I don’t know about you, but starting a new year makes me think about where I want to travel next!
Last year was my cycling year, going to Mallorca in January, the Dolomites in June and Colorado in August. Thankfully, I added a week of winery visits in the beautiful Alto Adige and Lugana wine regions after climbing (very slowly!) the Italian Alps.
Alto Adige is the Northernmost wine region in Italy formed by glaciers, with vineyards located on steep hillsides with the glorious Dolomites in the background and warmed by southerly winds from the beautiful Lake Garda.
Considered the white wine region of Italy and most well-known for making some of the best Pinot Grigio in the world, Alto Adige also produces cool-climate grapes such as Pinot Blanc, Muller Thurgau, Sylvaner, Kerner, Gewurztraminer, Schiava, Lagrein and Pinot Nero.
While it is truly one of the most stunning wine regions I have ever seen, what struck me the most was the curiosity, experimentation and innovation in grape growing and winemaking. Determined to be among the great wine regions, the Alto Adige wine community continues to push the envelope – from sustainability practices to deal with climate change and leave their mark for the next generation to planting new wine grapes and trying innovative winemaking techniques.
If you are ever in the area, here are some fabulous wineries to visit. And thankfully, you can find many of these wines in your favorite wine store.
Alois Lageder, established in 1823 and managed by the family’s fifth and sixth generation, is known for organic and biodynamic wine production, experimentation with different grape varieties, lighter-weight bottles with no capsules for sustainability and tons of creativity. (To our surprise, Alois himself showed us the vineyards!)
- Chardonnay 2021 – Chablis-like with bright apple and lemon notes
- Guan Chardonnay 2020 – made from mostly estate fruit with notes of apple, lemon and stony limestone
- Lowengang 2014, Bordeaux blend – beautiful red wine with notes of cherry, black cherry, blackberry, plum, leather, anise, cocoa and black pepper
Elena Walch, whose namesake is considered the ‘Grand Dame’ of the region’s quality revolution, also focuses on sustainable practices and makes wines in a former monastery where after walking through underground tunnels, you end up at full gravity-flow, technical wine facility that would be the envy of many Texas wineries.
- Pinot Bianco 2020 – complex white with lemon, underripe pineapple notes with mineral and smoky notes and a hint of creaminess from lees aging
- Beyond the Clouds 2020, an elegant white blend with mostly Chardonnay – notes of apple, lemon, spice and a waxy, honeycomb finish
- Schiava 2021 – notes of cherry jolly rancher with cola on the finish
- Ludwig Pinot Nero 2019 – notes of cherry, raspberry, eucalyptus and a stony minerality
- Vigna Castel Ringberg Lagrein Riserva – a big red with cocoa powder, black ripe cherry and blackberry and menthol notes
Cantina Kaltern is a historical cooperative winery, including Erste + Neue, that serves as an ambassador for the Lake Kaltern area and for the grape variety Schiava, in particular. The best wines are stored in barrels in the Puntay cellar with impressive hand-painted frescoes (one of the most beautiful cellars I have seen).
- Erste + Neue Pinot Bianco 2021 – bright with fresh pear, apple and lemon notes
- Erste + Neue Pinot Grigio 2021 – rounder mouthfeel with ripe apple and tart lemon notes
- Kaltern 2014 Pinot Bianco – rip red apple, honeycomb, hazelnut notes
- Kaltern Leuchtenberg Kalterersee Classico Superiore Schiava – bright and fresh cherry, raspberry lollipop notes
- Kaltern 5uintessenz Kalteresee Classico Superiore Schiava – bigger with cherry, raspberry, and earthy minerality notes
Denise Clarke is an avid wine enthusiast who loves sharing and teaching people about wine. She is a Certified Wine Educator, Certified Sommelier, WSET Advanced graduate and an expert on Texas wine. Owner of Denise Clarke PR, she currently represents Texas Fine Wine and the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Wine Marketing Program. She has lived in Austin for more than 30 years and when she is not swirling and sipping wine, she can be found on her bike, climbing every hill she can find.
Follow Denise on IG at @deniseclarkeTX for more wine recommendations.
My next column will explore a few more Alto Adige wineries as well as showcase the Lugana wine region.
