The Mainente family are exactly the sort of producers that I'm always on the look out for - small scale, passionate about what they do ("we love making Soave!" Davide M. tells me) and focused - there's no tinkering about with lots of different cuvées and colours, they just make white, and the results are mouth-wateringly good.

They have been making Soave for over 50 years now and with the two sons now helping the father, the winery has gone from strength to strength. Forget about the mass-produced, co-op Soave you see in the supermarket, top Soave is up there with the finest white wines in Italy, and this, along with their other dry white, the Netrroir, is an outstanding example.

The Tovo al Pigno is unoaked, fresh and delicate with citrus and floral notes. It is perfectly balanced and at just 12.5% abv, an excellent summer white.

Offered: June 2017

Price was: £12.95

Alcohol: 12.5%

Vintage report: A very good vintage over all. A wet spring did affect yields but excellent weather throughout the growing season (not too hot and the odd refreshing patch of rain) meant quality was very fine indeed. Generally thought to be slightly better than 2015 but with lower yields.

Drinking window: 2017 - 2020

Food matching: Excellent as an aperitif but would also be a great match for lighter fish and white meat dishes.