Cavit Trentino Chardonnay 2008
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Cavit swept onto the radar of American wine lovers in the 1970s as a pioneer of a then little-known white wine called Pinot Grigio. Prized for its crisp, elegant character, fruit flavors and delicate floral aroma, Pinot Grigio is a demanding grape to cultivate, but has flourished in northern Italy for over a century. Cavit has consistently championed this varietal in the U.S., earning its well-deserved title of America’s #1 Italian Pinot Grigio*. Additionally, Cavit produces a full range of high-quality, approachable and food-friendly wines including Pinot Noir, Prosecco, Chardonnay, Moscato, Rose, and Red Blend.
The Cavit winery is located in Trentino, Italy, a picturesque landscape of mountains, lakes, apple orchards and medieval castles. Vineyards in this region enjoy the warming effects of the “Ora del Garda,” a dry, balmy breeze that sweeps across nearby Lake Garda and protects the fruit from moisture and disease. Contrastingly cool evenings promote rich, intense aromas and flavors in the grapes. Winemaking is overseen by Anselmo Martini, a 20+ year industry veteran and one of northern Italy's top enologists. He earned his degree after several years of study at the renowned agricultural school and research center Istituto Agrario San Michele all’Adige (now known as the Edmund Mach Foundation). Over the years, Anselmo has become one of the most respected winemakers in the region, earned the title of “Winemaker of the Year” from “Guida Essenziale ai Vini d’Italia 2015” (“Essential Guide to Italian Wines 2015”) and for decades he has played an integral role in developing the winery’s reputation as Trentino’s leading wine producer.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
The southern part of Italy’s northeastern Alpine region, Trentino, produces quality wines from international varieties. But its most exceptional native variety, Teroldego, with plantings concentrated around the sandy, gravelly, limestone soils of its Campo Rotaliano district, makes a deep purple-hued red wine with scents and flavors of wild blackberry, herbs, espresso and cocoa.