2024 Le Battistelle ‘Montesei’ Soave DOC Classico – Veneto, Italy – 93 Points James Suckling (Copy)

🏆 93 POINTS JAMES SUCKLING – 70–90-YEAR-OLD GARGANEGA VINES FROM THE VOLCANIC HILLS OF SOAVE! AN EXTRAORDINARY ITALIAN WHITE FOR JUST $40!

93 Points – JamesSuckling.com | 70–90-Year-Old Vines 

2024 Le Battistelle ‘Montesei’ Soave DOC Classico – Veneto, Italy

 RRP $40

If you love great Italian white wine, or you're a fan of the mineral precision of Chablis and the beautiful texture of fine Chardonnay, you absolutely need to discover the extraordinary wines of Le Battistelle.

The 2024 Le Battistelle ‘Montesei’ Soave Classico is a magnificent example of just how good Garganega can be when it comes from exceptional vineyards and is made by people who genuinely understand their terroir.

And the vineyard story is remarkable.

We are talking about 70–90-year-old Garganega vines, growing on steep, south-facing volcanic hillsides in the historic heart of Soave Classico.

These are not vineyards where you can simply drive a tractor through the rows.

The slopes are so steep that the work must be undertaken by hand.

This is traditional Italian viticulture at its finest, where generations of farming knowledge meet extraordinary natural conditions.

The resulting wine is absolutely captivating.

Beautiful white peach, apricot, citrus, delicate flowers and savoury almond characters combine with wonderful texture, vibrant acidity and a distinctive mineral finish.

And the quality has been recognised internationally.

93 Points – JamesSuckling.com.

At just $40 a bottle, this represents a wonderful opportunity to experience one of northern Italy's most underrated great white wine regions.

Le Battistelle – A Remarkable Family Estate

Le Battistelle is a small, family-owned winery situated in Brognoligo, in the historic Soave Classico region of Veneto, northern Italy.

The estate is operated by the Dal Bosco family, whose vineyards occupy some of the steep volcanic hillsides surrounding the village.

For generations, the family cultivated Garganega in this remarkable landscape.

However, it was not until 2002 that they began producing and bottling wines under their own label.

Before that, the family's grapes were sold to the local cooperative.

The decision to make their own wines allowed the Dal Bosco family to demonstrate the extraordinary quality of their vineyards and the distinctive character of their volcanic soils.

Today, Le Battistelle is recognised as one of the fascinating small producers helping to restore the reputation of serious Soave Classico.

Rather than producing large volumes of inexpensive wine, the family focuses on carefully farmed hillside vineyards and the remarkable potential of Garganega.

Their wines combine beautiful fruit purity, refreshing acidity, savoury complexity and the mineral character for which the finest Soave vineyards are celebrated.

This is exactly the kind of small, family-owned Italian estate we love discovering at Liquid Vibe.

Ancient Volcanic Soils – The Secret Behind Great Soave Classico

One of the most fascinating aspects of Soave Classico is its extraordinary geology.

The historic vineyards surrounding Soave and Monteforte d'Alpone occupy a landscape shaped by ancient volcanic activity.

The soils contain basalt and other volcanic material, creating distinctive conditions for growing Garganega.

The Montesei vineyards are particularly interesting.

They are situated on steep, south-facing hillsides, where the soils contain porous volcanic rock mixed with clay and silt.

These conditions provide a remarkable environment for the vines.

The volcanic geology, vineyard exposure and long-established viticultural traditions all contribute to the distinctive character of the finished wine.

The finest Soave Classico wines are celebrated for their beautiful balance between fruit expression, texture and savoury mineral sensations.

There is often a fascinating tension between ripe orchard-fruit flavours and refreshing acidity.

The 2024 Montesei captures this character beautifully – generous enough to be immediately appealing, yet precise, mineral and wonderfully refreshing.

70–90-Year-Old Garganega Vines – Extraordinary Vineyard Heritage

Perhaps the most compelling aspect of the Montesei wine is the age of its vines.

The fruit comes predominantly from Garganega vines aged between 70 and 90 years.

These are remarkably mature vineyards, particularly for a wine with an RRP of only $40.

