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Wines of Slovenia Tasting, Part 2

Flags of Slovenia, EU & US


We attended the “Wines of Slovenia” presentation at the Republic of Slovenia embassy in Washington, DC. In late January. The presentation by Andrey Ivanov, MS, was part of a four city tour that included Dallas, Chicago, New York and Washington, DC. We were warmly welcomed at the embassy and soon were guided to an event room. The embassy is simplified elegance. The room for the presentation was light and bright with three flags near the slide screen, including the Republic of Slovenia, EU and the US flags. Walls were decorated with large photos of Slovenian renowned views. Of particular interest to me was a large wall display of various painted wood pieces. Later I discovered, during the mid 1700s and 1800s beekeepers would decorate their hives with these folk art.

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Folk Art Wood Panels



After a brief introduction, Andrey spoke of Slovenia’s geography and included what he felt were the major factors that influence grapevine growing. Slovenia’s northwest has the Julian Alps which bring in cooling factors. The southwest has the Adriatic Sea which brings warm air inland. The southeast has the Dinaric mountain range which brings coolness. The Pannonian Basin in the northeast brings a warming influence. Austria, Croatia and Hungary and Italy border the Republic of Slovenia.

History

Evidence has been found that a Germanic tribe was producing wine in the 3rd and 4th centuries in the region. The Romans continued this tradition of winemaking. The Archduke John of Austria began planting international grape varieties near the border in 1822. When Slovenia became part of Yugoslavia after WWII some vineyards became state-owned.

The Republic of Slovenia is home to what has been known as the oldest grapevine in the world. The vine is believed to have developed grapes as early as the beginning of the 16th or 17 centuries. The vine is located in Maribor and continues to bear fruit up to 121 pounds each year. The grape variety is considered a native grape, Žametovka. Imagine the history that this grapevine has seen in Central Europe, including Turkish rebellions, fires and wars. If the vine could write a book, what a story it would tell.

As of 2022 Slovenia’s total vineyard area was14.736 hectares (36,364.5 acres). The vineyards are managed by 26,400 growers. 2,700 producers are registered as commercial wine producers. Slovenian wines are exported to more than 40 countries by 150 producers.

Vineyards of Slovenia

Elevation of the vineyards are from sea level to 600 meters (1,969 feet). The vast majority of the vineyards on terraces and slopes thus necessitating most grapes harvested by hand. The soils vary and include: limestone, red karst limestone, marl, flysch and clay.

Slovenian Grape Varieties

Sixty grape varieties are grown in Slovenia. Currently the country has 38 white varieties and 22 red varieties. Many are familiar international grapes but there are others that Slovenia calls native grapes.

After the presentation, a light lunch was offered to participants. Small tables with several Slovenian wine producers were set up for additional wine tastings. Each bite was tasty and paired well with the Slovenian wines.

When visiting your local wine shop, ask about Slovenian wines. You may be pleasantly surprised by what you find. If traveling to the Republic of Slovenia, be sure to include adding a visit to a winery to your itinerary.

A Brief Look at 9 Slovenian Wineries

Patrick Simcic Wines



Slovenian wineries represented at the Slovenian embassy in Washington, DC included: Patrick Simcic Wines, Dveri Pax “Gates to Peace”, Pullus, Ronk Winery, Kristancic Winery, Vina Cuk’s family vineyard, Albiana Wines, Istenic and Klet Krško Winery.

Klet Krško Winery

The Klet Krško Winery is a collective with about 200 families participating. The cooperative was established in 1928. They also have 15 hectares (37 acres) of privately owned vineyards that are planted with Blaufränkisch, Pinot Blanc and Sauvignon. The location of the Klet Krško wine cellar is an old castle cellar that dates back to 1770. Klet Krško Winery is known for its large production of Cvi?ek, a very popular blend of red and white grapes. The winery claims to have the largest Cvi?ek cellar in the world.

Wine enthusiasts are encouraged to visit Klet Krško Winery as the winery offers winery tours and wine tastings. Visitors may choose between Classic, Premium and Gourmet tours.

Patrick Simcic Wines

Patrick Simcic Wines, family owned, was formed in the 1950s in Biljana. Great-grandparents moved to the village and began tending one hectare (almost 2.5 acres). Years later grandparents continued the work. Then in the 1980s, his father began to expand the property. In 2017, the current owner improved vineyard techniques to produce high quality grapes.

