Alto Adige Wines Südtirol Wein Leaf Through
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Alto Adige Winesleaf throughSüdtirol Wein Pampered by Mediterranean sun, shaped by the Alpine landscape, prepared by experienced winegrowers, and prized by connoisseurs throughout the world: wine from Alto Adige. Published by: EOS – Export Organization Alto Adige of the Chamber of Commerce of Bolzano Alto Adige Wines – www.altoadigewines.com Concept, Graphics, Text: hannomayr.communication - www.hannomayr.com English Translation: Index Philip Isenberg, MM, CT Pictures: Kellerei Kaltern Caldaro/Hertha Hurnaus Manincor/Archiv BILDRAUM 2004 06 Where the North is Suddenly South 09 The Winegrowing Region of Alto Adige 10 Wine Alois Lageder Tramin/Yoshiko Kusano, Florian Andergassen Cantina Terlano/Udo Bernhart History and Culture 15 Wine and Architecture 20 The Land of Great Wines 22 Terroir 24 Topo- Tenuta Kornell Südtirol Marketing/Stefano Scatà EOS–Alto Adige Wines/F. Blickle, C. Zahn, Suedtirolfoto.com graphy and Climate 26 Geology and Soils 28 The Seven Winegrowing Zones 36 Small Area, Large © All photos are protected by copyright. Map: Variety 38 A Multitude of Varieties 40 The White Wines 47 The Red Wines 51 Niche Varieties Department of Cartography, Autonomous Province of Bolzano – Alto Adige Printing: 52 Cuvées 53 Sparkling Wine 54 “We Cultivate Our Own Style” 57 Cultivation 61 Vinification Longo Spa-Plc, Bolzano Note: Alto Adige’s wine industry is in constant flux. Statistics on vineyard areas 65 Organization and Marketing 66 DOC Classification 69 In the Best Company 71 Wine and production quantities refer to the autumn of 2010. © Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. Pairings 72 Wine Events in Alto Adige 76 Glossary 80 Wineries from A-Z 88 Useful Addresses 618/201102/3000 06 07 Where the North is Suddenly South 08 09 A CH The Winegrowing Bolzano I Region of Alto Adige Alto Adige/Südtirol BETwEEN MouNTaiNs aNd CyPrEssEs Italy Alto Adige/Südtirol lies right in the middle: between Austria and Switzer- land on Italian soil. Between Alpine peaks and a Mediterranean landscape. Between the German and Italian linguistic worlds. Between cosmopolitan curiosity and deeply rooted tradition. The allure of Alto Adige lies in its variety and the harmony of opposites. PeRcenTaGe of “ThRee Glass” WInes In RelaTIon Small arEa – larGE VariETy To ToTal VIneyaRd aRea Alto Adige is one of Italy’s smallest winegrowing regions. Yet thanks to its geographical position, it is also one of the most multifaceted. Wine cultivation stretches from the terraced slopes at the foot of high 0.53 Alpine peaks in the north to vineyards in the Mediterranean-like land- scape in the south. Around five thousand winegrowers tend just 5,300 0.45 0.43 hectares (13,100 acres) of grape-growing areas in different climatic zones with variable types of soils and at elevations ranging from 200 0.37 to 1,000 m. (600 to 3,300 ft.) above sea level – a wide variety that brings forth a considerable dense concentration of top wines. This is confirmed by a quick look at the leading Italian wine guide: for years now, Gambero Rosso has awarded Alto Adige the largest number of top 0.16 0.17 scores (“Three Glasses”) in proportion to its total vineyard area. 0.14 0.15 0.15 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.11 0.11 0.08 0.09 alPiNE wiNEs wiTh MEdiTErraNEaN CharM 2006 2007 2008 2009 Behind Alto Adige’s wines lies a great deal of work done by hand by engaged winegrowers committed to the idea of terroir. What emerges here are not flashy trends, but rather authentic wines with original char- Tuscany Piemonte Friuli Venezia Giulia Alto Adige acter. It is especially the minerally fresh and clearly structured white wines which belong to the peak of Italian winegrowing. But Alto Adige‘s The “Three Glasses” distinction is the top score of the prestigious Italian indigenous varieties of Schiava (Vernatsch), Lagrein, and Gewürztra- wine guide Gambero Rosso. miner are also currently experiencing a glittering renaissance. 10 11 Wine History and Culture FirsT “winegrowErs” MorE ThaN ThrEE ThousaNd yEars Ago Archaeological finds of pruning hooks and ladles from the fifth century BC are proof that Alto Adige’s wine culture is among the oldest in Europe. When the Romans ventured into what is now Alto Adige/Südtirol in 15 BC, “In southern Tyrol, the weather they were flabbergasted. The indigenous people here, the Rhaetians, were cleared up, the sun from Italy already storing their wine in wooden vessels, while at the court of Augus- allowed its nearness to be felt, tus Caesar, they were still getting by with leather bags and amphorae. the mountains grew warmer and shinier, I began to see entwined snapShoTs In TIme: around them wine grapes, and rEaChiNG iTs PriME iN ThE MiddlE Ages c. 500 Bc: Archeological finds show that even at this time, I could begin to lean out of the Beginning in the eighth century, Bavarian and Swabian monasteries wine grapes are being grown. coach more often.” acquired wine cellars in Alto Adige in order to cover their own needs. In 1893: The first winery cooperative is founded in the thirteenth century, “Potzner” (from Bozen, or Bolzano) and “Traminer” Andriano. Heinrich Heine, Travel Pictures III, (from Tramin) were the first wines to be named for their origin. At that 1896: The first “Bolzano Wine Tastingf estival” – today, Chapter XIII (1830) time, Alto Adige wine also became the subject for artists and poets, such the fair is still an important event for alto adige as in a fresco in the Bressanone cathedral (40 km./25 miles from Bolzano) wine. or a poem by Oswald von Wolkenstein. 