Alpine Mountain Honey: K2’s Italian Wine Primer, Part 2

Getting back to the good stuff…

Italy is a fairly complicated wine country when you first look at it.  And then you start to study the landscape, all the grape varieties used, the different wine rules, D.O.C., D.O.C.G., I.G.P. – you get the idea, it’s a dense thicket of information.  Yet when you break it down, it’s relatively simple.  Like take for example the Tre Venezie, and particularly, the Trentino-Alto Adige part of Italy.  Running along both the borders of Switzerland and Austria along the Alps, this northern Italian region is perched atop the northern tip of Lake Garda, and the rivers Adige and Isarco coarse through it.

Here in the Trentino-Alto Adige, white wine is king, with grape varieties like Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco and Gewurtztraminer dominating the region, though red grapes such as Pinot Noir, Lagrein, Schiava (also known as Vernatsch) and Cabernet Sauvignon also exist.  There are heavy influences viticulturally and culturally from German and Austrian populations, as many of the wineries bear Germanic names.

This is obviously a cooler climate, more continental influences where the whites develop evenly, showing off much in the way of mineral characteristics and orchard fruit, while the reds can be leaner, meaner with high acid and bright, almost steely red fruits.

Some of my favorite producers in the region are Elena Walch (my first introduction to the region twentysome years ago, by Elena Walch herself), Abbazia di Novacella and Cantina Terlan.

Take a look at a few of these wines, or ask us here at Jungle Jim’s to show you some great wines from the Trentino-Alto Adige:

Elena Walch Schiava 2015, $15.99.  Also known as Trollinger or Vernatsch, this lighter-bodied red is a bit of a surprise.  Great for Pinot Noir fans, there is a lot of dusty, earth red cherry and berry fruit aromas and flavors, hints of notes of tea leaves and hibiscus nuances.

Abbazia di Novacella Kerner 2015, $19.99.  The result of crossing the Trollinger grape with Riesling, this crisp and steely white wine is buoyed by key lime, mint, green apple and pear notes.  

Abbazia di Novacella Lagrein 2013, $21.99.  Tannic and intense with deep purple colors and notes of black cherry, soy sauce, coffee and Baker’s chocolate.  A cool alternative to Cabernet Sauvignon.
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Terlan Pinot Grigio 2014, $19.99.  If I were to recommend you a Pinot Grigio, I would have you bypass the Santa Margherita and go for this.  Crisp, lively, with white peach, pink grapefruit and hints of blanched almond and apple skin.

Next time, I’ll delve into the last part of the Tre Venezie – the Friuli.  And as always, come see our friendly faces anytime at either location soon.  Cheers!