Ronk Winery

The Ronk Winery, a family owned winery located near the Italian border, is in the village of Vipolže. The 9 hectares (22 acres) are located in Slovenia and Italy. The soils are basically marl. Some of the grapevines are more than 40 years old. In the vineyards, the focus is on sustainability and organic aspects.

Kristancic Winery

After the independence of Slovenia in the early 1990s. Kristancic Winery was one of the wineries to be started. Today the winery grows 28 hectares (69 acres) of grapevines. The vineyards have 11 distinct micro-climates. The vineyards are farmed without using herbicides as dictated by Integrated Farming. Kristancic uses the symbol of a peacock to represent it. Visitors are invited to enjoy a tasting in the tasting room and/or stop at the wine shop.

Vina Cuk Winery

Vina Cuk Winery is also a family vineyard and has 10 hectares (almost 25 acres) of vineyards. They also grow produce on 3 hectares (7.4 acres). The vineyards are home to white and red grape varieties. The whites include Sauvignon, Muscat, Malvasia, Pinot Blanc, Riesling and Chardonnay. Red varieties include Barbera, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. The wine barrels are in a wine cellar that exceeds 150 years.

Travelers may visit Vina Cuk Winery if they contact the winery in advance.

Albiana

In 1936 Albin and Ana Žaren purchased the property. For many years, the property was used for multiple types of farming. Twenty years ago, vineyards were planted. The land now has 20 hectares (49 acres) with 90,000 grapevines. The soil is a mix of clay and marlstone. A part of the cellars is more than 300 years old. More recently the cellar has been enlarged and modernized.

Albiana produces still wines and sparkling wines using the traditional method. Still wines include Sauvignon Blanc, Welschriesling, Muscat Blanc, Chardonnay and Blaufränkisch. Sparkling wines include Brut, Brut Nature and Brut Rosé.

The winery offers a guest house as well as a variety of events.

DVeri Pax Winery

Dvevri Pax translates to “Gates to Peace” is owned by the Benedictine monks. The winery is located in northeastern Slovenia near the Austrian border. The same estate was producing wines in the 12th century. A document from 1139 mentions the estate.

Today the winery has 73 hectares (180 acres) of grapevines.

Still wines produced by Dveri Pax include: Yellow Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Welschriesling, Furmint, Blaufränkisch, Traminer, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer. The winery also produces sparkling wine.

In addition, Dveri Pax also has a restaurant located in a 450 year old castle.The winery Vinotheque is open daily.

Istenic Winery

Istenic Winery dates back to the 1960s when Janez Istenic began as a winemaker at a Yugoslavia’s state cellar. Eventually he went to study about Champagne in France. Back in Slovenia, Janez became one of the first private producers of bottle-fermented sparkling wine.

Pullus (Ptujska Klet)

Pullus has wine cellars that date back to 1239. Known as one of the oldest cellars in the region, a state-of the art winery is above the cellar. The winery focuses on producing cool climate wines such as Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. It is interesting to note that they also produce a “fun” wine. This wine is often used for mixing wine spritzers.

Whenever you are planning to travel to the Republic of Slovenia, contact Slovenia wineries in advance and schedule a time to visit and explore the Slovenian wines.

Wines of Slovenia Tasting, Part 1

In late January, Kathy and I traveled to the Slovenian Embassy in Washington DC for a tasting of Slovenian wines. We were informed of the four-city US Tour of Slovenian Wines from the Marq Wine Group. We have traveled to embassies in the past for wine tastings. This experience at the Slovenian Embassy was stellar. Embassy staff welcomed us and several attended the tasting. We learned that some of the staff had ties to Slovenian wines whether it was a grandparent and uncle or having a small vineyard in their backyard that was used to make wine.

Slovenian Embassay in Washington D.C.
Slovenian wine tasting at the Slovenian Embassay in Washington D.C.

