Inama

The Inama story begins not with a grand founding date but with a series of careful investments. In the 1950s and into the 1960s, Giuseppe Inama began using his savings to purchase small plots of vineyards in the center of the Soave Classico region, at a time when few recognized the quality potential of the original hillside zone. His prescience in securing sites on Monte Foscarino, Soave's most prized volcanic hill, laid the foundation for the estate. Stefano Inama, Giuseppe's son, entered the company in 1991. The first bottles released were the Vulcaia Sauvignon and Vulcaia Fumé, Sauvignon Blancs grown on volcanic soil chosen to demonstrate the territory's quality before turning attention to Garganega. The first Vigneti di Foscarino Soave Classico Superiore followed in 1992. Red wine production in Colli Berici began in 1996, with the first wine, Bradisismo, released in 1997. From 2009 onward, the third generation, brothers Matteo, Alessio, and Luca, began taking active roles, with Matteo overseeing production and the commercial side after studying at Bocconi University and working in the UK wine trade.

• Giuseppe Inama purchased Soave Classico plots through the 1950s and 1960s, concentrating holdings on Monte Foscarino before commercial winemaking began
• Stefano entered the estate in 1991; first wines were Vulcaia Sauvignon and Vulcaia Fumé, Soave-grown Sauvignon Blancs intended to showcase the volcanic terroir
• Debut Vigneti di Foscarino vintage was 1992, establishing Inama as a pioneer of single-vineyard Soave nearly 30 years before the appellation officially recognized UGAs in 2020
• Third-generation brothers Matteo, Alessio, and Luca joined from 2009 onward and continue refining the family's philosophy of terroir-first winemaking

By the 1980s and 1990s, Soave's global reputation had been largely hollowed out by expansion onto flat alluvial plains, rising yields, and the widespread use of neutral grape varieties. Inama's position was a direct counterargument: that the original volcanic hillsides of the Classico zone could produce white wines of genuine complexity and aging potential. By bottling single-vineyard Garganega from Monte Foscarino as early as 1992, Inama demonstrated that Soave Classico could compete with other serious European whites on the world stage. That decision preceded the Soave Consorzio's official recognition of 33 UGAs (unità geografiche aggiuntive) by nearly three decades. Inama also helped form the Vignaioli del Soave, part of FIVI, the federation of independent Italian winemakers committed to authentic viticulture. The estate's influence on how critics, sommeliers, and consumers perceive Soave Classico is difficult to overstate.

• Stefano Inama's commitment to volcanic hillside viticulture challenged the commodity Soave model built on flat plains and high yields
• First Vigneti di Foscarino bottling (1992) predated official UGA cru recognition by 28 years, establishing Foscarino as a landmark single-vineyard site
• Inama helped found Vignaioli del Soave within FIVI, Italy's federation of independent winemakers committed to authentic, estate-grown wine
• International critical recognition, with Foscarino consistently scoring 93–96 points, has positioned Soave Classico as a serious fine-wine appellation

The Soave Classico estate covers 30 hectares concentrated on Monte Foscarino, where pure basaltic lava soils, the only area with these particular volcanic characteristics in Northern Italy, produce small, thick-skinned Garganega grapes with pronounced mineral character. The Foscarino cru itself encompasses 23 hectares of terraced, pergola-trained old vines with exposures ranging from southeast to north. Because of the intensity of the wind on Foscarino, the grapes are smaller and thicker-skinned than those grown on valley sites. Harvest is done by hand with each plot picked two or three times, followed by further sorting at a table in the winery. For the flagship Foscarino wine, spontaneous fermentation takes place with half the juice in used barriques, 20 percent in 35-hectoliter casks, and 30 percent in stainless steel; lees are stirred and the wines go through natural malolactic conversion. Inama farms organically, though the estate deliberately omits organic certification language from labeling, letting the farming speak through the wine.

