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www.buyersandcellars.ca Cellar Profile
This organic winery is situated in the picturesque village bearing its name in Alto Adige, nestled in the Southern Alps and Dolomite mountain ranges. Its hand-crafted mountain wines are painstakingly made with as little intervention as possible to best exemplify the unique terroir of the region. These red wine vineyards have some of the hottest daytime temperatures in all of Italy, rising to 40℃ during the summer months, but with a significant drop in temperature in the evening to retain freshness. The whites come from the hamlets of Hofstatt and Penon, with heroic vineyards planted on exceedingly steep mountainsides at elevations up to 2500ft above sea level. These rocky outcrops have a multitude of geological peculiarities, giving their wines intense, saline-like minerality. These are amongst the most aromatic and flavourful white wines on earth, ranging in style from steely dry to lusciously sweet.
Region
The region of Trentino-Alto Adige is bordered by East and North Tyrol (Austria) to the north-east and north respectively, by Graubünden (Switzerland) to the north-west and by the Italian regions of Lombardy to the west and Veneto to the south and south-east. It covers 13,607 square kilometres and is extremely mountainous, covering a large part of the Dolomites and the southern Alps. Südtirol (where Cantina Kurtatsch is located) has an area of 7,398 square kilometres, all of it mountainous land and covered by vast forests. The climate here is Mediterranean (hot summer and cold winters) owing to the influence of the many mountain ranges, which stand at over 3,000 metres above sea level, and the wide valleys through which flows (from north to south) the main river, the Adige, and its numerous tributaries.
Vineyard
The spectacularly-located district of Penon, with altitudes ranging between 500 and 700 meters, is characterized by cooling nighttime katabatic winds. These winds cause substantial temperature differences between day and night, which together with the steep inclination of the vineyards yield a distinctive Pinot Grigio with exceedingly lively acidity. The chalky gravel soils found here, which have a low capacity for holding water, lend a distinctive, salty mouthfeel.
Varieties
Pinot Grigio/Gris is thought to be a mutant clone of Pinot Noir and finds its origins in Burgundy, France. There are several styles of Pinot Grigio; Dry & Minerally, Dry & Fruity or Sweet & Fruity. This Dry & Minerally style is most famous from the northern parts of Italy and traverses the foothills of the Alps nearly all the way from Italy through Austria and even Romania, Slovenia and Hungary. The mountains are a powerful force on the agriculture, insuring that grapes keep their high acidity. The wines are most commonly described as dry with relatively high acidity. These characteristics are complemented by aromas of lemon, lime, green apple and blossoms.
Winemaking
Hand-harvested. Fermented on selected yeasts in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks. Aged on fine lees in tank for a minimum of five months.
Tasting Notes
The nose is reminiscent of lime, acacia and peaches. The palate is broad and balanced by intense acidity. Notes of tangerines, peaches and green apples leading to a saline and mineral-driven finish.