We began with a sit-down presentation and tasting. We were welcomed with a light red wine, a 2023 Cvicek by Klet Krško Winery. Part of this winery is a cooperative representing about 200 grape growing families. Cvicek is a blend of red and white grapes from these families. The blend includes the red varietal grapes Žametna Crnina and Blaufränkisch, and white varietal grapes Kraljevina, Welschrieseling and Rumeni Plavec. The 10% alcohol wine had a red color with a dark pink hue. The wine was reminiscent of a red and black berry fruit salad. It had a very crisp finish. This is a very easy drinking wine that would be perfect during warmer months while on a rocking chair on  a porch or during colder months in front of a fire.

The presentation and tasting tasting of four flights of four wines in each flight was conducted by Andrey Ivanov, MS of Bliss Wine Concierge. There were two white wine flights, a red wine flight and a sparkling wine flight. 

In the first white wine flight the wine that caught my attention was the 2022 Pullus Sauvignon Blanc. Pullus wine cellars is among the oldest in Europe dating from 1239. Pullus was founded by the Romans. The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc, with 13% alcohol, had a light yellow color. There was lemon grass on the aroma and the taste offered yellow stone fruits. This delicious wine had a crispy fruity finish.

Slovenian White Wine Flight
Slovenian white wine flight.

In the second white wine flight the 2022 Kristancic Winery Sivi Pinot (Pinot Gris) stood out. The 13% alcohol wine had a dark yellow color. The Sivi Pinot had floral and fruit notes on the aroma. The taste reminded me of apricots, apples and minerals. The finish was crispy. 

For the red wine flight I liked, once again a Pullus Winery wine. The 2021 Blaufränkisch (Modra Frankinja) had an opaque dark ruby color with a violet hue. The 13% alcohol wine had black fruits on the aroma. The taste of blueberries was pronounced. The medium/full bodied wine had medium tannins and a fruity finish.

For the sparkling wine flight I liked the 2018 Istenic Winery Rare. The sparkling wine was a blend of Rumeni Plavec (80%) and Chardonnay (20%). The 11.5% alcohol wine had a yellow colored wine and long lasting streams of bubbles forming a circumferential mousse on the surface. Apple and freshly baked bread were noted on the aroma and taste. The sparkling wine had a lively mouthfeel and very long aftertaste. 

2020 Ronk Selectus Grigio
An orange wine from Slovenia a 2020 Ronk Selectus Grigio

After the flights, lunch was served and several wineries had additional wines for tasting. During the presentation there was mention that some Slovenian winemakers are making orange wines (white wines with extended skin contact). Ronk Winery had an orange wine. The 2020 Ronk Selectus Grigio spent seven days with juice on the skins during fermentation. This 13% alcohol Pinot Grigio had a burnt orange color with floral notes. The taste offered yellow stone fruits notably apricots. This full bodied wine had mild tannins and a crisp finish.

Kathy and I enjoyed our visit to the Slovenian Embassy and the wines tasted. We hope for the opportunity to visit and write about wineries in Slovenia.

Cheers,
Terry

Marketing Georgian Amber Wines

In January 2024, there was an online discussion titled Natural, Orange, Amber and the Marketing of Georgian Wines in the United States. The discussion was hosted by Dr. Mamuka Tsereteli, president of the America–Georgia Business Council (AGBC). The presenter for the discussion was Robin S. Goldstein from the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics University of California, Davis.

Georgian Amber Wine

Robin began the discussion by talking about natural wines. Internet searches for this topic were on the rise between 2011 and 2023 outranking organic wine. My main takeaway away from this discussion was that the term natural wines has no concrete worldwide definition nor universal certification. To some wine enthusiasts, natural wine refers to wines made from organically grown grapes. Others see natural wine as a wine produced from minimal processing of the grapes into wine at the winery.

My own experience with the term natural wine came at a teaching winery where Kathy and I were making wine. The head winemaker referred to our wine as natural even though we added commercial yeast and Scott’s additives to promote color extraction and malolactic fermentation. When questioned about why use the term natural, the winemaker’s response was that what we added to the wine was commonly used by winemakers. At that point, I became suspicious of the term natural.

Robin moved the discussion on to orange and amber wines. Orange wines have more of a recognition among consumers since its coining in 2004. Amber wine is a translation from a Georgian word. It currently has little worldwide consumer recognition. Both terms refer to wines produced from white grapes that underwent skin contact.

