Rediscover the wines of Veneto! I know I know, they are everywhere, adorning most "Italian restaurants" across America. Soave, Valpolicella, Pinot Grigio... cue the big yawn. In the interest of wiping the slate clean, allow me to introduce two remarkable producers who are making dry and expressive wines of real personality. In a sea of mediocrity, the Inama and Grassi families hold true to what I consider to be the future of this area: dry whites and reds of complexity, longevity and backbone.
Inama 2021 Soave Classico ‘Vigne Carbonare’
Soave from mountain fruit is where its at! Taunt, fresh and fragrant, few Soave capture such elegance without the heaviness this varietal is known for. This is an incredibly versatile wine to pair with seafood. Carbonare comes from an east facing vineyard at 200 meters from Mount Foscarino. Inama was founded in 1968 when the hills of Soave were virtually uninhabited. Giuseppe Inama purchased choice parcels on Mount Foscarino, one of the ancient volcanic cones in the Lessini hills. Led by his son Stefano, they farm 70 hectar organically on volcanic and basalt soils across Foscarino, an area notable for fresh mountain air from the Dolomites cutting through mists from the Adriatic that threaten rot and mildew.
Roccolo Grassi 2019 Valpolicella Superiore Veneto
Hidden gem from the limestone soils of Eastern Valpolicella! This is a luxurious and vibrant Valpolicella without ever feeling heavy, sweet or both, a rare balancing act for the style wines. I finally visited in 2023 in a spur of the moment appointment. Marco and Francesca kindly took me through the operation established by their father Bruno Sartori in 1996. The winery is named after a prized vineyard in Valpolicella located in the Lessini hills of eastern Valpolicella. They are a small house that makes refined wines of character from organically grown grapes.
