Corte Adami Soave, 2024
Corte Adami Soave, 2024
- 75cl
- 12.5%
- White Still
- Garganega
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Optimal drinking window: 2026 - 2028
Soave gets a bad rap (decades of industrial overproduction will do that) but Corte Adami is exactly the kind of small, conscientious producer quietly making the case for rehabilitation. Their 2024 is Garganega as it should be: light on its feet, bright with citrus and white peach, with that characteristic almond kernel note on the finish that gives Soave its signature. Stainless steel fermentation keeps everything crisp and true, and there's a stony mineral quality running underneath that speaks to the volcanic soils of the Classico zone.
Pour it cold with seafood or a simple plate of antipasto and it will do exactly what good Italian white wine should: make the food taste better and the conversation easier.
The 2024 is at its most vivid right now, with primary fruit at full volume and the acidity doing its best work. Over the next year or two the citrus will soften slightly and the almond note may become a little more pronounced, which is no bad thing.
Tasting Notes
AppearancePale straw with a faint green tint and good clarity.
NoseFresh and clean, with lemon zest, white peach, and a delicate floral lift. There's a subtle almond note underneath that is classically Garganega — understated but distinctive.
PalateLight to medium bodied with lively acidity that keeps everything feeling energetic. Citrus fruit leads, with peach flesh in the middle and a quiet stony mineral quality that runs through to the end.
FinishClean and brisk, with that almond-skin bitterness that is the hallmark of good Soave.
Overall impressionUnpretentious and precise — a white wine that knows exactly what it wants to be.
Food Pairings
In the Veneto, a wine like this would naturally find itself alongside baccalà alla vicentina — salt cod slow-cooked with onions, anchovies, and milk — a dish whose richness the acidity cuts through effortlessly. Risotto all'isolana, the local rice dish made with pork and cinnamon, is another natural partner. Simpler still: a plate of freshly sliced sopressata and local Asiago cheese, the kind of antipasto spread that appears without ceremony on any family table in the region. Grilled or steamed lake fish, particularly trout or perch from nearby Lake Garda, would be the most instinctive pairing of all.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve well chilled at around 8-10°C — this is a wine that wants to be cold, not merely cool. No need to decant; just open and pour. A standard white wine glass works perfectly well, though a slightly wider bowl will let the delicate floral and almond notes open up a little more freely.
The Soave Classico zone sits on a series of extinct volcanic hills between Verona and Vicenza, and it's this basaltic and volcanic basalt soil that separates the Classico heartland from the flatland extensions of the broader DOC. The dark, mineral-rich soils retain heat but drain well, encouraging deep root development and giving the wines their characteristic stony edge. Altitude and hillside exposure moderate what can be a warm Veneto climate, preserving the natural acidity that makes Garganega worth drinking.
Soave DOC covers a large swath of the Veneto, but the quality story is really about the Soave Classico subzone — the original, hillside heart of the appellation around the villages of Soave and Monteforte d'Alpone. Garganega must make up at least 70% of any Soave, with Trebbiano di Soave and other permitted whites making up the balance. The appellation's reputation suffered badly through the 1970s and 80s when high-yield flatland vineyards flooded the market with thin, neutral wine, but a generation of conscientious growers in the Classico zone has been steadily reclaiming the name.
The 2024 vintage in Veneto arrived with the kind of weather drama that keeps winemakers checking forecasts obsessively. A warm, dry summer had everyone fretting about concentration levels, but September's cooler temperatures and perfectly timed rainfall rescued what could have been a tricky harvest. The key was timing — those who picked early for Prosecco caught fresh acidity, whilst patient producers waiting for Amarone fruit found their corvina and rondinella developing the intensity they'd been hoping for all season.
What emerged feels like Veneto with the volume turned up — Soave showing more texture than usual, Valpolicella with deeper colour and grip, and Prosecco that fizzes with real personality rather than just bubbles. The reds have structure that suggests they'll age gracefully, though they're drinking well now if you fancy immediate pleasure. We're particularly excited about the Amarone potential from this year's fruit, but you'll need to wait until 2030 to see those properly singing.
FAQs
What does this wine taste like?
Fresh and light, with citrus, white peach, and a characteristic almond note on the finish. There's a clean stony mineral quality running through it that lifts the whole thing. It's not a wine of great weight or complexity, but it's precise and genuinely refreshing.
When should I drink it?
Now, frankly. This is a 2024 Soave fermented in stainless steel — it is built for early drinking and at its best right now. We'd keep bottles until 2028 at the outside, but the window of peak pleasure is today rather than five years from now.
What food does it pair well with?
Seafood is the obvious answer — grilled fish, shellfish, or a simple seafood pasta. It also works well with light antipasto, soft cheeses, and anything with a touch of lemon or herbs. The acidity makes it a natural match for dishes that need a bit of cutting through.
Is Soave worth taking seriously?
The cheap stuff on supermarket shelves earned the appellation its mixed reputation, but that's the bulk flatland wine. The Classico hillside zone, where Corte Adami works, is a genuinely different proposition — volcanic soils, old Garganega vines, and producers who care. Worth seeking out.
How should I serve it?
Serve it cold — around 8-10°C. No decanting needed. A standard white wine glass is fine, though a slightly wider bowl helps the aromatics open up. If it has been sitting in a warm room, give it twenty minutes in the fridge before opening.
Is this wine sustainably produced?
Yes. Corte Adami holds SQNPI certification, Italy's national sustainable quality production standard, which covers integrated pest management and reduced chemical inputs across the vineyard. It is not certified organic, but the commitment to environmentally responsible farming is independently verified.
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