I have my suspicions regarding the term orange wines. Orange is a color. We crafted a white Cabernet Sauvignon. The finished wine had an orange color. Yet, it was not an orange wine. We had an opportunity to visit Georgia twice. During our first visit we helped to harvest Rkatsiteli grapes, an indigenous white grape from Georgia. Then with the grapes we traveled to Twins Wine Cellar in Napareuli where we destemmed the grapes and transferred the grapes to a buried qvevri. We did not add yeast or any products to the qvevri, a natural wine. Before adding grapes though, we did wash the qvevri and burned a sulfur strip in it. Six months later, we returned to Georgia to open the qvevri and bottle the wine. It had a dark gold to amber color – not orange. Not all red wines are red and I never saw a white wine colored white. Clear is not the color white. So orange is a classification and not necessarily the color of the wine.

Terry cleaning a buried qvevri.
Kathy pouring Rkatsiteli grapes into the qvevri.

Robin pointed out that Google searches for “natural wine”, “orange wine” and “amber wine” were mixed. “Amber wine” had the least number of searches whereas both “natural wine” and “orange wine” had many more searches with orange slightly out searched than natural.

Robin discussed that the country Georgia has an uphill battle coining the term amber wine. It may do better referring their amber wine as a niche in the natural wine or orange wine market. Awareness and education about Georgia and their skin contact white wines is extremely necessary. This point hit home. In February of 2015 we attended the Boston Wine Expo. I spent a few hours pouring Georgian wines for a producer. My first challenge was to point out that these wines were from the Georgia next to Russia not the Georgia next to Florida. I discovered that if I described the process for making a skin contact white wine, the wines were well received by the attendees.

Marketing Georgia amber wines will involve educating the general wine enthusiast public.

Cheers,
Terry

Stephanie Franklin and Fly Wines

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could travel to a winery and taste some of their wines? If you found one you liked, you could purchase the wine right at the winery. Most wine enthusiasts are not able to partake in wine tourism domestically and internationally, let alone identify and visit wineries that are producing hidden gems. Enter Stephanie Franklin, CEO and Founder of Fly Wines whose mission is to bridge the gap between wine enthusiasts and wineries that are crafting hidden wine gems.

Stephanie Franklin, Founder and CEO of Fly Wines

Stephanie enjoys traveling. She traveled to the University of Roehampton in London to earn a Master’s Degree in International Management with Marketing. During her time in London, Stephanie was able to travel to other European countries and her “eyes became open to wine.” Raised in Miami, Florida, Stephanie moved to the San Francisco Bay area. There she became passionate about Merlot and met Giuliano Manno, a sommelier, who is now the Chief Sommelier with Fly Wines. 

We asked Stephanie about her wine journey and why she created
Fly Wines. Stephanie mentioned being with friends who brought out a kit wine they had made. Stephanie did not care for the wine. That brought back memories for Kathy and I. Our first wine we made was a kit wine that developed a geranium taint, not at all to our liking. In Stephanie’s case, this negative wine tasting experience planted the seed to create an experience for wine enthusiasts that would allow them to taste great wines from little known producers throughout the world.

Stephanie’s plan was to create a box of sample wines from a winery. While discussing the name for the company, Fly Wines was suggested. Stephanie is learning to fly a Cessna. Fly Wines was a logical suggestion. Wines from other countries will eventually have to fly to California to be bottled and placed in a tasting box. The focus will be on quality wines with great packaging.

The current tasting box includes four bottles of wine from Fortino Winery in Santa Clara County, California. The wines are bottled in 187 ml bottles, enough for a three ounce pour per person tasting for two people. The current offering includes the 2022 Pinot Grigio, the Vin Rosé, a 2020 Sangiovese and the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon. Customers can sample the wines and then purchase 750 ml bottles of the wines they like directly from Fly Wines.

Stephanie is looking forward to providing wines from producers in Turkey and Portugal. Many people in the United States have not had the opportunity to taste wines from Turkey, despite the fact that Turkey is where wines have been crafted for thousands of years. Stephanie also has her eye set on hidden gem wineries in the country Georgia where wine has continuously been made for over 8,000 years. Fly Wines will be the only source for tasting and purchasing quality wines from these hidden gem wineries from around the world. This will allow wine enthusiasts to enjoy tasting quality wines previously unavailable to them.

