2024 Tenuta Santa Maria di Gaetano Bertani 'Lepia' Soave DOC

Tenuta Santa Maria is the Bertani family's own estate, run today by Gaetano Bertani and his sons after they split from the larger commercial Bertani company in 2011, retaining several of the family's most historic vineyard sites. Lepia comes entirely from the family's namesake vineyard at the Tenuta di Colognola ai Colli, a site with roots going back to Roman-era grape growing, planted around a 15th-century farmhouse on layered soils of clay, stone, and sand. The wine is 100% Garganega, sourced from roughly six hectares of the estate's oldest vines, now over 60 years of age, farmed at low yield and high density. In a distinctive touch, the fruit is picked across three separate harvest passes: an early pick to preserve bright acidity, a mid-season pick for optimal ripeness, and a later pass to add richness and weight, before brief pre-fermentation skin contact, stainless steel vinification, and three months of aging on the fine lees. The result is a wine that channels old-vine Garganega's natural richness and complexity while staying fresh and lifted. Expect a pale to intense straw-yellow color, with aromas of white stone fruit, peach skin, almond, and white flowers, often with a subtle smoky or savory edge. The palate is light to medium-bodied, with moderate, refreshing acidity, mineral-driven texture, and a clean, polished finish with a touch of savoriness.