Way back when, at the very start of this blog, I made a promise of sorts to myself and, by extension, those who stop by here from time to time. Simply put? I would not make stuff up. Having been a consumer of a few wine blogs before starting this one, I was frustrated to read posts about wineries or regions when it was obvious that the writer had never been there.
Why is that such a big deal?
Well, in the the grand scheme of things, it is not a blip on any radar, but from my research days, primary sources were always the most valuable and interesting to read. As a refresher, primary sources are first-hand accounts of what transpired, that is, the writer was actually there. A secondary source usually reviews one or several primary sources and offers up some sort of analysis. In other words, a secondary source regurgitates information on an event or locale from (hopefully) primary sources without actually having been there.
That is not to say that there is no value in secondary sources; most good or even competent researchers will employ both primary and secondary sources in their research. But. When it comes to wine writing, I had little interest in secondary sources; with so many writers who have actually been to a given region or winery, why would I waste my time reading the opinions of someone who had never visited?
So here we are.
While I have tasted and reviewed many wines from the Alto Adige region of northern Italy, I have never been there. I was close when I ended up in Trentino (which is often lumped together with Alto Adige) on my very first foreign press trip, but, well, “close” doesn’t count for much, at least in my book.
So here we are.
A few weeks ago, I received four wines from the region, and all were pretty darned fabulous, as have been most of the wines I have tried from Alto Adige. And when I come across someone who has actually visited the region? To a person, they express shock that I haven’t been there, and then quickly add that I need to go. Maybe one day I will get there, but until then, if you want to know more about the region, there are a host of fantastic primary sources that are just a Google away.
2024 San Michele Appiano (St. Michael-Eppan) Weissburgunder Schulthauser, Alto Adige – Südtirol, Italy: Retail $30. Very Responsible Bottle (415g; 14.7oz). Under DIAM5. 100% Pinot Blanc. I have said it a hundred times and I will say it for as long as I am able: Pinot Blanc does not get enough love. Pinot Noir? Yup. Pinot Gris/Grigio? Sure. Heck, even Pinot Meunier, which is rarely seen outside of sparkling wine blends, seems to garner more appreciation than the “lowly” Pinot Blanc. But this wine is fantastic. Brilliant straw to a light yellow in the glass with a luscious nose of Bosc pear and lemon zest, with underlying salinity and minerality. Yowza. The palate is extremely rich and full, instantly coating the mouth and lingering for quite some time. The acidity is a bit shy initially, but comes out ready to play on the mid-palate with plenty of confidence. If all Pinot Blanc were this good? I assume there would be a much different narrative around the variety. Outstanding. 94 Points.
2024 Muri-Gries Lagrein, Alto Adige – Südtirol, Italy: Retail $28. Very Responsible Bottle (453g; 15.9oz). Under cork. 100% Lagrein. I do not drink a lot of Lagrein for no other reason that there is not a ton of it out there. It is native to northeast Italy (from which this wine hails), but pockets of it are popping up around the world. Why? It’s darned tasty, as is this one. Medium to dark color in the glass, with mostly black and blue berry fruit on the nose. Throw in some earthy notes, a subtle flintiness, just a hint of funk (I love the funk), and you end up with a classic Lagrein. All of that continues onto the palate with the addition of a zingy tartness and this wine is all one could want from the variety. Sure, if I were to nitpick, Lagrein does not typically produce the most complex wine in the world, but why nitpick over a wine that is just so darned good? Excellent. 92 Points.
2023 St. Pauls Blauburgunder Luzia, Alto Adige – Südtirol, Italy: Retail $35. Very Responsible Bottle (417g; 14.7oz). Under agglomerated stopper. 100% Blauburgunder (Pinot Noir). I have not had a ton of Pinot from Alto Adige, but those that I have tried have been stellar, and very unlike what most Americans come to expect from the genre. It’s quite light in the glass, a couple of shades, perhaps, above a dark rosé, with plenty of tart cherry, a touch of earth, and just a little bit of funk on the nose (I love the funk). The palate is quite tart, as one would expect from a high-altitude Pinot, but there is also considerable fruit, albeit, well, tart, and on the verge of under ripe. Yeah. But boy, is it tasty. This will challenge your idea of Pinot Noir, particularly if the Russian River Valley, or even Burgundy, is your starting point. But Pinot is not, and should not, be monolithic, and this wine really underscores its diversity, which I celebrate. Excellent. 92 Points.
2023 Cantina Tramin Gewürztraminer Nussbaumer, Alto Adige – Südtirol, Italy: Retail $28. Heavy Bottle (690g; 24.3oz). 100% Gewürztraminer. Under Agglomerated stopper. I have a love-hate relationship with Gewurz: I love the idea of the wine, and I love that it is produced in my “native” Alsace, but it tends to be overly aromatic and, at times, too sweet, for my taste. This wine, from the northernmost reaches of the Italian peninsula, falls somewhere in the middle. Although I would not say it was “sweet” or even “off-dry” the roughly 9g/l residual sugar is noticeable, but it works. Well. Quite floral on the nose with the characteristic lychee and spicy component. Yum. The palate is balanced and full, with oodles of acidity and verve. Yes, it is perfumed, spicy, and floral, but I really like this wine for its depth and complexity. Outstanding. 93 Points.
the drunken cyclist 