Old vines are not automatically superior, but when carefully cultivated in outstanding sites, they can produce fruit with exceptional character and balance.

Over decades, vines establish a complex relationship with their surrounding environment.

Their growth and cropping patterns can become more balanced, and the distinctive characteristics of individual vineyard sites can become increasingly apparent.

In the steep volcanic hills of Soave Classico, maintaining these historic vineyards requires enormous dedication.

The vines are traditionally trained using the Veronese pergola system, an important part of the region's viticultural heritage.

The fruit must be harvested by hand because mechanisation is impractical on these difficult slopes.

Think about that: fruit from predominantly 70–90-year-old vines, hand-harvested on steep volcanic hillsides, for just $40 a bottle.

That is a compelling proposition.

Garganega – One of Italy's Most Underrated Great White Grapes

Garganega is one of the most fascinating indigenous white grape varieties in Italy.

Although it is most closely associated with Soave, the variety is capable of producing wines of remarkable complexity when grown in outstanding vineyards.

At its simplest, Garganega produces light, refreshing white wines that are perfect for casual drinking.

But the finest examples are something entirely different.

They can display beautifully defined orchard-fruit characters, delicate floral perfume, citrus freshness, subtle almond notes and impressive savoury complexity.

There is often a wonderful combination of texture and precision.

Unlike highly aromatic varieties that rely on intense perfume, Garganega frequently reveals its character gradually.

White peach, ripe pear, lemon zest, almond blossom, herbs and mineral notes can emerge as the wine opens in the glass.

The best wines also possess an appealing savoury dimension that makes them particularly versatile with food.

For anyone who appreciates great Chablis, serious Italian whites or beautifully textured dry white wines, Garganega is a variety that deserves far more attention.

White Peach, Apricot, Citrus & Beautiful Almond Complexity

The 2024 Le Battistelle Montesei Soave Classico is a wonderfully expressive white wine.

The aromatics are immediately inviting.

White peach, ripe apricot, fresh citrus and delicate white flowers combine with subtle herbal notes and a fascinating mineral character.

There is a beautiful interplay between ripe fruit and savoury complexity.

The palate is bright, energetic and wonderfully balanced.

The fruit has an appealing generosity, with peach and apricot flavours complemented by lemon, pear and subtle spice.

But what makes the wine particularly impressive is the texture.

Four months of maturation on fine lees contributes an additional dimension, giving the palate a gentle richness without sacrificing freshness.

The acidity is lively and beautifully integrated.

A delicate almond-like character emerges on the finish, accompanied by persistent mineral and savoury notes.

The result is a wine that manages to be both immediately delicious and genuinely interesting.

Beautiful fruit. Wonderful texture. Vibrant acidity. A long, refreshing mineral finish.

This is exactly what makes great Soave Classico so enjoyable.

93 Points – JamesSuckling.com

James Suckling's tasting team has recognised the quality of the 2024 Le Battistelle Montesei Soave Classico with an excellent 93-point rating.

The review highlights the wine's apricot and peach characters, appealing lees-derived texture and distinctive almond-like finish.

Particular attention is given to the lively acidity, which provides freshness and energy through the palate.

The wine's combination of fruit generosity, texture and precision is particularly appealing.

A rating of 93 points is an excellent result for a wine at this price.

It also demonstrates how much quality can be found in the historic hillside vineyards of Soave Classico.

93 points from James Suckling, predominantly 70–90-year-old vines and an RRP of just $40.

For lovers of serious Italian white wine, that is exceptional value.

Traditional Winemaking – Purity, Texture & Freshness

The winemaking behind Montesei is designed to preserve the distinctive character of Garganega and the volcanic vineyards.

The grapes are hand-harvested from the steep hillside sites.

Following destemming, the fruit is gently pressed and the juice immediately chilled.

Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks over approximately 15 days.

The wine then remains on its fine lees for around four months.

This is an important detail.

Lees maturation can contribute additional texture, complexity and a subtle savoury character to the finished wine.

Rather than using new oak to create richness, Le Battistelle allows the fruit and lees to provide the wine's depth and structure.

Following bottling, the wine receives a further period of maturation before release.

The result is a wine that combines wonderful fruit purity with a beautifully textured palate.

