($26):   Pieropan is undoubtedly one of great names in Soave.  They have been instrumental in resurrecting the prestige of the area with their consistent production of stellar wines, from their “regular” (though none of their wines are “regular”) Soave Classico to their single vineyard bottlings, such as this one.  The Calvarino vineyard has been in the family for over 100 years, since 1901, and they have bottled it separately starting with the 1971 vintage.  Indeed, Pieropan was the first in Soave to identify and bottle wines from a single vineyard.  A blend of Garganega (70%) and Trebbiano di Soave, Pieropan’s Calvarino has enormous depth, while still dancing on the palate.  Pieropan avoids oak aging, opting to perform the fermentation and aging in cement tanks, which allows the underlying minerality from the volcanic soil to shine. It has uncanny elegance, which persists into a long finish.  Bright lemony acidity keeps it lively and refreshing.  If you want to understand why Soave Classico can be a great wine, try this one.  And it’s a bargain!
94 Michael Apstein Oct 3, 2017