The Alto Adige is known for its abundance of well-run winemaking cooperatives, which are often named for a village in the region. The Tramin co-op is the winemaking arm of a 160-member collective of small vinegrowers, who farm 270 hectares of vineyards between them. The winery was founded by a local parish priest in 1898. Tramin is the name of a village along the weinstrasse (wine route), which runs along the west side of the Adige in the foothills of the Dolomites. The assorted vine-growers for the Cantina are clustered around Tramin, at altitudes ranging from 250 to 850 meters. Soils vary as you climb upward, with more clay and gravel at lower levels and more limestone and porphyry higher up.

This wine is 100% Pinot Noir from assorted vineyards in the hamlets of Mazon (a well-respected area for Pinot Noir cultivation here) and Montan. Fermentation lasts 10 days in stainless steel, followed by seven months of aging in a combination of large French/Austria oak casks and concrete tanks. There’s an appealingly woodsy quality, along with silky tannins, modest alcohol, and bright—not sharp—acidity. And it’s ready to drink now. Decant it 15 minutes before serving (it is bottled under screw cap, so let the wine breathe some air) and prepare for a sweet-savory serenade of red and black cherry, wild strawberry, rhubarb, rose petals, and lots of underbrush, smoke, leather, and herbs.