After this morning’s lovely, best-in-class Pinot value kicked off our celebration of the underrated wines of the Alto Adige, we’re following it up with a pitch perfect Sauvignon Blanc that will have you questioning all the perceived wisdom surrounding this famous variety. The best examples are from the Loire, Bordeaux, and New Zealand, right? Turns out the Alpine regions of northeastern Italy, Slovenia, and southern Austria are actually making some of the most expressive, terroir transparent versions of Sauv Blanc in the world. Case in point: The tiny estate of Weingut Niklas (yes we’re in Italy, but the Austrian influence is strong), where Dieter Sölva makes a snappy, mineral driven wine that has all the classic aromatic pizzazz that this grape is famous for. Oh, and of course the price is very, very nice. Alpine Pinot and Alpine Sauvignon Blanc–time to stock up!
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In Italy, and Europe in general, place names take priority over grape names on wine labels. Some of the most famous Italian wines—like Barolo, or Soave—make no mention whatsoever of the grape varieties used. But in the northeastern regions of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trentino-Alto Adige, “varietal” wine labeling has long been common practice. While these regions have experienced surges of interest in their indigenous varieties, both have long and distinguished histories with international grapes, especially “Bordeaux” varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, and the Cabernets. Sauvignon Blancs from Friuli and Alto Adige are probably the standouts—they’re rightly regarded as qualitative, if not quite stylistic, peers to the greatest Sauvignons of the Loire Valley.
Indeed, the only other region that compares to northeastern Italy and central France when it comes to world class Sauvignon Blanc (apologies to New Zealand and California) is in Southern Austria–the Italian/Austrian connection runs deep. Go to the Weingut Niklas website and the first language is German: The Alto Adige, a.k.a. Südtirol, was once part of Austria, so most of the wines of this region have a kind of dual citizenship. Dieter Sölva is the proprietor at this small family winery and agriturismo, which is named for its home village of St. Nikolaus, in the Kaltern/Caldaro district southwest of Bolzano.
The Alto Adige (the “upper” part of the Adige River Valley) is a diverse terroir: The gravelly valley floor has historically been favored for red grapes, and while the Adige does indeed snake through the Dolomites, the region gets quite warm during the growing season, thanks to currents off Lake Garda. At higher elevations, soils become rockier, with mineral elements like feldspar, quartz and porphyry. The vineyard sources for this wine sit at 500-600 meters of elevation, with vines trained in the traditional pergola method to maximize sun exposure, are rooted in soils of pebbly limestone. Cool nighttime temperatures help lengthen the growing season to preserve acidity in a wine that is subjected to a brief maceration on skins before fermentation and aging in stainless steel.
Dieter’s spot-on 2022 is racy and assertively aromatic, falling somewhere between Sancerre and New Zealand in style. The acidity is citrusy and lively, and yet there is some lushness to the texture on the mid-palate, along with the slightest kiss of residual sugar. Aromas and flavors of white grapefruit, elderberry, green pepper, gooseberry, mountain wildflowers, and wet stones extend through the long finish. In its homeland a simple spread of Alpine cheese, charcuterie, and maybe some fresh summer greens would be the classic pairing, but this wine goes great with all kinds of fresh seafood, grilled vegetables, and anything that is savory and herbaceous. Given the extraordinary value I would grab a case or two so you can crack a bottle whenever you feel the urge for fresh, mountain Sauvignon Blanc!
