There was a time – a long time ago – when the two most famous white wines in Europe were Chablis from northern France and Soave from Verona. Much has happened to northern Italy since that eighteenth century heyday, but today Soave’s wineries are making an effort to reclaim that noble heritage. Soave has always been at its best when it is grown on steep, rocky vineyards in the Classico zone, and when it is made entirely from the indigenous Garganega grape. Gelmino and Christina Del Bosco farm the Battistelle vineyard on one of the newly designated crus: Castellare. As the front label describes, the vineyard is steep, with pergola trained vines supported by stone terraces – terrain where tractors fear to tread. Once harvested, Battistelle’s grapes are aged in steel tanks for six months, constantly stirred to give the wine richer aromas of lemon curd, white pepper, sage and rosemary and salt. The lees stirring also gives the finished product a full and creamy body, with ripe orange and peach fruit, zesty acidity,  and the mineral impression of big flaky salt crystals. Serve in place of Chablis with roast chicken, cheesy pasta or creamy risotto.