Garganega

Garganega is a white wine grape variety native to the Veneto region of northeastern Italy. It is the principal grape of the Soave and Gambellara wine regions, where it forms the backbone of many wines and contributes noticeably to their character.

The vine is late-ripening and tends to produce wines with high acidity and a light to medium body. In the best sites, especially hillside vineyards in Soave Classico, the grapes can develop a distinctive mineral edge. The grape’s thick skins help preserve acidity, which supports aging potential in well-made wines.

In the glass, young Garganega-based wines often display flavors of pear, green apple, lemon, and almond, with notes of peach or apricot in riper examples. With age, they can develop complexity such as honeyed notes, toasted nuts, and more pronounced mineral character. The grape’s acidity also makes it suitable for a range of styles from dry to off-dry, and it is used in sweeter, late-harvest wines as well.

Winemaking typically emphasizes freshness for dry wines, often with stainless steel fermentation to preserve fruitiness, while some wines see neutral oak. Beyond dry wines, Garganega is used in sweet passito styles, including Recioto di Gambellara and, in some cases, Recioto di Soave, made from dried grapes.

Garganega’s main expression is found in Veneto’s Soave and Gambellara DOC zones, with Soave Classico representing the region’s highest-regarded expressions. The grape’s combination of crisp acidity, aromatic range, and aging potential defines these Veneto white wines.