Nals Margreid Sirmian Pinot Bianco 2017
Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesBeautiful aromas of peaches, mangoes and lemons follow through to a full body, fresh and vivid acidity and a long, flavorful finish. The salty and minerally character comes through at the end. Drink or hold.
You’ll find enticing scents of alpine wildflower, ripe orchard fruit and a hint of hazelnut on this elegantly structured white. Enveloping and savory, the creamy palate delivers mature yellow apple, yellow pear and white almond. Fresh acidity lifts the rich flavors.
Etna is arguably the hippest region in Italy, not just in Sicily, for its incredibly pure, mineral-intense, saline whites. This is just outside the DOC but with the same volcanic soils. Carricante with 10% Riesling. Perfect for sashimi and tartares.
Lovely spice and floral notes waft through this fresh Pinot Bianco, which offers flavors of Anjou pear, candied lemon zest and smoky mineral. Creamy finish.
The new cellar under construction seems to have not distracted the very young kellermeister Harald Schraffl. The Cantina Nals Margreid has by now established itself among the Olympus of Alto Adige winemaking. Wines, above all whites, ever more representative of the territory, ever more stylistically defined and technically impeccable, are the result of severe selection in the vineyards. The Pinot Bianco Sirmian, the Sauvignon Mantele and the Pinot Grigio Punggl are the pearls of the whites, which are flanked by the reds of the Baron Salvadori line and the Schiava Galea, must-haves for the appellation.” Gambero Rosso Guida Vini d’Italia 2011.
Nals Margreid is a cooperative of about 100 small growers located in the Alto Adige region of Northern Italy. The cooperative was formed in 1985 by the merging of The Cellars Nalles (established in 1932) and Magre-Niclara (established in 1954) – two well-respected entities, both steeped in tradition. While cooperatives are typical in the Alto Adige (where parcels are often small and at high altitudes in mountainous terrain) their goal in joining forces was to unite some of the best wine growers from the Strada del Vino (wine road) of Alto Adige into something of a “dream team”. Today, 140 growers cultivate a wide range of local varieties in over150 hectares of vineyards for the Nals Margreid Cellar.
The vineyards of Nals Margreid are positioned between 200 and 900 meters above sea level, stretching from Nalles in the north to Magrè in the south. These locations benefit from both the climactic-barrier protection of the Alps to the North, and the warmth of the Mediterranean influences from the South. Soils are made up of gravel subsoil on the slopes of the mountains, and alluvial soil on the valley floor. Fold in primitive rock such as granite, slate, limestone, gneiss and porphyry and you’ve got ideal conditions for the growing of premium grapes, and ultimately the production of world-class wines.
The growers of Nals Margreid use natural methods wherever possible. Parasites and diseases are avoided through ecological means. Vines are trained using the classic pergola trellis, or by using the more modern, lower-yielding Guyot method.
Winemaker Harald Schraffl oversees the seamless blending of the fruits of a wide variety of vineyards, soils, vines and microclimates in their small winery. Schraffl’s vinification philosophy is dominated by the importance of preserving the characteristics that the soils and grape varieties impart to the wines. In addition to the blends, Nals Margreid bottles a handful of vineyard-designate wines from tiny, yet exceptional parcels. Earnest and genuine, these wines reflect the character and attributes of the various Alto Adige sub-zones. This is the first time Nals Margreid wines have been imported into the US.
A mountainous northern Italian region heavily influenced by German culture, Trentino-Alto Adige is actually made up of two separate but similar regions: Alto Adige and Trentino.
Trentino, the southern half, is primarily Italian-speaking and largely responsible for the production of non-native, international grapes. There is a significant quantity of Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Merlot produced. But Trentino's native and most unique red variety, Teroldego, while still rare, is gaining popularity. It produces a deeply colored red wine rich in wild blackberry, herb, coffee and cocoa.
The rugged terrain of German-speaking Alto Adige (also referred to as Südtirol) focuses on small-scale viticulture, with great value placed on local varieties—though international varieties have been widely planted since the 1800s. Sheltered by the Alps from harsh northerly winds, many of the best vineyards are at extreme altitude but on steep slopes to increase sunlight exposure.
Dominant red varieties include the bold, herbaceous Lagrein and delicate, strawberry-kissed, Schiava, in addition to some Pinot Nero.
The primary white grapes are Pinot grigio, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay and Pinot blanc, as well as smaller plantings of Sauvignon blanc, Müller Thurgau. These tend to be bright and refreshing with crisp acidity and just the right amount of texture. Some of the highest quality Pinot grigio in Italy is made here.
Approachable, aromatic and pleasantly plush on the palate, Pinot Blanc is a white grape variety most associated with the Alsace region of France. Although its heritage is Burgundian, today it is rarely found there and instead thrives throughout central Europe, namely Germany and Austria, where it is known as Weissburgunder and Alto Adige where it is called Pinot Bianco. Interestingly, Pinot Blanc was born out of a mutation of the pink-skinned Pinot Gris. Somm Secret—Chardonnay fans looking to try something new would benefit from giving Pinot Blanc a try.