If you like this, try…

Wines like Soave

Garganega from volcanic hills near Verona: subtle, almond-scented and far better than its bulk-wine reputation. Below: what to try next, grouped by the direction you want to travel.

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What do you like about Soave?

Optional — the results below already work without it. But “I like Malbec” is at least four different preferences wearing one name, and saying which one you mean changes the answer substantially. Only qualities this wine actually has are offered.

I like…

That it is properly dry

But it’s a bit…

too sharp or lemony too light or thin too alcoholic or warming too floral or soapy too savoury or funky too austere

Clear all

What these words mean

The citrus and orchard fruit: Lemon, lime, green apple, pear. The signature of a cool-climate white — quieter and less perfumed than tropical fruit, and a different thing from the acidity it usually travels with.
How light it is: A wine you can drink without it feeling like a commitment. Usually lower in alcohol as well as lighter in the mouth.
That it is not too strong: Alcohol you notice as warmth at the back of the throat. Some people find it a pleasant part of a big red and some find it tiring.
The floral character: Rose, violet, elderflower, orange blossom.
The savoury, meaty side: Leather, olive, cured meat, dried herbs, tobacco. It is what people mean by calling a wine "serious" rather than "fruity", and it comes with age as well as with place.
That it is properly dry: No perceptible sugar at all. Almost all red wine is dry and a good deal of white wine is not, which is why this is a more useful thing to say about a white than about a red.

Looking for something moving away from too alcoholic or warming, too savoury or funky, too floral or soapy and too light or thin.

Based on what you said

Ranked against the qualities you named rather than against the wine as a whole. The directions below are refined the same way.

Wachau Grüner Veltliner

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Substantially less alcoholic or warming.
Substantially less savoury or funky.
Substantially less floral or soapy.
Substantially less light or thin.

Soave Classico

curated

The hillside heart of the same appellation.

Substantially less alcoholic or warming.
More savoury or funky, not less.
Substantially less floral or soapy.
Substantially less light or thin.

Malvasia

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Substantially less alcoholic or warming.
Substantially less savoury or funky.
Substantially less floral or soapy.
Substantially less light or thin.

Pošip

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Substantially less alcoholic or warming.
Substantially less savoury or funky.
Substantially less floral or soapy.
Substantially less light or thin.

Antão Vaz

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Substantially less alcoholic or warming.
Substantially less savoury or funky.
Substantially less floral or soapy.
Substantially less light or thin.

Pedro Ximénez

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Substantially less alcoholic or warming.
A little less savoury or funky.
Substantially less floral or soapy.
Substantially less light or thin.

Chilean Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Substantially less alcoholic or warming.
About as savoury or funky as the wine you started from.
Substantially less floral or soapy.
Substantially less light or thin.

Petit Manseng

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Substantially less alcoholic or warming.
Substantially less savoury or funky.
Substantially less floral or soapy.
Substantially less light or thin.

Closest overall

Nearest neighbours, no change of direction.

Closest matches

The nearest overall neighbours across structure and flavour, with no deliberate change of direction.

Wachau Grüner Veltliner

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Soave Classico

curated

The hillside heart of the same appellation.

Expect: More concentration, texture and mineral depth.

Malvasia

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Pošip

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Different grape, similar feel

Deliberately excludes the variety you already know, to find a genuinely new wine that fills the same role.

Wachau Grüner Veltliner

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Malvasia

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Pošip

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Antão Vaz

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Change the structure

Same idea, different weight, grip or freshness.

Similar but lighter

Keeps the character but reduces weight, alcohol and density in the mouth.

Pinot Grigio

curated

Both are light, dry, unobtrusive northern Italian whites.

Expect: Blander and less almond-scented.

Cortese

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and lighter in alcohol.

English still white

Both are made from chardonnay, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and lighter in alcohol.

Roditis

Roditis scores closest to Soave across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and lighter in alcohol.

Similar but lower in alcohol

Holds the character and the weight where it can, and moves specifically on strength. Note that below about 11% the choices narrow sharply, and below 5% they are mostly a different category rather than a lighter version of the same one.

Colombard

Colombard scores closest to Soave across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter in alcohol, and lighter.

Alpine white

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter in alcohol, and lighter.

Spätlese

Spätlese scores closest to Soave across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter in alcohol, and lighter.

Riesling

Riesling scores closest to Soave across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter in alcohol, and lighter.

Similar but fuller

Keeps the character but adds weight, concentration and mouthfeel.

Pedro Ximénez

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and less floral.

Soave Classico

curated

The hillside heart of the same appellation.

Expect: More concentration, texture and mineral depth.

Wachau Grüner Veltliner

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Malvasia

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Similar but less tannic

For readers who find firm reds drying. Reduces tannic grip while holding flavour and weight roughly steady.

Nothing in WineHQ's catalogue makes this move meaningfully from here. These are the closest wines otherwise, but do not expect them to deliver what you asked for — the honest answer is that this style does not have a good neighbour in that direction.

Wachau Grüner Veltliner

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Pošip

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Antão Vaz

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Pedro Ximénez

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and less floral.

Similar but more structured

More tannic architecture, for food or for ageing.

Malvasia

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Kisi

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and lighter.

Friuli white

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and lighter.

Albana

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Similar but fresher

Raises acidity and overall lift, usually by moving to a cooler-climate expression.

