Soave Classico Leonildo Pieropan 2006 (something of a wet blanket)

The Pretty Lady and I went to Latium for our Valentine's Day celebration, based on a number of recommendations (primarily Yumchia's and LS's). We were corralled into have the set menu though, so it's not really worth reviewing Latium until we get a chance to sample what the chef is capable of. For what it's worth, it was a good meal. We did get to choose the wine however - the Pretty Lady wanted white, but only wanted to share a half bottle, so I went for the Soave Classico Leonildo Pieropan 2006. Made from the Garganera grape, and a Soave Classico, it seemed to be the most promising of the limited choices of half bottles. Adjacent image from ethicalwine.com.

Soave Classico Leonildo Pieropan 2006
White wine
Italian (Soave, Verona, Italy)
Garganega grape (10% Trebbiano)

Nose: At first nothing much - just notes of sparkling water (yes, really). Needed a lot of aeration - I almost felt I was shaking the wine rather than swirling it. Then some faint fruit notes appeared, but I couldn't really tell what fruit they were.
Mouthfeel: A little thin, and very light. Definitely a swigging wine.
Tasting: After heavy aeration, some apples and pears, perhaps some other hard fruits. Also notes of hibiscus, which was interesting, but that was as far as it got.

I think that drinking this right after a raspberry and champagne aperitif was a mistake. But then I cleared my palate and tried again - several times - but not much joy from this. I think it was bottled too young, and probably needed some years in glass. Shame.

It's not really a good introduction to Leonildo Pieropan, which is a vineyard in Soave, Verona, where they make classic white wines. I think they have garnered a reputation for being boring, but there exists much worse stuff which you could drink. Soave is one of Italy's Denomination of Controlled Origin regions, which makes it legally protected in the EU as a product which can only come from its original region (Scotch whisky is also protected too heh heh). Garganega is a grape variety which is heavily grown in Soave, and has come to be associated with it. Garganega wines are supposed to show great aromas, mainly lemon and almond.

Leonildo Pieropan founded his eponymous vineyard in 1890. Control passed to his sons, and then to his grandson, also named Leonildo. He now runs several vineyards with his wife, having added to the original vineyard. They make wine from the Garganega and Trebbiano grapes, with 3 varieties of wine from different vineyards, as well as 2 dessert wines, one containing Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc as well as Trebbiano. According to their website, the 1999 Soave Classico was a very good vintage. I must hunt it up some time.