• Soave Classico estate: 30 hectares on Monte Foscarino, described as the only area of pure basaltic lava volcanic soil in Northern Italy
• Foscarino cru: 23 hectares of terraced, pergola-trained old Garganega vines; wind exposure produces smaller, thicker-skinned grapes with intense minerality
• Foscarino winemaking: spontaneous fermentation split 50% used barriques, 20% 35-hl casks, 30% stainless steel; natural malolactic conversion; lees stirring for texture
• Inama farms organically but omits organic labeling, preferring to let grape quality and terroir expression stand as the public commitment to sustainability

Inama's portfolio spans two separate terroirs and a range of styles. The Vin Soave Classico is the estate's entry-level Garganega, fermented entirely in stainless steel to emphasize freshness, floral character, and everyday approachability. The Vigneti di Foscarino Soave Classico Superiore, first produced in 1992, is the flagship: 100% Garganega from old pergola vines, fermented in a mix of used oak and stainless steel with full lees contact and natural malolactic conversion, typically released around 40,000 bottles per vintage. The Vigneti di Carbonare is a separate single-vineyard bottling from a distinct parcel in the Classico zone. The I Palchi Foscarino Grande Cuvée sits at the top of the white wine range as a selection from the estate's finest micro-parcels. In Colli Berici, roughly 30 hectares of Carmenère, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon are farmed on volcanic and limestone soils. The Carmenère Più is the accessible entry into the red range, while Oratorio di San Lorenzo is the Colli Berici Carmenère Riserva, the first wine to carry the DOC Colli Berici Carmenère Riserva designation when Inama launched it in 2009. The Bradisismo, first produced in 1997, is a Cabernet-led Colli Berici blend.

• Vin Soave Classico: 100% Garganega, stainless-steel fermentation, entry-level expression of volcanic freshness and floral aromatics; priced around $16
• Vigneti di Foscarino Soave Classico Superiore: 100% old-vine Garganega from 23 ha on Monte Foscarino; partial barrique fermentation; approximately 40,000 bottles; flagship wine since 1992
• Oratorio di San Lorenzo Colli Berici Carmenère Riserva: launched 2009 as the inaugural bottling of the new DOC Colli Berici Carmenère Riserva designation; 100% Carmenère aged in barriques
• Bradisismo: first Colli Berici red (1997 debut), a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend; Carminium is the more accessible 100% Carmenère entry point from Colli Berici

Inama's Vigneti di Foscarino has accumulated a strong track record with major critics across multiple vintages. The 2019 received 96 points from James Suckling; the 2021 received 94 points from Wine Enthusiast and 93 from James Suckling; the 2020 received 95 points from James Suckling. Across vintages, scores from Falstaff, Vinous, and Decanter regularly fall in the 92 to 94 point range, reflecting consistent quality rather than one-vintage outliers. The Oratorio di San Lorenzo Carmenère Riserva has also received scores in the 92 to 94 point range from James Suckling and Falstaff. Inama is imported exclusively to the United States by Dalla Terra Winery Direct, a distribution model that keeps prices competitive by removing one tier of the traditional wholesale chain. The estate's peers in the Soave Classico quality vanguard include Pieropan, Prà, Gini, and Suavia.

• Vigneti di Foscarino scores: 96 pts James Suckling (2019), 95 pts James Suckling (2020), 94 pts Wine Enthusiast and 93 pts James Suckling (2021)
• Oratorio di San Lorenzo Carmenère Riserva regularly scores 92–94 pts from major critics including James Suckling and Falstaff
• Imported to the US exclusively by Dalla Terra Winery Direct, a model that eliminates a tier of markup and keeps prices accessible relative to quality
• Inama is consistently grouped with Pieropan, Prà, Gini, and Suavia as the leading quality estates of Soave Classico

Inama's Garganega whites are built for the table. Young Vin Soave, with its bright acidity and floral freshness, works effortlessly with raw shellfish, grilled fish, salads, and light risottos. The Vigneti di Foscarino has the structure to age gracefully, with Jancis Robinson noting that well-stored bottles can be enjoyed back as far as 10 years, while Matteo Inama himself cites vitello tonnato as his favorite pairing. With age, the wine develops secondary notes of roasted almond, chamomile, and honey that reward more substantial pairings such as baccalà alla vicentina, aged cheeses, and preparations rich in umami. The Colli Berici reds, particularly Oratorio di San Lorenzo, suit grilled meats, roast pork, and aged hard cheeses. Across the range, the estate's philosophy of minimal intervention and natural acidity preservation gives the wines a versatility at the table that reflects their volcanic terroir origins.

• Young Vin Soave (1–3 years): oysters, clams, grilled branzino, omelette with asparagus, and light vegetable preparations
• Vigneti di Foscarino (3–10 years): vitello tonnato (Matteo Inama's own pairing), baccalà alla vicentina, risotto ai funghi, aged Monte Veronese cheese
• Mature Foscarino develops roasted almond, chamomile, and honey notes that complement richer seafood and poultry preparations
• Oratorio di San Lorenzo Carmenère Riserva: grilled red meats, roast pork, cold cuts, and aged hard cheese boards