SommSelect Blind Six
WSET Tasting Note
This wine is a pale lemon. The nose has medium intensity aromas of white blossom, yellow apple, lemon peel, and melon rind, along with a wet stone minerality and a hint of lees. The wine is dry with medium acidity, medium alcohol, and a medium body. The flavors are medium and reflect the aromas - florals, yellow apple, lemon peel, melon rind, wet stone, lees. The finish is medium. This is a good quality wine that is ready to drink now and is not suitable for aging.
Producer
Erste + Neue was established in 1986 and is a merger of two former wineries that have been around since the early 1900s. Since 2016 they have aligned their winemaking practices with the Cantina Kaltern, a historic and principal co-operative in the Alto Adige DOC. Erste + Neue still harvest all grapes by hand, and they ferment and store wines in stainless steel tanks to preserve fresh fruit aromas while allowing long contact time with fine yeasts to develop a more nuanced product.
Region
Alto Adige is a wine region that lies in Northern Italy at the foothills of the Alps. The climate is continental, but the mountains to the north protect from colds winds, plus warm air currents in the valleys coupled with 300+ days of sunshine and a large diurnal temperature shift create great conditions for ripening grapes while retaining acidity. There is a great variety of soil in the area, and most vineyards are planted on the lower slopes of hills. You will typically find single-varietal wines from this region, with 60% of production being white wine.
Varietal
Pinot Grigio is the second most popular varietal in Alto Adige, and high demand for the wine has led to an increase in plantings. While mass-produced Pinot Grigio can be simplistic and inexpensive, Pinot Grigio from Alto Adige can be particularly aromatic with brighter acidity and a hint more alcohol. Look for Pinot Grigio from Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trentino-Alto Adige in N. Italy.