The first settlements were from Roman times along the Postumia road.
The ancient village, however, was founded in the Lombard period by a tribe of Swabians from which the name “Suaves”, “Suevi” which later became “Soavi” and finally Soave, derives from the year 568.
Scaligero Castle of Soave is a typical military artifact of the Middle Ages and represents one of the best examples of a fortified structure in the Veneto.
The structure rises with a high central tower (“mastio”), around which the turns of the walls that separate four courtyards gradually develop.
The origins of this monumental fortified work probably date back to the early 10th century, at the time of the invasions of the Hungarians, thanks to the initiative of Berengario I, King of Italy. In 1271 there was the conquest by Mastino I della Scala, Lord of Verona.
On April 19th 1338, Rolando de’ Rossi da Parma, general of the Florentine troops allied with the Venetians, managed to take possession of the fortress for a short time.
The Castle, due to its strategic position, grew in importance under the domination of the Scaligeri: Cansignorio restored it in 1369 and strengthened it in 1375with the construction of the great walls that surround it.
With the fall of the Scaligera Lordship in 1387, the Soave Castle passed into the possession of Gian Galeazzo Visconti, lord of Milan. In 1404 the lords of Padua took over the dominion of the castle until they were defeated by the Republic of Venice in 1405.
In the year 1696 the Castle, with the annexed lands, passed into the property of the Noble Francesco Gritti, whose family had rented it for many years. From that moment the Soave Castle became a private domain structure.
The Soave area is the largest vineyard in Europe by extension, with its 6.600 hectares located in the hilly arc in the eastern part of the Province of Verona and was the first DOC recognized in Italy in 1936 and, in recent years, it has obtained two denominations of controlled and guaranteed origin, highest quality certifications under the oenological profile: Recioto di Soave DOCG and Soave Superiore DOCG.
The oldest production area, which is located on the hills of the municipalities of Monteforte d’Alpone and Soave, was delimited since 1931 and coincides with that ofthe classic method Soave.
Soave is a very versatile white wine in combinations from appetizers, first courses, fish dishes or white meats. The simpler and lighter versions are excellent both as an aperitif and to accompany light appetizers or first courses based on fish orvegetables.
The more structured versions such as the Soave Superiore DOCG, also go well with white meats or fish in more spicy preparations. Riserva method, on the other hand, goes best with baked white meats but also with medium-aged cheeses.
