Soave: beyond the zoning

“Soave: beyond the zoning” is the project undertaken for a long time by Veneto Agriculture, by the Consortium for the Protection of the Soave DOC wine, and by the Region. It is a path of study and knowledge, which was launched in 2005, thanks to which terroirs have been studied, and great cru of the denomination have been identified. The study of the area has also made possible to analyze the landscape identity of the vine district and its evolution over the centuries. With the following “Vulcania” project we wanted to characterize the image of the Soave wine tying it to the volcanic origin of the soils. Then, the most appropriate agronomic practices have been defined, codifying the different ways of interpreting the Garganega grape variety in relation to different growing environments. The “Zoning and Climate” project (years 2012-13) considered also the impacts of the climate changes on vines, defining innovative approaches to the irrigations of vineyard, the types of farming and the techniques of management of leaf walls.

Probably thanks to this synergy, too, the first quotation for the new harvest season has allowed the historic Verona denomination to confirm the pricing for the Soave DOC between 7.4 and 8 euro per hectodegree. It is an important value, among the highest in the long history of this denomination. A value that, in fact, proves the important effort for the management of the denomination even in a year that from the climatic point of view could somehow surprise producers. A harvest season which has been very good from the qualitative point of view, instead, thanks to a September that for temperature and precipitation we can define exceptional for white medium–late grape varieties like Garganega.

Waiting for the official data, the economic observatory of the Consortium estimates in no more than 450,000 the hectolitres produced in the last harvest campaign. A fact that is perfectly in line with the expectations, also in the light of the forthcoming application – from 1st January 2014 – of State marks on the whole denomination.

A decision that, even before being activated, already seems to give the first important results. The orders for the new campaign are increasing significantly, a tendency estimated 15% to date, that if confirmed in the long run would verify the pertinence of the producers’ choice. According to the consumption data certified the first 9 months of 2013, the volume of bottled Soave on an annual basis is over 435,000 hectoliters: a significant finding, as it has been in constant, even if slight, growth for the past 3 years.

Good news also on the front of the Soave Classico that is closing an excellent 2013 with values among the highest in its history. For the 2013 vintage of this historic grape variety, the production data of the previous season – more than 100.000 hectolitres – are confirmed. We would like to remind that this was the first production area to be delimited in 1931 and that, in the light of the recent ISTAT survey, it is still the territory with the highest vine density in Italy, as evidence of its specific vocation. “The Soave Classico, says Aldo Lorenzoni, Director of the Consortium, is the area where the most exclusive cru entrenched and developed in time, and that has an overall value of more than 13 million bottles every year, exceeding 35 million €. From the commercial point of view, then, the prices of the grapes are consistent with the record levels of last year, while the trend of the applications is confirmed to be very positive, compared to the same period of 2012”.