. (It appears to be down for an update today, but check in later for an informative page.)

For more about the wine and winery, see this page from another importer, Skurnik Wines & Spirits

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Tenuta Santa Maria “Lepiga” Soave on Wine-Searcher.com.

Follow this Wine-Searcher link to learn more about Soave and browse dozens of other wines from the region.