While currently Stephanie is focused on growing Fly Wines, she is dreaming of a future of owning her own winery and vineyard.

Stephanie and her team are focused on providing wine flights for enthusiasts. Fly Wines searches for those independent wineries that craft superior wines. Fly Wines purchases the wines, packages them in a flight and sends the box to their customers. Just like visiting a winery, if you sample a wine you like, you can purchase a bottle from Fly Wines. Keep checking their website for additional flights from wineries from around the world.

Cheers,Terry & Kathy

Santa Cristina Cabernet Sauvignon

We received a bottle of a Santa Cristina Cabernet Sauvignon to sample. The wine came from Ste Michelle Wine Estates. This group is a collection of wine estates from the Pacific Northwest (including Chateau Ste. Michelle), California and partnerships including Santa Cristina in Tuscany.

Santa Cristina Winery

Santa Cristina Cabernet Sauvignon

Santa Cristina, in Cortona, Italy is located in Italy’s beautiful Tuscany region. The current winery was built in 2006. The idea behind the modern version of the winery was for the grapes to be “accompanied” through all of the winemaking processes, from the vineyards through to the packaging. This was an effort to produce quality wines. Santa Cristina focuses on combining modern winemaking technology with traditional winemaking techniques. In addition to research involving international wine grapes, the winery also researches indigenous grapes.

According to the Santa Cristina website, “The winery was named after Santa Cristina Red, a historic wine and symbol of the winery for over 70 years. The winery was named after Santa Cristina Red, a historic wine and symbol of the winery for over 70 years.” 

Be sure to check out the colorful recipes on the Santa Cristina website.

The Wine

The 2021 Santa Cristina Cabernet Sauvignon, Toscana IGT offers an intense aroma of black fruits while pouring the wine into the glass. The aroma continues throughout the tasting. The 14% alcohol wine was a very dark ruby color with a black hue. Blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, violets and a hint of cocoa were evident on the taste while the soft mouthfeel was full bodied with medium tannins. The finish was fruity. On the first taste there was a bit of heat in the mouth. but this heat dispersed with subsequent tastings. This wine would pair with a variety of foods.

Cheers,

Kathy and Terry

Tormaresca Rosé

We received a bottle of a Tormaresca Rosé to sample. The wine came from Ste Michelle Wine Estates. This group is a collection of wine estates from the Pacific Northwest (including Chateau Ste. Michelle), California and partnerships including Antinori, with estates in Italy, Napa Valley and Chile.

Tormaresca Rosé

Tormaresca vineyards and winery was begun in 1998 by Marchesi Antinori. The Antinori family also owns vineyards in other areas of Italy including: Tuscany and Piedmont, and internationally in Napa Valley and Chile.

Tormaresca is located in Italy’s Apulia region. This region is located along the heel of Italy’s foot and close to the sea. Tormaresca focuses on Apulia’s indigenous varieties including Aglianico, Negroamaro and Primitivo. All Tormaresca wines are produced with estate grown grapes.

The Tenuta Carrubo estate is located in the Mandurai DOC. This estate with 40 hectares focuses on the Primitivo grape. The Masseria Maime estate, with 350 hectares of grapevines and 85 hectares of olive groves, also offers views of the Adriatic Sea. The Negroamaro grapes for the wine we enjoyed were from the Masseria Maime estate.

The Wine

The 2022 Calafuria, Salento IGT, was a rosé wine from the Tormaresca estate in the Puglia region of Italy. The wine was crafted from 100% Negroamaro grapes. The 12.5% alcohol wine had a salmon color with a red hue. The aroma was reminiscent of a red berry fruit salad with some floral notes. The taste included red raspberries, strawberries, pink grapefruit and daisies. The lively mouthfeel reflected citrus notes. The finish was crisp, fruity and had fruit yielding to mineral on the aftertaste. 

This wine pairs well with many foods. It is an excellent choice for an aperitif, or enjoyed in a rocking chair on a porch, patio or by the pool.

Cheers,
Kathy and Terry Sullivan

A Red Wine from Italy’s Alto Adige

Kettmeir Winery

Pinot Nero from Kettmeir Winery

In early January 2023, we enjoyed a complementary bottle of Pinot Nero from the Alto Adige region in Italy.

