2022 Cantina Tramin, Alto Adige Pinot Nero
2022 Cantina Tramin, Alto Adige Pinot Nero

2022 Cantina Tramin, Alto Adige Pinot Nero

Alto Adige, Italy 2022 (750mL)
Regular price$29.00
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2022 Cantina Tramin, Alto Adige Pinot Nero

We’re declaring today Alto-Adige wine Thursday! Why? Because this far northern region of Italy, with breathtaking Alpine views and a rugged landscape that’s dotted with gorgeous mountain valleys, is also capable of producing some of the best values in expressive, balanced, terroir driven wines. And unlike much of Italy this region has long embraced the classic, international varieties that we all know and love. First up is Pinot Noir, aka Pinot Nero, from a high quality cooperative in Tramin. Pinot, in Italy? Yup, in fact they’ve been growing this grape since long before the region was even Italian, dating back to Napoleon’s invasion of the Austro-Hungarian empire (more history below), and today it’s just as at home here as it is on the west coast of the U.S. This is a silky, exuberant wine, bursting with red fruits and earth, and as promised it offers unparalleled value. This is a perfect “house” Pinot, buy it by the case.

NOTE: If you are a Wine Club Member, then you can receive 10% off today's offer by using the code CLUB10 at checkout, exclusive to wine club members only. Not a member? Sign up HERE.

Although many of the so-called “French” wine grapes likely had a foothold on the Italian peninsula earlier, the arrival of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1797 was surely a catalyst for further plantations. From 1805-1814 Napoleon and his son-in-law governed the Kingdom of Italy as a client-state of France, and most experts point to this period as the time when French vine cuttings migrated to Italy en masse. As has been well-documented, Napoleon was a wine lover (especially Burgundy), and, in typical French fashion, he was rather nationalistic in his tastes. According to some sources, he brought an enologist with him when he invaded Italy and instructed him to “Plantez les raisins francais decents!” (Plant some decent French grapes!)

Pinot Noir was certainly one of those “decent” grapes, and the picturesque Alpine valleys of the Südtirol (the Germanic name for The Alto Adige) have the perfect weather and soil for this famously finicky grape. This region has long been 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. A lithe, silky-smooth Pinot like this is perfect for quick meals of grilled vegetables and chicken or hearty fish like salmon and tuna. Indeed it is super versatile, another reason (other than the excellent value) to keep some on hand at all times!

2022 Cantina Tramin, Alto Adige Pinot Nero
Country
Region
Sub-Region
Soil
Farming
Blend
Alcohol
OAK
TEMP.
Glassware
Drinking
Decanting

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