Australian Garganega wine regional and flavour profile
WHITE | MEDIUM BODY | FULL BODY
Garganega taste and aromas
Wild flowers, lemon curd and nuts, with hints of honeydew melon, and pear.
Garganega mouthfeel
Medium-full, with a dry, clean finish and medium acidity
Garganega cellaring potential
Depending on the region, Garganega has the potential to improve with bottle age for more than a decade, particularly if from the Recioto region in Italy.
Facts about Garganega
- Garganega is a variety of white Italian wine grape widely grown in the Veneto region of North East Italy, particularly in the provinces of Verona and Vicenza, and is Italy’s 6th most widely planted white grape.
- Garganega has the arguably unfortunate accolade of being one of the most underrated white grapes in the world. Light, crisp and refreshing examples can be found throughout Italy, but it’s at its most exciting in Soave. Here, it produces anything from 70-100% of the blend, the remainder tending to be Trebbiano and/or Chardonnay.
Australian regions that produce Garganega
Garganega is an incredibly rare varietal wine, and rarely seen in Australia. It can be found in Barossa Valley in small quantities.
Outside of Australia, the Garganega grape variety is one of Italy’s most planted grapes and comes from the Veneto region, which is a province of Verona. In addition to Soave, Garganega is also widely grown in the Gambellara, Bianco di Custoza, Colli Berici and Colli Euganei DOCs. Outside of the Veneto, there are some plantings in the Umbria and Friuli wine regions.
What food to pair with Garganega
Garganega is often lightly oaked and has a thick texture. Garganega is excellent as an aperitif (a drink served before a meal to stimulate the appetite), and it is also a great pairing with Asian cuisine, curry, soups, pasta, poultry and light antipasti. Garganega is also nicely matched with seafood such as crab, oysters, sea bass due to its almond flavours and vibrant fruit qualities, and the richer versions of Garganega can handle pasta with cream sauce.