There are mountain wines, and then there are wines from wind-swept peaks so high they seem to be born from the sky. This is the glory of Alto Adige, a dramatic wine region in northeastern Italy, and the home to the century-old cantina of Kurtatsch. Here on the border with Austria it is white grapes that reign supreme, grown at altitudes that top 3,000 feet. The village of Kurtatsch (Cortaccia in Italian) is particularly blessed when it comes to terroir, with a wide range of soils that suit perfectly both native and international grapes.
Kurtatsch since the early 1900s has been the representative of the area’s best growers and the source of its finest, most expressive wines. Over the decades, growers have diligently researched which vineyards and soils would give the best expression of each grape.
This exploration has resulted in an unparalleled collection of distinctive wines that capture the true spirit of this wine region that just now is finally being recognized for its exciting variety of wines as well as consistently high quality.
The German name for Schiava, "Vernatsch", derives from Latin "vernaculus", "native", and refers to its far-reaching history in Alto Adige. In the oldest written documentations, Schiava grigia was already named as the noblest of the Schiava varieties.
This demanding Schiava clone excels on airy, sunny hillsides. On loamy, calciferous dolomite soils it develops into a harmonious wine with silky tannins. Herbal and spicy notes unite with enticing cherry, raspberry and forest fruit aromas. We recommend drinking this wine lightly cooled (13°C/55°F). The Schiava grigia is perfectly suited to pizza, white meats or fish dishes.
