Vitis Nostra Soave 2017 Soave DOC, Veneto, Italy 75cl

Vitis Nostra is a Soave from the Veneto in north-east Italy, made in the crowd-pleasing, food-friendly style that has kept Soave a fixture on Italian tables for generations. It is a straightforward, well-priced white built around freshness and easy drinking rather than ambition.

The blend is led by Garganega, Soave’s defining grape, with Trebbiano di Soave filling in the frame. Garganega brings the citrus, almond and gently floral character that gives good Soave its identity, while the Trebbiano keeps the wine soft, approachable and quick to charm. Made unoaked, it is all about crisp, clean fruit and immediate appeal.

The 2017 is a mature example of an early-drinking style, so it is best enjoyed now while its freshness still holds. This is a wine to pour and enjoy rather than to keep, and it does exactly what a good, honest Soave should without any fuss.

Expect a light, crisp palate with lemon, green apple and pear, that classic blanched-almond note on the finish and a clean, refreshing feel throughout. Serve it well chilled, at around eight degrees, as an aperitif or alongside antipasti, risotto, grilled fish, light chicken dishes and simpler pasta.

Soave is one of Italy’s most reliable and best-known everyday whites, and this is a tidy, wallet-friendly example of the type. If you reach for Pinot Grigio out of habit, a Soave like this offers a little more character and texture for the same easy, undemanding appeal, and it remains one of the friendliest introductions to the whites of the Veneto.