The Wines of Alto Adige Captivate US Trade & Press
During Three-City Tasting Tour

New York, NY, March 2011 —The wines of Alto Adige swept through Chicago, Boston and New York City during the region’s recent grand tasting tour. Located in Italy’s northeast corner between Austria and Switzerland, Alto Adige (also known as Südtirol or South Tyrol) is home to a blend of Alpine and Mediterranean cultures. One of the world’s smallest wine growing areas, yet one of the most multi-faceted, the Alto Adige tastings demonstrated the region’s diversity with 20 producers pouring over 200 wines from 20 different grape varieties.

Standing-room-only seminars showcased Alto Adige’s distinctive white varietals. Wine professionals and press were impressed and charmed by the freshness, minerality, structure, and age-ability of these white wines with vintages spanning the past decade. The winery panel included Klaus Gasser of Terlan, Wolfgang Klotz of Tramin, Urs Vetter of Alois Lageder, and Tobias Zingerle of Caldaro/Kaltern. Panelists represented the region’s independent winegrowers, wine estates and cooperative wineries. Noted experts moderated the seminar panel in each city: Brian Duncan of Chicago’s Bin 36; wine columnist and educator Dr. Michael Apstein of Boston; and Mary Ewing-Mulligan, MW, author, and President of the International Wine Center closing out the tour in New York City.

During the walk-around tastings, hundreds of wine professionals and media sampled terroir-driven, vibrant, aromatic white wines and elegant reds of character from indigenous and international varieties. In addition to the individual wineries, red and white varietal-themed tables offered attendees the opportunity to gain an overview of Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Nero and Lagrein varietals.

The region and the tastings received instant press coverage and visibility through social media outlets like Twitter and Facebook. A Twitter dedicated hastag (#altoadigetasting) allowed participants to share reviews and thoughts with fellow attendees and followers in real-time.
See below.

Jafields:
Thanks to @AltoAdigeWines for the tasting/seminar today. World class cool climate wines! #AltoAdigeTasting

DecantChicago:
RT @MendezMusings: @DecantChicago #SauvignonBlanc gauntlet has been thrown down. #AltoAdige seriously raising the bar. #altoadigetasting

Stacywoods: Viti/vini class tonight - picked up many things to share w/ the students from producers at #altoadigetasting

MendezMusings: #altoadigetasting off to a great start with @BIN36 Brian Duncan giving us all a "passport in the glass". @AltoAdigeWines

melissa_ful: Alto Adige is a realization of contrasts. No one wine expresses the totality of the region. via @memmw #altoadigetasting
raelinn_wine: Love Alto Aldige! RT @melissa_ful: Of all regions in the world, "Alto Adige defines great Pinot Bianco." via @memmw #altoadigetasting