Kettmeir Winery in Caldaro, Italy was started in 1919 by Giuseppe Kettmeir, who was an agronomist. At the start, Kettmeir produced still wines. In 1964, the winery began production of sparkling wines. In 1986 Kettmeir became part of the Santa Margherita wine growing group. In 1992, the winery began producing all of the sparkling wines using the classic traditional method.

Currently 60 grape growers provide the winery with grapes. The main grapes are Pinot Nero, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Red Muscat. Travelers will be glad to know that Kettmeir offers reservations for guided tours.

The Wine: Pinot Nero

Kettmeir 2021 Pinot Nero, Alto Adige – Südtirol DOC was a translucent red color with a ruby hue. The 13.5% alcohol wine was crafted from Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir) grapes from the Südtirol region of Alto Adige. The aroma had notes of red berry fruit and a trace of mineral. The taste was reminiscent of red raspberries and mineral. The wine had a medium body and mild tannins. The soft mouthfeel evolved into a fruity finish that also offered baking spices and a bit of heat on the aftertaste. We paired the wine with a home-made pasta sauce with meatballs. The sauce was served over spaghetti.

Cheers!
Terry and Kathy

Hampton Water, a Rosé from Southern France

We received a sample bottle of Hampton Water, a rosé wine crafted in Southern France. The rosé is the creation of Jesse Bongiovi, his father Jon Bon Jovi and Languedoc winemaker Gérard Bertrand. Although produced in Southern France, the rosé is called Hampton Water, a reflection of the amount of rosé wines consumed in the Hamptons. Possibly rosé outpaces water drunk in the Hamptons.

Summer may be over, but drinking a rosé wine is becoming a year-long trend. In November we are hosting a Holiday Wines Teach and Taste. One of the wines we will present for holiday fare is a rosé. The color is festive and the taste adds to rather than takes over many holiday dishes.

The Wine

The 2021 Hampton Water, Languedoc AOP offers a light salmon color. The blend is mostly Grenache (60%), with Cinsault (15%), Mourvedre (15%) and a splash of Syrah (10%). The aroma is fruity especially emphasizing red berry fruits with citrus notes. On the taste there is a background of minerality encasing strawberries, red raspberries, citrus and perhaps a hint of cranberries. The finish is crisp and lively. There is a long blend of fruit and mineral during the aftertaste. The wine is dry with 13% alcohol. 

At first thought, this wine would pair well with a rocking chair on a porch. However, the rosé is more versatile than just a summertime aperitif. It would match well with holiday fare including turkey, ham and a myriad of sides. To test these pairing ideas, we tasted the wine on rocking chairs on a back deck in late September. The wine was refreshing. One of our go to appetizers is baked brie. A block of brie is wrapped in Pillsbury crescents roll dough with honey dripped over the top. The brie is then baked until golden brown. The taste of the wine added to the taste of the baked brie and the wine’s acidity rebooted the palate.

A second pairing matched the Hampton Water with butternut squash soup. A butternut squash side always graces our Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. The earth tones of the butternut squash soup were tamed by the fruitfulness of the wine. The wine’s minerality embraced the butternut squash’s earthiness.

We had some of the wine left over. Needless to say, it was a beautiful match for a pasta dish with a tomato-based sauce. 

Hampton Water retails for about $20. Not just a summer aperitif, this wine pairs well with autumn dishes and will match well with holiday cuisine. 

Cheers,
Terry

Une Femme the Betty

After a hiatus of two and a half years, Kathy and I returned to air travel. This time we were trekking to Portland with a stop in Minneapolis. We are meeting family to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. Being in a festive mood, I ordered a sparkling wine on the Baltimore to Minneapolis leg. A new arrival for Delta Airlines was the Californian Une Femme. 

According to the can, the Une Femme wines are crafted by women winemakers to help improve the lives of women. Although in a can, this sparkling wine did not disappoint. 

