by katrin on February 6, 2012
The Kellerei or Cantina Terlan Classico blend is another dual identity wine from Alto Adige. Part German, part Italian, I can’t get enough of wines from this region. Terlan is one of the region’s oldest wine cooperatives, and today has about 100 members. As Glenn and I have said before, don’t fear the term cooperative. As this entry level wine proves, these folks take quality seriously. The Terlaner Classico is a blend of 60% Pinot Bianco, 30% Chardonnay, and 10% Sauvignon Blanc, which are, respectively, the third, fourth, and fifth most widely planted white grapes in the region. (Pinot Grigio is first, Gewürztraminer is second.)
The Classico is really easy to like and enjoy. An abundance of apple, minerality, and floral aromas with pineapple and honey adding to the palate. Round and soft (but not at all flabby), with a bit of spritz on the mid-palate. Medium acidity and body. Clean, lingering finish. I thought it was very good on the first day, and slightly better the next day. Very good.
At Martignetti’s for $15.99.
by katrin on February 1, 2012
On Saturday night we served a lovely Pinot Noir from J. Hofstätter to 500 guests (see my previous post). I thought it was elegant and representative of a light, flavorful style of Pinot Noir that seems only to come from Alto Adige. To my delight, others enjoyed it as much as I did and it received rave reviews. The next day, as I perused the wine aisles at Whole Foods, I was immediately drawn to another J. Hofstätter wine: the 2010 Pinot Grigio. My impression of this popular Italian varietal was equally positive.
The nose is forward and appealing with great pear, minerality, and melon aromas. Carambola (honestly this is the first time I can remember getting starfruit on the palate in a wine) and citrus added interesting dimensions to the pear and apple flavors. This Pinot Grigio is rich and satisfying without being oaky or cloying. In fact, it has a lanolin viscosity that is reminiscent of Sémillon. Medium acidity. The finish has lingering pear and acidity. Elegant and totally enjoyable. Very good.
At Whole Foods on River Street, Cambridge for $19.99.
by katrin on January 31, 2012
Saturday was a big night: a celebration with 500 of my organization’s nearest and dearest donors, volunteers, and friends. I had been mulling over the wine selection for weeks, tasting various options with colleagues and on my own, writing about the results, and even getting suggestions from you, our readers. In the end, the selection for the bar during the reception and for the dinner ended up being a sampling of some of my favorite wines of the past year or so that met two qualifications. First, they were within my price range of $16 or less after any discounts. And second, I thought that they would be well-received, in other words, interesting and delicious, but not overly challenging for people who thought they would be able to get a simple choice between a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and an Australian Shiraz.
In the back of my mind, I know that it’s impossible to please everyone – though I did give it my best shot. So, for those of you who asked, here were my choices. And if you read this space often enough, you may even recognize some of them from recent reviews.
Served during dinner
2009 J. Hofstätter Meczan Pinot Nero (Alto Adige, Italy)
2009 St. Michael-Eppan Pinot Grigio Anger Vineyard (Alto Adige, Italy)
On the bar
2010 L’Ecole No. 41 Sémillon (Walla Walla, Washington)
2009 Josef Leitz “Eins, Zwei, Dry” Riesling (Rheingau, Germany)
2009 Amalaya red blend (Salta, Argentina)
2008 Brancaia Tre (Tuscany, Italy)
Though my obsession with Alto Adige was well-served, it was unintended. My first choice for the dinner red was the August Kesseler Spätburgunder Pinot N (Rheinhessen, Germany), but unfortunately just days before the event, the distributor discovered that they did not have it in stock. In the end, it was a wonderful evening to which, I hope, the wine was a wonderful complement. And in an ideal world, some guests were introduced to a new wine or region that they will explore again.
by katrin on November 3, 2011
Cantina or Kellerei? Alto Adige or Südtirol? Pinot Bianco or Weissburgunder? The words only highlight the fascinating blend of Italian and German cultures, winemaking, and language found in this northeastern corner of Italy. Tramin (I’ll skip the first word since I can’t quite decide whether to follow the German or Italian linguistics) is a cooperative with 270 growers, and despite producing about 125,000 cases annually, there is tremendous attention to quality.
Like many wines from this region, the Tramin Pinot Bianco has an undeniable sense of place. Lots of minerality on the nose and palate, backed by enticing fruit – particularly pear, but also red apple – and light white flowers. Rich mouthfeel with medium plus weight, juicy acidity, and a Semillon-like waxiness. The Tramin finishes with lemon and a bit of smokiness and lanolin. A beautiful example of Pinot Bianco.
At Vinodivino for $17.
I usually abide by the conventional wisdom that almost all rosés should be drunk within a year after their release? So, why am I drinking a 2009 rosé? I blame it on being so eager for spring and the arrival of the 2010 vintage that I simply was not thinking about the date when I bought the Alois Lageder Lagrein Rosé a couple of weeks ago.
The saturated deep pink (or fuscia) is more a color I would expect from a rosé of Malbec than a wine from Italy or France. A closer look reveals that it is starting to show its age with shades of orange creeping in. On the nose, there’s strawberry, bubble gum, and herbs; the palate is dominated by strawberries and cream. Despite having only medium minus acidity and no detectable tannins, this wine does have some weight to it. But, it finishes rather quickly and without fanfare.
With the 2010 now appearing on store shelves, I‘m eager to try other rosés of Lagrein. And even though I wasn’t wild about this wine, I’ll be looking for the current Alois Lageder release.
by katrin on March 27, 2011
Ever since the Alto Adige seminar and walk-around tasting a few weeks ago, I have been making a point to check the selection of wines from this region in Boston area wine shops. The selection, unfortunately, tends to be rather small and disappointing, so I was quite happy to receive an email from Vinodivino promoting this single vineyard Pinot Grigio made by St. Michael-Eppan. St. Michael-Eppan is a large cooperative with about 350 winegrowers and the Anger Pinot Grigio is part of their “Cru” line of wines made from grapes grown in “choice growing areas.” The soil of the Anger vineyard is limestone and gravel and the former certainly comes through in this wine’s nose and palate. Half of the wine is fermented in stainless steel, the other half in large wooden 4,000-7,5000 liter casks, keeping it both fresh and focused on the fruit.
The color is a lively light golden yellow. Citrus aromas – primarily lemon and lime – are complemented by great minerality and yeasty notes. A bit of honey emerges over a bit of time and with some swirling. The mouthfeel is rich but not heavy with a solid acidity and some bitterness. Lemon, minerality, and honey, as well as stone fruits, fill the palate. A long, pleasant finish.
This is an elegant and refreshing wine well worth seeking out.
At Vinodivino for $19.
by glenn on March 12, 2011
After the seminar and guided tasting, it was time to walk – walk around the tables of the twenty producers represented at the show and taste more deeply these wonderful 
wines. Since the trade show was held at The Skywalk of the Prudential Tower, the wines had some competition from the best view in Boston. The other distraction – or was it amenity – was the bountiful spread of cheese and charcuterie. In effect, lunch was provided. However, I was able to get down to business and concentrate on tasting. The highlight for me at these specialized trade tastings is the opportunity to meet and talk with people actually connected with the wineries, be they winemakers or owners or both. They evince a level of passion at times missing from the larger wine expos where wineries can often be represented by reps. Other highlights for me were – [click to continue…]
