2023 Suavia Monte Carbonare Soave Classico Veneto 750 ml

Suavia’s Monte Carbonare is one of the most ridiculous deals in top-tier white wine. A mineral-filled masterpiece from a stunning vineyard and a region-defining producer, the 2023 is what we’ve come to expect for one of the most remarkable white wines in Italy.

Suavia’s Tessari sisters produce wines that The Wine Advocate has praised as “excellent and dynamic” and Vinous calls “some of the denomination’s best.” Their elevated vineyards in the hills of the Soave Classico zone have been in the family for more than a century. None is more impressive than Monte Carbonare.

The Italian word “carbonare” refers to coal, an apt description for the home of this wine, which features jet-black volcanic soils. The vines are planted on terraced hillsides, and for anyone who's gazed upon celebrated wine regions, a mere glance at this exquisite site is enough to see the immense potential locked within. It is a world-class terroir.  

Grown on vines up to 77 years old and crafted entirely from Garganega, the heart-and-soul variety of the Soave appellation, this wine demands air or age and rewards it with lush flavors of stone fruit and citrus that ride a wave of refreshing acidity and minerality. Already accented by spice and florals, it will continue to develop new and unexpected nuances over the next few years. 

The quality renaissance at Suavia began in the 1980s, when the Tessaris began planting different clones of the Garganega in the areas of the vineyard that would suit each one best. The resulting wines show a depth and complexity that’s unmatched by Soave from the surrounding, low-lying plains. 

Today, sisters Meri, Valentina, and Alessandra continue to raise the bar through careful farming practices, like manual pruning, as well as vineyard-management measures designed to ensure a healthy environment: crop diversification, use of natural fertilizers, and planting grasses between the rows of vines.

Monte Carbonare is fermented and aged solely in stainless-steel tanks to keep the focus on the vivid fruit and naked mineral expression of such an impressive terroir. Buy enough to drink now and age some for a half-decade or more.