2019 Coffele Le Sponde Recioto di Soave DOCG 500mL

The 2019 Coffele Le Sponde Recioto di Soave DOCG is a sweet wine made from late-harvest Garganega grapes grown in the volcanic soils of Soave Classico, air-dried for months to concentrate sugars and acid before fermentation. Coffele, a family estate farming organically in the hills east of Verona, treats Recioto as seriously as their dry Soave — this is appassimento done with restraint, not syrup. The 500mL format signals intent: this is a wine to pour by the glass over weeks, not finish in one sitting. The Coffele family has farmed the same parcels in the Soave Classico zone since the 1970s, working volcanic basalt and limestone slopes that give Garganega its signature almond and citrus spine. For Le Sponde, they harvest ripe clusters in October, then lay the fruit on bamboo mats in a ventilated loft until January, losing water and gaining concentration. Fermentation is slow and partial — natural yeasts work through residual sugar until the wine reaches balance, then it rests in neutral oak to integrate. The result is a Recioto with clarity, not cloying sweetness, thanks to the high-acid structure Garganega retains even when dried. Expect intense dried apricot and peach on the nose, layered with almond biscuit and toasted hazelnut. The palate is full and dense with treacle-tart richness, but bright citrusy acidity keeps everything in focus — no heavy finish, just a long, persistent close with a faintly salty aftertaste. Pair it with blue cheese, panna cotta, or almond tart, or pour a glass with nothing at all after dinner. This is a wine to sip slowly, ideally over the course of a month once opened, as the half-bottle and the wine's natural preservation mean it holds well in the fridge. Available for pickup at our Lincoln Park bottle shop at 1128 W Armitage Ave, local Chicago delivery, or nationwide shipping.