Alto Adige continues to have a soft spot in my heart and a warm welcome on my palate. These wines are typically expressive, while inexpensive, providing good price to quality ratio. They are also food friendly and quite refreshing.

The smallest of Italy’s wine regions, Alto Adige produces high quality wines, but accounts for only 0.8% of all Italian wine production. The majority of these vineyards are situated on steep slopes with a patchwork of many, tiny plots owned by many different families. Given the challenges that the topography imposes on grape growing, coupled with the need for economies of scale, a large percentage of the region is managed by cooperatives.

Two such cooperatives are Cantina Girlan and Cantina Colterenzio. Cantina Girlan got its start in 1923 with 23 families gathering together to produce wine in the region. Today, the winery is home to 200 families, representing a total of 230 hectares of vineyards. Established somewhat later (1960) Colterenzio counts 300 winegrowers among its members and manages 300 hectares of vineyards. The two wineries produce both red and white wines, with a higher proportion of whites, given the high altitude climate.

These two options are excellent at the dinner table and are a nice respite from the heat and humidity of the dog days of summer.

TASTING NOTES

Cantina Colterenzio Cora Pinot Bianco 2020, Alto Adige, Italy, $18.00
Aromas of spice, citrus, and smoke greet with nose, with crisp acidity, medium+ body, and notes of chalk,
citrus and spice on the dry palate, culminating in long length

Cantina Girlan Pinot Grigio 2019, Alto Adige, Italy, $16.00
On the nose this wine displays notes of marzipan and citrus which persist on the fresh and clean, dry palate with medium+ body and long length.

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