A slightly honeyed undertone to the effusive, mineral nose with lemon zest and sliced apples. Pure and elegant on the palate, with fresh, zesty acidity cutting it through before a subtle and mineral finish. Drink now.
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The walled city of Soave in the Veneto region is the source (and namesake) of one of the great classic Italian white wines. The town dates from Roman times, and so does the winemaking tradition. The Romans were big fans of minerally, floral wines like those of Soave. The Garganega grapes, that for many centuries have produced Soave wines, come mainly from vineyards in the hills that rise behind the town and march northwestward toward the eastern Valpolicella. This area is now known as Soave Classico and is still the source of the best wines of the denomination due to the hills’ volcanic soils.
Leaving Soave through the Porta Aquila—the north gate of the city’s 14th-century walls—a walk of a mile and a quarter (including a climb of about 500 feet) leads to the top of Mount Foscarino, a dormant volcano now covered with grapevines. In the 1960s, Giuseppe Inama began buying up small vineyard plots on this peak in the heart of the Soave Classico zone, and as a result, the Inama winery today owns most of the vineyards on Mount Foscarino. Giuseppe Inama saw the great potential of these old, traditional vineyards at a time when others were more intent on producing larger quantities in the plains for inexpensive exports. His son Stefano, who took over the winemaking duties in 1992, has continued to work tirelessly to realize the potential of these vineyards, working with some of the very best vineyard management consultants in the world to get Inama’s vineyards into the best possible shape.
Near the top of the hill is a large wooden platform with a 270-degree panoramic view to the south and east. To the right at a distance, it is easy to spot the crenellated walls and towers of Soave Castle as it keeps watch over the town. In the foreground are Inama’s tidy vigneti di Foscarino (Foscarino vineyards). And to the left, over the vineyards and across a broad valley, are a set of hills that are the home of Inama’s other project. These hills—the Colli Berici—are composed of iron-rich terra rossa, a soil type that is prized worldwide as being ideal for growing red winegrapes, and indeed this is where Inama gets its red wines.
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LOCATIONWINERY: San Bonifacio, Veneto VINEYARD: Soave (Verona province) and Colli Berici (Vicenza province), Veneto VIEW IN GOOGLE MAPS REGION DETAILS |
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93
AUGUST 2022
Inama "Carbonare" Soave DOC Classico 2020
![]() A slightly honeyed undertone to the effusive, mineral nose with lemon zest and sliced apples. Pure and elegant on the palate, with fresh, zesty acidity cutting it through before a subtle and mineral finish. Drink now. 90
NOVEMBER 2021
Inama “Vigneto du Lot” Soave DOC Classico 2018
![]() Lightly scented, this offers subtle aromas recalling toasted oak, white stone fruit and a whiff of hazelnut. The rounded, structured palate shows vanilla oak, butter scotch and ripe apple alongside hints of coffee bean and bitter almond. 94
MAY 2023
Inama “Bradisismo” Colli Berici Cabernet DOC 2019
![]() A poised and vivid blend of cabernet sauvignon and carmenere. Plums, blueberries, dark cherries, undergrowth, leaves, sweet tobacco and a touch of black olives. Medium- to full-bodied with fine, firm tannins. Structured and textured with dark berries and some chocolate character on the palate. Earthy with hints of spices towards the long finish. Best from 2025. 92
MARCH 2023
Inama “Foscarino” Soave DOC Classico 2020
![]() The 2020 Soave Classico Foscarino comes to life in the glass with a beguiling mix of crushed oyster shells, wet slate, dried pears and hints of lemon oil. This is round, verging on opulent in feel, with ripe orchard fruits and a pretty inner sweetness. Saline minerals add a more tactile feel toward the close. The 2020 finishes remarkably fresh yet potent, lingering on nuances of peach, melon and vanilla custard as a sour citrus twang punctuates the wine perfectly. 91
MAY 2024
Inama “Vin Soave” Soave DOC Classico 2022
![]() A classic Soave, this wine always delivers and shows why more people should be looking to this region for great white wine. Opening with aromas of white peach, fresh wildflowers and almonds. The palate is bright and textural with some weight but fresh acidity. Flavors of stone fruit and orchard fruit take center stage with a stony minerality on the finish 94
AUGUST 2022
Inama “Oratorio di San Lorenzo” Colli Berici DOC Carmenère Riserva 2018
![]() Excellent intensity here, with a classy nose of sandalwood and chili chocolate, together with racy redcurrants and olives. Medium to full body with juicy and silky tannins that linger with the fruit through the long, delicious finish. Lots of polish. Drink or hold. 93
MARCH 2023
Inama "Carbonare" Soave DOC Classico 2020
![]() The 2020 Soave Classico Carbonare is savory and finessed, with hints of sage and rosemary giving way to dusty dried florals. This is silky and round on the palate, complicated by saline minerals and tart orchard fruits, all kept in constant motion by stimulating acidity. Young peach and pear notes linger through the tension-filled finale as this finishes with a salty flourish that keeps the taster looking back to the glass for more. 93
APRIL 2022
Inama “Oratorio di San Lorenzo” Colli Berici DOC Carmenère Riserva 2018
![]() The 2018 Oratorio di San Lorenzo Riserva is very pretty and dusty in character with understated cherry and florals, yet it gains richness in the glass. This is powerful yet wrapped up tight in its youthful state with perfumed inner florals and depths of dark red fruits. It leaves the palate structured and finishes long, yet it remains fresh through juicy acidity, with hints of ginger and peppery florals that linger. This is a more finessed yet still-potent San Lorenzo Riserva in the making. |