Pieropan's estate covers 58 hectares of vineyard which are situated on the stony hills of Soave Classico. The Pieropan family has been producing wines in Soave since the 1890s. Indeed, they were the first producer to bottle a wine with the name Soave on the label in the early 1930s. Nino Pieropan took over from his father in 1970 and was the first producer in Soave to make a single-vineyard wine, 'Calvarino', in 1971. Nino's two sons, Andrea and Dario, took over the running of the estate in 2017 when Nino fell ill and before he passed away in April 2018. From the 2015 vintage onwards, all Pieropan wines are organically certified.

The soil of La Rocca is unique in Soave being a limestone outcrop in a sea of basalt. Single vineyard made solely from Garganega grapes, this has pure aromas of almonds and honey, with an intense, concentrated palate.

Vinification: The grapes for this wine were hand harvested and selected in the vineyard, before arriving at the winery to be destemmed and crushed. After a short period of maceration on the skins, the wine was fermented at 20°C in stainless steel tanks and 2,500 litre oak casks. It was then racked into 500 and 2,000 litre oak casks where it was aged for 15 months on its fine lees, followed by further ageing in bottle before release.

Weather: 2019 was a challenging vintage in Veneto. Winter was mild and dry, which lasted up until April when temperatures dropped significantly. This delayed bud burst by 10-12 days compared to the 2018 vintage. There was also an episode of hail on the 5th of May in Soave Classico, which caused damage in the vineyard. From mid-June the warmer weather arrived and the fruit ripened consistently. Harvest began at the beginning of October. Due to the difficult conditions, the bunches were smaller, both in size and yield, however the 2019 vintage shows great balance and a pleasant minerality.

Technical Information:
Vineyards: La Rocca
Grape Varities: 100% Garganega
Region: Soave Classico, Veneto
Closure: Natural cork
Bottling date: 4th of February 2021
Alcohol: 13 %
Acidity: 6.00 g/l
Residual sugar: 3.60 g/l
pH: 3.32
Drink: Now to 2030

Tasting Note: 'La Rocca' is golden yellow in the glass, with intense, concentrated perfumes that follow through to the palate. On the nose, classic 'La Rocca' aromas of nuts and exotic fruits lead to an elegant and beautifully balanced palate, with notes of spice and a light minerality on the long finish.