Multiple columns of tiny bubbles initially formed a centrifugal mousse on the wine’s surface. The sparkling wine, with 12% alcohol, had a straw color. Freshly baked bread aromas were also dominant on the taste. The wine also offered green apple on the taste. The finish was crispy. This sparkling wine can serve as an aperitif or pair with a myriad  of dishes. I paired it with a lunch consisting of asparagus, chicken, cheese, olives, pesto and lettuce. It worked well with all the diverse entree offerings including the chick pea salad.

Cheers,
Terry

Alto Adige Schiava Tasting

About Alto Adige

The Alto Adige wine growing region is located in Italy’s far north. The wine region includes low hills and high rises as well as various climates that include the Mediterranean climate and arid valleys.

This wine region includes 5,000 grape growers, who on the average, cultivate two and a half acres each. The elevations of the vineyards range between 650 and 3,280 feet. On average the regions experiences 300 days of sunshine. The vineyards are affected by warm air from the Mediterranean. It appears that the cold winds from the Alps are blocked from region by steep elevations.

The vineyard soils vary in composition and may include, mica, quartz, limestone, sandy marl and dolomite and volcanic soils. There are 400 wineries of which 12 are cooperative wineries. The coops produce 70 percent of the wine production. Cultivation of grapes takes place on 13,838 acres.

Approximately two-thirds of the wine production is white wine. The region cultivates 20 various grape varieties. The majority of grapes growing in the area include: Pinot Grigio, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Schiava, Pinot Noir, Lagrein and Sauvignon Blanc.

The Alto Adige DOC has several  subzones including: Valle Isarco, Terlano, Meranese, S. Maddalena, Colli di Bolzano and Val Venosta.

We were sent four samples, enough for a wine tasting, of four Schiava from four different producers in the Alto Adige wine region in Northern Italy. Schiava also know as Vernatsch.

During the wine tasting, “Terry asked, How do you entice Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Syrah wine enthusiasts to drink Schiava.” The panel responded, “It is elegant. Schiava can be an alternative to a light bodied Pinot Noir. To show a new part of the wine world.”

Wines

Schiava from Alto Adige DOC, Italy

The 2020 Rottensteiner Kalterer See Auslese, Alto Adige DOC, was crafted from 100% Schiava grapes. The vineyard soil was composed of sand and sedimentary soils. The grapes were vinified in stainless steel tanks. This 12.6% alcohol wine had a translucent ruby color with a pink hue. Red berry fruits and mineral were noticed on the aroma. The taste included red raspberries. a hint of strawberries, minerals and baking spices. The wine had a medium body with mild tannins. The wine finish was fruity with some baking spices. The suggested retail price is $20.

The 2019 Gump Hof Vernatsch Mediaevum, Alto Adige DOC, was a translucent ruby color with a red hue. The Schiava grapes were grown in calcareous morainic soils. The wine was fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. This 12.5% alcohol wine had an aroma of red berry fruits. The taste was reminiscent of red raspberries, red cherries and baking spices. The wine had a medium body with mild tannins. The crisp finish was fruity with a hint of baking spices on the aftertaste. This example of Schiava was very food friendly and can pair with breakfast, lunch and dinner meals. The suggested retail price is $24.

The 2020 Kurtatsch Sonntaler, Alto Adige DOC, was also crafted with 100% Schiava grapes. The grapes were grown in red sandy, loamy soil with dolomite, porphyry and clay minerals. The 12.5% alcohol wine had a translucent red color with a pink hue. The intense aroma offered red fruits. The taste included red raspberries, red cherries, a hint of strawberries and some baking spices. The wine had a medium/full body with mild tannins. It was suggested to serve the wine chilled to about 55º F. The finish was fruity. The suggested retail price is $29.

The 2018 Kellerei Bozen Moar, Alto Adige DOC, was a blend of Schiava 85% and Lagrein 15%. The grapes were grown on the slopes of Santa Maddalena in gravelly porphyry soils. The wine had an opaque dark ruby color and 13.5% alcohol. Red fruits were on the aroma whereas the taste reminded us of red raspberries, red cherries and baking spices. The wine had a medium full body with mild tannins. The finish had a nice blend of fruit and spices. The suggested retail price is $43. 

All four wine samples were delicious and would make a great summer red for warmer temperatures. Consider chilling the wine and enjoy it as you would a rosé during the summer. Schiava is a good wine to use as an aperitif. 

Cheers,
Terry & Kathy


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