This is thoughtful, traditional winemaking that allows the character of the vineyard to shine.

A Wonderful Alternative to Chablis & White Burgundy

For wine lovers who appreciate fine Chablis and white Burgundy, serious Soave Classico can be a revelation.

Although Garganega is a very different variety from Chardonnay, the finest examples can share several appealing characteristics.

There is often a wonderful combination of citrus freshness, orchard-fruit complexity, mineral precision and beautiful texture.

The wines can possess an almost effortless elegance.

But the volcanic soils of Soave provide an entirely different expression from the limestone landscapes of Burgundy.

The result is something distinctive and fascinating.

Where Chablis often emphasises citrus, saline freshness and chalky tension, great Soave Classico can combine mineral detail with ripe pear, peach, floral perfume and a subtle almond-like finish.

The 2024 Montesei is particularly appealing because it offers these qualities at a relatively accessible price.

If you regularly spend $50, $60 or considerably more on quality Chardonnay, this is a brilliant opportunity to explore something different.

One of the Great Italian Food Wines

Soave Classico is one of the most versatile white wines at the dinner table.

The combination of fresh acidity, beautiful texture and subtle savoury complexity makes it an excellent partner for a wide range of dishes.

It is particularly well suited to seafood.

Think grilled prawns, scallops, calamari, white fish and delicate shellfish dishes.

The wine's orchard-fruit characters and refreshing acidity also work beautifully with roast chicken, lightly creamy pasta and vegetable risotto.

Traditional northern Italian cuisine provides countless natural pairings.

A simple seafood linguine, asparagus risotto or grilled fish with lemon and olive oil would be absolutely magnificent.

The subtle almond and herbal notes also make Montesei a lovely partner for mild cheeses and antipasti.

And of course, it is delicious simply enjoyed as an aperitif.

This is a white wine that is just as comfortable at a long Sunday lunch as it is accompanying a beautifully prepared dinner.

Why We Love This Wine at Liquid Vibe

At Liquid Vibe, we have enormous admiration for the extraordinary diversity of Italian white wine.

Italy possesses some of the world's most fascinating indigenous grape varieties, yet many remain surprisingly underappreciated in Australia.

Garganega is one of the finest examples.

For far too long, Soave was associated primarily with inexpensive, uncomplicated white wine.

But the finest producers working in the historic Classico vineyards are demonstrating just how extraordinary this region can be.

And Le Battistelle is one of the estates that deserves serious attention.

The 2024 Montesei Soave Classico has everything we love in a great-value Italian white.

Predominantly 70–90-year-old vines.

Steep, volcanic hillside vineyards.

Traditional hand-harvesting.

Beautiful fruit purity, wonderful texture and refreshing mineral complexity.

And an outstanding 93-point rating from JamesSuckling.com.

All for just $40 a bottle.

There are plenty of white wines at considerably higher prices that cannot offer this combination of vineyard heritage, individuality and sheer drinking pleasure.

If you love great Chablis, beautifully textured Chardonnay or serious Italian white wines, this is one you really should try.

93 Points James Suckling. 70–90-Year-Old Vines. Ancient Volcanic Soils. Just $40.

The 2024 Le Battistelle Montesei Soave Classico is an outstanding example of just how much quality and character can be found in the great white wines of Italy.

Wine Details

• Producer: Le Battistelle

• Wine: Montesei Soave DOC Classico

• Vintage: 2024

• Region: Soave Classico, Veneto, Italy

• Variety: 100% Garganega

• Vine Age: Predominantly 70–90 years

• Vineyards: Small, steep, south-facing hillside parcels

• Soils: Volcanic rock, clay and silt

• Viticulture: Traditional pergola-trained vines, hand-harvested

• Fermentation: Temperature-controlled stainless steel, approximately 15 days

• Maturation: Four months on fine lees in stainless steel

• Alcohol: 12.5%

• Style: Dry, fresh, textured and mineral-driven Italian white

• Critic Rating: 93 Points – JamesSuckling.com

• RRP: $40 per bottle

• Food Pairing: Seafood, grilled fish, roast chicken, risotto, antipasti and mild cheeses

• Serving Temperature: 10–12°C