Winemaker Notes
Enjoy with a roasted fillet of salmon with a herb breadcrumb topping, starters and white meats.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
If you want to learn how complex the world of citrusy aromas in white wines can be, then try this beauty, which combines spring-like charm with plenty of mineral structure. The finish is long and invigorating. From biodynamically grown grapes with Respekt certification. Drink or hold.
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Vinous
The remarkably pretty 2020 Réserve della Contessa blossoms in the glass with notes of almond paste, baked apple and sweet mint. There’s an underlying richness here, yet finesse wins the day. Its textures are silky and soothingly round, with a mix of ripe orchard fruits and tropical inner florals that form toward the close. This tapers off lightly-structured and tense, leaving hints of lime and a salty flourish that keeps me looking back to the glass. The Réserve della Contessa is a beautifully balanced blend of 57% Pinot Bianco, 28% Chardonnay and 15% Sauvignon Blanc, that is showing great today yet can easily excel through short-term cellaring.
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
Wine by Region › Italy › Trentino-Alto Adige › Alto Adige
Taking full advantage of direct sunlight exposure on its steep slopes, many of Alto Adige’s best vineyards are planted at extreme altitude... read more