Whites that are produced from Alto Adige include pinot grigio, pinot bianco, chardonnay, sylvaner, muller-thurgau, riesling and gewurtzraminer. This region also has many apple orchards so some of the wines like pinot bianco will display apple characteristics in the wine. Reds in this region are abundant though and you will find your international varieties like merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc, but worth seeking out that you will be able to find in the states are some indigenous varieties like lagrein, teroldego and schiava, also known as vernatsch.
There are 8 DOC zones in Alto Adige to look for that include (both in Italian and German):
• Santa Maddalener or St. Magdalener
• Alto Adige or Sudtiroler
• Lago di Caldaro or Kalterer
• Valle Isarco or Eisacktaler
• Meranese di Collina or Meraner
• Valle Venosta or Vinschgau
• Colli di Bolzano or BoznerLeiten
• Terlano or Terlaner
Some top wineries in the area worth noting are AloisLageder, Pojer e Sandri, Tiefenbrunner and J. Hofstatter.
If you want a vacation that is perfectly tranquil and where you will be surrounded with beauty you must visit this region. While you dream about monstrous Alps hanging over many of the vineyards, grab a bottle and a glass to help put you there in the meantime.
By Jennifer Gentile Martin
16
Italian Wine:
Wines of the Alto Adige wine region