# Pieve Vecchia (2021)

- **Producer:** Fasoli Gino
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Garganega
- **Region:** Veneto, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 15.0%
- **Average price:** €25
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** peach, apricot, pear, lemon, lime, blossom, fennel, toast, butter, vanilla, smoke, honey, almond, hazelnut

## About this wine

Fasoli Gino, established in 1925 in Colognola ai Colli near Verona, is a pioneering organic and biodynamic estate in the Veneto region. Pieve Vecchia represents a bold departure from traditional regional styles. The winery intentionally declassified this 100% Garganega wine from the Soave DOC to a Bianco Veronese IGT. This strategic move allowed them to bypass restrictive local regulations and craft a richer, late-harvest, oak-matured white wine of immense structure and complexity. The whimsical label features a goose wearing a tailored suit, symbolizing the perfect marriage of rustic, wild nature and sophisticated, hand-crafted elegance.

## Interesting facts

- The grapes are harvested in three separate passes over a month to balance acidity, varietal character, and late-harvest concentration.
- Fasoli Gino declassified this wine from Soave DOC to IGT to bypass restrictive rules and create a richer, oak-aged style.
- The label features a goose in a tailored suit, symbolizing the marriage of rustic nature and hand-crafted elegance.

## Food pairing

This full-bodied, high-alcohol white wine requires rich, structured dishes to match its weight. Its vibrant natural acidity cuts beautifully through fat, while the oak-matured complexity and lees contact pair exceptionally well with roasted poultry, veal, and dishes featuring butter, cream, or saffron.

## Wine making process

The exceptional depth of Pieve Vecchia is achieved through a meticulous 'three-pass' manual harvest spanning over a month. The first pass in early September captures high natural acidity and fresh green fruit. The second pass in late September secures physiological ripeness and classic varietal character. The final pass in early October selects late-harvested, highly concentrated grapes. Fermentation begins in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks using indigenous yeasts before being transferred to French oak tonneaux to finish. The wine then ages on its fine lees for 12 to 15 months in these tonneaux, followed by a minimum of 6 months of bottle refinement before release.