Life is short: Don’t drink generic wine. Yes, there’s probably a t-shirt somewhere that says this, but I’m not trying to be glib—I really believe it, and I’m compelled to say it when I’m presenting a delicious, affordable, place-expressive oddity like today’s St. Magdalener from Italy’s Alto Adige region.
This 2016 from Ansitz Waldgries, crafted from the local grapes Schiava and Lagrein, is the kind of wine you find on the “Interesting Reds” section of the wine list—always the first place I look, by the way, because as I said, life is short: I’m just going to drink Pinot Noir and Chardonnay all the time? I don’t think so. If you love Pinot Noir, in fact, you’ll love this St. Magdalener. Same goes for lovers of Cru Beaujolais, Loire Valley reds, and all manner of charming, cool-climate “mountain reds” (which this wine is). It comes from one of the most beautiful wine-growing regions on earth, is pure pleasure to drink, and is utterly unique—a true wine of place at a generic price. In my ongoing quest to introduce our subscribers to ‘new’ Italian sensations, this wine—and this place—looms large in my mind as something worth championing. It’s a delightful red and you should try it.
The Alto Adige is one of my favorite regions of Italy, not just for its physical magnificence but for its quirks. German is the first language, as the region, annexed by Italy after the First World War, was once part of Austria’s Tirol (Südtirol, for South Tyrol, is the German name for the province). Street signs (and wine labels) are printed in German and Italian both and the food and architecture hardly fit the classic ‘Italian’ stereotype. Most wine drinkers have at least a passing acquaintance with the region because of all the Pinot Grigio that comes out of there, but there’s so much more than meets the eye: a wide assortment of aromatic, well-structured varietal whites are complemented by a similarly broad range of reds, as it gets plenty warm in the daytime here. Walled in by the Alps and Dolomites, the Adige River valley is a broad, sun-drenched basin that receives a daily blast of warm air coming off Lake Garda to the south. Soils closest to the river are gravel and sand (which inspired many producers to plant ‘Bordeaux’ varieties), becoming rockier and more morainic (i.e. left by the retreat of glaciers) as you climb upward. The most-planted red variety is Schiava (Vernatsch in German), which is naturally light in both color and body, with brambly, forest-floor aromas mingling with bright red fruits. It’s amazing how perfectly suited Schiava reds are to their place: They’re a bright, easy-drinking counterpart to often-heavy, German-accented food and the perfect refresher after a day of hiking or skiing.
Ansitz Waldgries, run by Christian Plattner and family, is a characteristically bucolic property centered on a 13th-century manor house and cellar in the hills north of Bolzano. Their vineyards here are part of the St. Magdalener (Santa Maddalena) sub-zone, where soils are a mix of glacial moraine and volcanic material—especially porphyritic quartz— and vineyard altitudes range from 250 to 900 meters. As St. Magdalener wines go, this 2016 is on the ‘bigger’ side, with the addition of about 8% Lagrein (up to 15% is allowed under appellation rules) adding color and depth. Waldgries’ source material for today’s wine came from a 2.6-hectare site at 350 meters’ elevation; the fruit was fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged 5 months in large, used oak vats.
While ‘big’ by St. Magdalener standards, this 2016 is nevertheless a bright, soft, medium-weight refresher. In the glass it’s a deep, reflective ruby moving to rosy pink at the rim, with some blue/black fruit notes from the Lagrein lending a bass note to an otherwise spicy mix of raspberry, wild strawberry, plum, underbrush, violet, a touch of mint, bitter chocolate, and leather. Tannins are very soft and the acidity is fresh but not piercing: it lands gently and gracefully on the palate, and finishes with a slightly peppery, savory flourish. It hints at a variety of great lighter-weight reds while marching to the beat of its own drum, and it’s styled to drink young: No need to lay this down or decant it, just pull the cork and don’t be surprised when the bottle empties quickly. I like reds like this a little cooler, 55-60 degrees, in Burgundy stems with a thick, juicy burger (check out the attached homage to my Oakland chef buddy and burger kingpin Chris Kronner). It’s not my only go-to for the summer ahead—as I said, you need to mix things up—but I’m not stopping at one. It’s too damn tasty. Enjoy!
