Castello Soave Classico 2011

Colour is medium amber with clarity. The Castello Soave Carniga 2011 opens with intense orange, floral aromas and a whiff of candied citrus, leading towards kumquat, preserved lemons. ABV is 13.5%.

Interesting developments. The slightly sweet taste offers lemon drops, exotic fruit and notes of honey, almonds and a precise minerality. There is a delicate fruit which is pretty soft by now. On the second sip, the acidity soon finds itself harmonized by the almost candied sweetness and spices from the fruit; the flavour expands in the centre of the taste, restoring balance and great overall harmony. There is a long and aromatic finish, which is not free from syrupy sensations though. This bottle is a bodied and complicated white wine by now and really may not give the fresh fruitiness some may expect. This bottle, however, ultimately is an intriguing wine; it has the qualities of a mature product not yet devoid of youthful dynamism.

Best with all shell food, steam fish garnished with preserved lemon and tangerine. Use of 80% of Garganega and 20% % of Trebbiano di Soave. The grapes, harvested when they are slightly overripe, ferments in steel and are then refined "sur lie" for the next 12 months. Hence, it is always textured. High score: Wine Searcher88, AG90 and WE87.

Again, it is rare to find Soave bottles with some 8 to 9 years behind, like this Castello Soave Classico Carniga 2011. Soave experts are of the view that Soaves can age well, and in our view, mostly do. Makers are too poor to buy back; they do not have the money to keep them either. Only the leading restaurants have he money to keep the Soaves. Hence Euro 3 stuff can sell at some New York restauransts for over Euro 55 per bottle. So, grab this one.