In the past few years. Alto Adige has begun to gain the recognition it deserves for its world-class pinot grigio and pinot blanc, but in the rush to appreciate the area’s white wines its fantastic reds have often been overshadowed.
An array of delicious red grapes is planted in Italy’s northernmost winemaking region from international varieties like pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon to wonderful, more local options such as lagrein and vernatsch. Because of the high altitudes and unique climatic conditions created by the Alps and Dolomite Mountains, as well as the Adige River that runs smack through the middle of Alto Adige, the bottled results are extremely bright and fresh and offer extraordinary value without breaking the bank.
The mix of culture and language found in Alto Adige – which was a part of the Austrian empire until 1918, when it was known as Sudtirol – is reflected in the winemaking of the area, both on the outside and inside of the bottle. Don’t be surprised to find German wine names and terms on the label with words such as “blauburgunder” for pinot noir or “alte reben” for old vines. After all, you’re more likely to hear German still spoken in most parts of Alto Adige than you are Italian, except in the capitol of Bolzano, where Italian remains the language of choice.
The climate of Alto Adige is also something truly special – it’s where the Alpine and Mediterranean influences meet. In the Mediterranean-touched southern slopes is where warmer grape varieties such as cabernet sauvignon can be grown, and in the extremely cool high-altitude vineyards is where muller thurgau flourishes.
The best red wines typically come from the eastern side of the Adige River on high-altitude sites, where the grapes have to be harvested by hand and often through cooperative effort. A site of note is Mazon, which has long been considered a top cru for pinot noir in the area. Famed producer Franz Haas is located nearby and has pinot planted as a high as 900 meters up. We have one of his fantastic offerings listed below.
But we would be remiss not to mention some of the other fantastic local red varieties that this region specializes in. Lagrein is hearty red grape with a lot of power and grace, often full-bodied and rich with bright acidity, and it typically has a mineral edge gifted from the soil. In the list below, we found Elena Walsh’s Lagrein from 2019 to command a lot of the opulent black fruit character you would expect from the variety, with some nuttier notes to round it out.
Vernatsch is another local specialty and is the most widely planted red variety in all of Alto Adige. It’s actually identical to Croatia’s schiava and Germany’s trollinger, so while not an indigenous grape, it is a closely associated with the region. In the past few decades, vernatsch has not been taken as seriously as pinot noir or lagrein because it often produces lighter wines with less structure and tannin than its counterparts. However, some younger winemakers are trying to change this perception and are producing more interesting examples, burnishing vernatsch’s formerly lackluster reputation.
Listed below are eight Great Value Wines that we feel reflect the wide range of high-quality (and often overlooked) reds that Alto Adige has to offer, all at exceptional prices. The list includes fantastic names like Elena Walch, St. Michael-Eppan and Franz Haas. Year after year we continue to adore these producers, all of which we highlighted in our 2018 documentary “The Miracle of Alto Adige.” There is also a bottle from Manincor, who made the highest-rated pinot noir in our Alto Adige report back in May.
– Nathan Slone, Associate Editor
St. Michael-Eppan Pinot Noir Alto Adige Sanct Valentin 2018 – JS95
International price: $34
Cantina Terlan Pinot Noir Alto Adige Monticol Riserva 2017 – JS93
KLwines.com: $39.99
Kurtatsch Pinot Nero Alto Adige Glen Riserva 2018 – JS93
International Price: $21
Manincor Alto Adige Lago di Caldaro Classico Superiore der Keil 2019 – JS93
Vivino.com: $22.99
Elena Walch Lagrein Alto Adige 2019 – JS92
Vivino.com: $17.99
Franz Haas Pinot Nero Alto Adige 2018 – JS92
International price: $26
Kössler Pinot Noir Alto Adige 2020 – JS92
International Price: $19
Peter Zemmer Pinot Noir Alto Adige Rolhüt 2019 – JS91
Vivino.com: $24