1910: At around 10,000 hectares (25,000 acres), winegrowing in alto adige reaches its Alto Adige’s winegrowing was especially supported under the Habsburg greatest extent (compared with nearly Empire. Riesling and Burgundy grapes moved into the local vineyards. 5,300 hectares/ 13,000 acres today). 1963: A new law regulating the production of wines with the DOC designation of origin contributes GrEaT uPswiNG ThirTy yEars Ago to a renaissance in alto adige winegrowing. Starting around 1980, Alto Adige winegrowing began to experience a 1970: Recognition of the designation of origin “Kalterer sustained upswing. The making of single vineyard wines, the drastic reduc- see/lago di caldaro” tion of yields, and the introduction of modern technologies and methods 1975: Recognition of the designation of origin provided a considerable boost in quality. Today, 98.8 percent of all of the “südtiroler/alto adige” vineyard area in Alto Adige is under DOC protection. In that regard, Alto 2007: Founding of the “consortium of alto adige Wine” Adige stands alone at the peak of all of Italy. 2010: Passing of the new Italian wine laws 12 13 14 15 Wine and Architecture NEw wiNEs, NEw dEsiGN “Alto Adige is home to some of Italy’s most enthralling The development of Alto Adige wine architecture parallels the reori- wines, racy whites and seductive reds exhibiting compelling entation of the winegrowing from simple table wines to exquisite, personalities. This Alpine region is a linguistic and social refined results. In many wineries, the high quality of the wines was melting pot with a character all its own, and the wines matched by a corresponding architectural presence. reflect their cross-cultural home. Being distinctively (and deliciously) individualistic, they invariably confound and surpass expectations.” wiNEriEs wiTh iNdiVidual sTylE Paul lukacs, author, “Great Wines of america”, wine writer, More and more Alto Adige wineries are making new architectural The Washington Times, contributor, Wine Review online statements between historic walls. For example, at the Alois Lageder winery in Margreid, the Vineria Paradeis has come to life as a result of careful restructuring of old barn areas. In these no-frills spaces, classic design and modern art interact with each other. EsTaTE wiNEriEs wiTh CrEaTiVE idEas Alto Adige‘s estate wineries distinguish themselves through their individuality – including in their architecture. In Caldaro, for example, the winery spaces of the Manincor Winery were built beneath the vineyard. Only the tasting room and the sales pavilion are set up above ground – this is where the enjoyment of wine and the art of architecture combine with an unsurpassed view of Lake Caldaro. CooPEraTiVEs wiTh a Bold PrEsENCE Alto Adige’s cooperatives are also increasingly expressing their extraordinary concepts through extraordinary architecture. In Termeno, for example, the Tramin Winery building evokes the framework of branches of leafless grapevines in winter. The unique green steel construction symbolically includes the form of the surrounding vineyard landscape. The Caldaro Winery has erected a striking sales building in the village center. The Caldaro Winecenter, with its glass and bronze-colored façade, is captivating through its minimalist architectural elegance. 16 17 18 19 20 21 The Land of Great Wines 22 23 Terroir MuCh MorE ThaN JusT soil Terroir is the totality of all geographical, geological, and climatic factors “In just a short period of time, Alto Adige has become Italy’s that make up the character of a piece of land. The manner in which the top white wine region. The requirements for this were the local inhabitants perceive their surroundings also influences the integral Alpine-Mediterranean climate, the quality of the soils, and the idea of terroir. enviable locations of the vineyards. These fortunate conditions have been transformed by those in Alto Adige into a success – thanks to a generation of meticulous, diligent winegrowers as is ThE laNd, so is ThE wiNE and the use of cooperatives with a wealth of ideas.” Alto Adige’s terroirs are as varied as its landscape: infertile slopes in the ernesto Gentili and fabio Rizzari, Vini d’Italia de l’espresso Val Venosta, warm hilly areas in the Bassa Atesina, and Alpine vineyards in the Isarco Valley.