L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 38 L'Italo-Americano Alto Adige Pinot Noir C hances are good you're aware that Italy's northernmost province of Alto Adige, the self-gover- ning region tucked away in Italy's northeast, shouldered-up against Austria and Switzerland, has a re- putation for producing a number of superb white wines. But it may surprise you to know that Alto Adige, or Südtirol, as it's known by the local German-speaking po- pulation, is a focal point for the production of red wine made from Pinot Noir grapes. The reputation of Pinot Noir as a communicator of even minute differences in terroir is well esta- blished. So distinctly has Pinot Noir demonstrated its terroir-re- flective talent, principally set against the background of France's Burgundy wine region, that to talk of Pinot Noir from el- sewhere makes easy work of ima- gining "elsewhere" to be a hopeful second best comparison. Whatever are one's preferen- ces, however, it's important to un- derstand that non-Burgundian ter- roirs are not really second best. It is a more accurate position to re- cognize that, for a given locale, Pinot Noir simply does what it does best, that is to say, Pinot Noir will express its unique qualities relative to place. Which brings us, then, to why it is that Pinot Noir in Alto Adige - its cultivation there and the wines made from it - is of so much inte- rest. Not to get too far ahead of my- self, I should first provide you a bit of relevant background. Better known by its internatio- nal name of Pinot Noir, the variety is referred to in Italian as Pinot Nero. I'll use Pinot Nero, then, for the remainder of this article. Te- chnically an international grape variety, Pinot Nero has been cul- tivated in Alto Adige for more than 100 years. Most would agree that the variety can produce divine wines. Agreement regarding the vine's tendency to be finicky and difficult to cultivate could be rea- ched just as easily. Too damp, and Pinot Nero's thin skin is suscepti- ble to rot; too warm, acidity may suffer; not quite content with its vineyard situation, and Pinot Nero loses its enthusiasm for achieving the sublime. Alto Adige provides the deli- cate and over-particular Pinot Nero a sympathetic growing en- vironment with characteristics for the making of excellent wines. In fact, the vine has adapted incredi- bly well to the elevation and cli- mate of Alto Adige, especially in the Bassa Atesina and Oltradige areas. The region's medium to high altitudes help to develop a higher level of acidity, something that at lower elevations or in cli- mates too warm the vine struggles to do. When planted on sunny Alto Adige hillsides, Pinot Nero finds enough light and heat to en- courage slow and even ripening. Perhaps most importantly, the fluctuation of diurnal temperatu- res contributes to the heady aro- matics for which Pinot Nero is so well-known, one its greatest attri- butes. In addition to being an expres- sive communicator of terroir, Pi- not Nero is an adept and equally expressive reporter of any short- comings in quality it may encoun- ter. This is an especially intere- sting point inasmuch as in Alto Adige viticulture and winemaking tradition, Pinot Nero finds the high standards necessary to solicit one of its best performances, a result, perhaps, of embedded Germanic discipline and technical prowess. Alto Adige Pinot Nero is known for an enchanting bouquet of red cherries and wild berries in- tertwined with floral notes (vio- lets). The wines are finely textu- red, with a delicious sense of bitter almond that contributes to overall harmony. Good acidity provides framing and elegance –not to men- tion remarkable versatility with food - balanced by soft tannins. Pinot Nero can be enjoyed young and many wines have enough structure for cellar aging. You will find Pinot Nero a grand accompaniment to a wide range of foods. It can be enjoyed with fish, poultry, roasted meat, game and light cheeses. As you undertake to explore Alto Adige Pinot Nero, I shall of- fer you one bit of unsolicited ad- vice: do not proceed by trying to find wines that taste like Pinot Noir from France. Or elsewhere, for that matter. You will miss the point. Entirely. Not to mention the pleasure of letting Pinot Nero do what it does best: showing you the unique aptitude of a given place – Alto Adige, in this case – to accommodate its exacting, wonderfully hard-to-please, bril- liantly expressive character. Note that Pinot Nero may be labeled, or also labeled, Blaubur- gunder (German), or Pinot Noir (French). Look for Südtirol / Alto Adige DOC. Recommended producers in- clude Abbazia Novacella, Castel- feder, Girlan, Gottardi, Franz Haas, Josef Hofstatter, Alois La- geder, St. Michael Eppan, Sch- reckbichl Colterenzio, Peter Zem- mer. Tasting Note: Franz Haas Pinot Nero Red and black cherries, wild berries, notes of pleasantly bitter almond, warm brown spice, and forest floor. Great energy on the palate, refreshing acidity. Exten- ded finish with an aftertaste of marzipan, soft and elegant tan- nins. Grand. Imported by Empson USA. WINE NEWS TRENDS PROFILES JOEL MACK THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2018 Alto Adige Pinot Nero has an enchanting bouquet or red cherries and wild berries, intertwined with floral notes Trentino Alto Adige is usually known for its whites, but the region's Pinot Nero should be tried

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