White Wine

Pinot blanc was apparently cultivated in Alto Adige for the first time by Archduke Johann of Austria in 1852. Since it developed magnificently within the province, it joined Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon blanc as the leading white wine grape variety in the area.

With an elegant scent of apples and lively acidity, Pinot blanc is the perfect everyday wine. In order to get the finesse of its fruitiness right into the bottle without adulteration, winemakers make sparing use of oak barrels with this variety.

Chardonnay is genetically related to the Burgundy Pinot varieties. In the 1980s, it experienced a tremendous upswing in popularity in Alto Adige, and it continues to demonstrate its classic qualities in the province.

It is captivating through its fine acidity and its elegant interplay of aromas of pineapple, bananas, apples, pears, citrus fruit, caramel, vanilla, and butter. Its palette can range from the fresh, fruity, linear qualities of the versions that are stabilized in stainless steel tanks to the complex selections suitable for aging which are fermented right in the small oak casks and allowed to mature on fine yeast.

This originates from the large family of Burgundy Pinot grapes and is regarded as one of the most noble Italian white wines of all.

Pinot Grigio is a full-bodied, extract-rich white wine with a warm, flowery scent which demonstrates different characteristics depending upon its zone of cultivation. The spectrum ranges from slim, fresh representatives in the Val Venosta to wines with a certain mineral quality in the Adige Valley to the glowing, substantial vintages in Bolzano and the Oltradige.

Brought to Alto Adige in the nineteenth century by Archduke Johann of Austria, the Riesling grape is almost already a guarantee for a good white wine.

In contrast to the German examples, the Riesling wines are completely fermented here, for the most part leaving little or no residual sugar. Especially in the cooler regions of the Isarco Valley and the Val Venosta, Rieslings emerge with fine peach and citrus aromas and a lively, dancing acidity.

In Alto Adige, Sylvaner is planted almost exclusively in the Isarco Valley, the gateway to the Dolomites, where it primarily appreciates the cool terraced slopes from 500 to 700 m. (1,600 to 2,300 ft.) which are nevertheless bathed in sunshine. At these elevations, the variety develops both sufficient body and a robust acidity.

An earthy, mineral scent is typical of Sylvaner, accompanied by aromas of fresh herbs or hay.

It was primarily Austrian winegrowers who made Grüner Veltlner presentable at the international level. In Alto Adige, its cultivation is concentrated in the Isarco Valley, in the Italian Alps on the way to the Dolomites.

By means of consistent restrictions on yield and new winery technology, Veltliner has developed into is a fresh and fruity, pleasantly spicy specialty with soft aromas of flowers and herbs.

Thanks to its resistance to frost, the German hybrid of Trollinger and Riesling, named after the Swabian poet Justinus Kerner, is planted primarily at the higher elevations of the Isarco Valley and the Val Venosta in the Italian Alps.

This grape produces sleek, spicy Italian white wines with a slight hint of nutmeg. Thanks to its rich abundance of aroma and its fine, fruity bouquet, Kerner has the potential to become a new point of pride for Alto Adige’s winegrowers.

Named after the Swiss vine researcher Hermann Müller who came from Thurgau, this hybrid that has achieved worldwide success produces especially lively, aromatic white wines.

Along with its typical aroma of nutmeg, in the Isarco Valley the grape produces a scent of elder blossoms, in the warmer Bassa Atesina we find tones of nuts and stone fruits, while in the Val Venosta, mineral tones and a slight scent of apple prevail.

This very old grape variety was introduced to Alto Adige / Südtirol from France at the end of the nineteenth century. It settled in particular in the terraced sites along the Adige River, from Salurn up to Merano.

In Alto Adige, Sauvignon Blanc opens up its bouquet that is typical of the variety with slightly “green aromas” of freshly cut grass and gooseberries, producing both crisp, fresh wines and those with a marked intensity.

As the name already reveals, Gewürztraminer originated in the Alto Adige winegrowing village of Tramin. “Traminer” was a term known throughout the entire German-speaking world as early as the thirteenth century. But for a long time, it nearly sank into oblivion. Today it is one of the most requested of the Italian white wines from Alto Adige.

Its sumptuous spectrum of scents, with notes of rose petals, cloves, lychees, and other tropical fruits, makes Gewürztraminer the absolute embodiment of an aromatic wine variety. With its intense color, comparatively high alcohol content, and luxuriant texture, it is the epitome of a meditation wine.

It is highly possible that the Romans brought Moscato Giallo to Alto Adige when they ventured into the valleys inhabited by the ancient Rhaetians in 15 BC.

Today, the grape is grown in warm areas of the Adige Valley between Salorno and Merano. With its pleasant Muscat perfume and the prominently sweet flavor, Moscato Giallo is a popular dessert wine. And when vinted as a dry wine, it makes the perfect aperitif.