Petit Manseng

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Gros Manseng

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Petite Arvine

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Greco di Tufo

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and lighter.

Similar but softer

Lowers acidity and sharpness in favour of a broader, gentler feel.

Malvasia

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Pošip

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Antão Vaz

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Pedro Ximénez

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and less floral.

The sparkling version

Moves to a sparkling expression while holding the flavour and weight as close as possible.

Austrian Sekt

Both are made from chardonnay.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and lighter in alcohol.

Sekt

Both are made from chardonnay.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and lighter in alcohol.

Crémant

Both are made from chardonnay.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and lighter in alcohol.

Franciacorta

Both are made from chardonnay, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more savoury.

Similar but sweeter

Adds perceptible sweetness, which also softens acidity and chilli heat.

Recioto della Valpolicella

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and less floral.

Malvasia

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Petit Manseng

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Pedro Ximénez

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and more savoury.

Change the flavour

Same shape, different aromatic character.

Similar but less oaky

One of the commonest requests in wine. Strips oak influence while holding grape character and weight.

Wachau Grüner Veltliner

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Malvasia

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Antão Vaz

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Pedro Ximénez

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and less floral.

Similar but more oaky

Adds barrel character, toast and a creamier texture.

California Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more savoury.

Chilean Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more savoury.

Australian Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and lighter.

New Zealand Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and lighter.

Similar but more aromatic

More to smell before you taste — floral, fruity or spiced aromatics.

Condrieu

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more floral, and fruitier.

Viognier

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more floral, and fruitier.

Muscat of Alexandria

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more floral, and lighter.

Alsace Pinot Gris

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more floral.

Similar but more restrained

For readers who find intensely aromatic wines tiring over a whole glass. Keeps the structure, turns the volume down.

Pinot Blanc

Pinot Blanc scores closest to Soave across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and lighter in alcohol.

Pinot Grigio

curated

Both are light, dry, unobtrusive northern Italian whites.

Expect: Blander and less almond-scented.

Trebbiano d’Abruzzo

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Vernaccia di San Gimignano

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Similar but more floral

Pushes specifically towards rose, violet, blossom and elderflower character.

Condrieu

Condrieu scores closest to Soave across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more floral, and fruitier.

Viognier

Viognier scores closest to Soave across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more floral, and fruitier.

Malagousia

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more floral, and lighter.

Muscat of Alexandria

Muscat of Alexandria scores closest to Soave across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more floral, and lighter.

Similar but less floral

Some drinkers read floral aromatics as soapy or perfumed. This holds the structure and removes them.

Wachau Grüner Veltliner

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be less floral, and lighter.

Malvasia

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be less floral, and lighter.

Pošip

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be less floral, and lighter.

Antão Vaz

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be less floral, and lighter.

Similar but more savoury

Moves away from primary fruit towards earth, herb, meat and umami character.

Savennières

Savennières scores closest to Soave across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and lighter.

Friuli white

Both are made from chardonnay, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and lighter.

White Burgundy

Both are made from chardonnay.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and lighter.

Greco di Tufo

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and lighter.

Similar but fruitier

More obvious, generous fruit flavour, usually from a warmer climate.

Wachau Grüner Veltliner

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Malvasia

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Pošip

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Antão Vaz

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Change the place

Keep the grape, move it somewhere else.

Same grape, somewhere else

Holds the variety constant and changes the place, which is often a bigger change than swapping the grape.

Chilean Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more savoury.

California Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more savoury.

Australian Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and lighter.

New Zealand Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and lighter.

Same grape, cooler climate

Typically fresher, lighter and more herbal, with lower alcohol.

English still white

Both are made from chardonnay, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and lighter in alcohol.

Chablis

Both are made from chardonnay, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more savoury.

Jura Savagnin and Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more savoury.

Chilean Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more savoury.

Same grape, warmer climate

Typically riper, fuller and more generous in fruit, with higher alcohol.

California Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more savoury.

Chilean Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more savoury.

Soave Classico

curated

The hillside heart of the same appellation.

Expect: More concentration, texture and mineral depth.

Australian Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more savoury.

Change the mood

Safer, stranger, cheaper or more serious.

A safe next step

Well-known wines that are widely available and unlikely to surprise anyone.

California Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more savoury.

Australian Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and lighter.

Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and lighter in alcohol.

White Burgundy

Both are made from chardonnay.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and lighter.

Something more adventurous

Less familiar wines that occupy similar territory — the interesting end of the shelf.

Wachau Grüner Veltliner

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Malvasia

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Pošip

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Antão Vaz

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

A better-value alternative

Wines that occupy similar sensory territory from regions carrying less price premium. WineHQ does not hold live prices, so this reasons from regional reputation and demand rather than from a price feed — treat it as a lead, not a quote.

Wachau Grüner Veltliner

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Malvasia

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Pošip

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

Antão Vaz

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less floral.

A step up

The benchmark expressions of the same territory, usually with more concentration, structure and ageing potential.

Australian Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and lighter.

California Chardonnay

Both are made from chardonnay, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and more savoury.

White Burgundy

Both are made from chardonnay.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and lighter.

South African Chenin Blanc

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and lighter.

How these are chosen

Each suggestion is scored across sixteen taste dimensions, weighted so that structure matters more than flavour, and adjusted for whether the wine actually moves in the direction you asked for. Curated links from an editor carry extra weight — but only when the editor tagged them for this direction. Nothing here is a black box; see the taste model for the full method.