2023 Prá, Soave Classico DOC “Monte Grande” Veneto, Italy.
Sadly, it seems I only find this wine at Slow Wine tour stops, as every time I try it I remember just how great a bottle it is and wish I had a few at home, Prá’s Monte Grande Soave Classico that is and this 2023 was another standout vintage for this winery. I was nice to meet up with Oliver McCrum, Prá’s US importer, and taste this lovely white from the Veneto region and marvel about how good these Soave wines have become in the last 20 years and why they still offer such a remarkable value. This mineral driven, pale straw hued and medium bodied 2023 Prá Mate Grande, made from mostly Garganega and with a lgood dose of Trebbiano di Soave, with 30% in this vintage, shows off a range of bright citrus, unripe apricot, green apple and quince fruits, along with spice, like dried ginger, clove and white pepper accents, plus pretty orange blossom, verbena, wet flint and almond brioche. The richest of the Prá bottlings and more exotic with riper details, this Monte Grande is very impressive in the glass and sits somewhere between a fine Condrieu and a classic white Burgundy, and highlighting its elevated terroir, this is always a special treat. This wine is age worthy and brilliant with a wide variety of cuisine options, but I would really enjoy it with citrus baked salmon, grilled swordfish and or Moroccan chicken, though it would be great with soft cheeses too.
The Cantine Prá is a historic, benchmark producer of Soave, along with Pieropan, Inama and Gini, and often seems to be an often under-the-radar label, as well as a solid producer of Valpolicella and famous also for deep and complex Amarone, with vineyards that are all certified organic. Winemaker and grower, Graziano Prà uses grapes grown on volcanic soils with basalt and chalk for his basic Otto Soave made entirely made of Garganega, and his cru Monte Grande bottling sees 70% Garganenga and 30% Trebbiano di Soave, the local name for Verdicchio, which gives a distinction between the two offerings. Garganega, the most noble native varietal found here for white wines gives more intense aromatics and depth, but with more subtlety than let’s say Viognier. The Otto, named after Graziano’s dog, sees stainless steel tank fermentation and aging, with no oak being used, getting six months in tank to mature and it reveals absolute purity of form and has a transparent personality and charm, it is an excellent sipper and food wine, while the Monte Grande gets a later pick and is fermented and raised on the lees in large 30hl Allier oak casks, making for a deeper expression of Soave. I have had a hard choice deciding between the Prá wines over the years, and wile I do recommend not missing any if you want to get a feel for the Veneto region, I do really suggest investing most of your focus on the Soave wines, especially this Monte Grande, which captures the modern ideal of Soave to perfection.
($38 Est.) 93 Points, grapelive