Alto Adige is one of Italy's most diverse wine regions, with just under 6000 hectares of vineyards spread over a territory that changes continuously in just 40 kilometers from north to south, offering combinations that allow many grape varieties to find their ideal terroir.
The distribution of Alto Adige's vineyards follows the course of the two main rivers of the region: the Adige and the Isarco; the vineyards line the two waterways starting from the Alps, at the northern limit of the region, and reaching the foothills of the south, where the climate becomes Mediterranean.
From the slopes of Val Venosta to the sunny hills of Bassa Atesina, from the alpine vineyards of Valle Isarco to the verdant shores of Lake Caldaro. And with the landscape, climates, and geological matrices of the soils also change: thus, a truly varied viticultural picture is created, a mosaic of a thousand tiles that increases exponentially if we also consider the vineyards with different exposures, altitudes, and heterogeneous microclimates; so much so that often substantial differences emerge from one village to another.
Central to the work of the numerous cooperatives, large companies for the region but generally not managing more than 300 hectares of vineyards, is the skillful valorization of the work of the numerous members, transforming the grapes into excellent wines. Alongside them are the historic families of Alto Adige wine, capable over the centuries of extending their properties to many of the most coveted plots, as well as small family-run businesses that with the same care follow the small parcels of land scattered throughout the province.
Here we focus on the grape variety with which one of the great whites of the region is produced: Kerner, obtained in Germany in 1929 from the cross between Schiava and Riesling Renano and DOC since 1993.
Top-quality Kerner wines
In the following list, you will find some of the best expressions of Kerner that have received the Due Bicchieri Rossi - having reached the finals during the tastings for the Vini d'Italia 2024 guide - or Due Bicchieri, with the best value for money.
The 2022 Kerner from Strasserhof Hannes Baumgartner (Due Bicchieri Rossi 2024) is exuberant and citrusy on the nose, satisfying on the palate, savory, and of beautiful length. Hannes Baumgartner has been leading the family business for twenty years, with less than 6 hectares of vineyards lying in the northernmost part of Valle Isarco, where the vineyards extend from 680 to 750 meters above sea level. Just beyond, only woods and meadows until the border with Austria. Especially white grape varieties, the classics of the valley, interpreted with a sure hand that enhances the aromatic expression of the grapes and exalts the climate of the territory, characterized by hot days and much cooler nights.
Smoky and slender is the 2022 Kerner from Köfererhof Günther Kerschbaumer (Due Bicchieri Rossi 2024). The company of Günther and Gaby Kerschbaumer is located in the Novacella area, a sort of vast vineyard theater where the vineyards occupy both the center of the arena and the surrounding stands. This is the realm of the most refined and taut white grape varieties in the province, and the historic company on via Pusteria is a faithful and at the same time original interpreter of them. Meticulous viticulture, patient waiting for the best moment for the harvest, and long stays in the cellar make Köfererhof an absolute reference point for the wines of Valle Isarco.
Interesting is the Kerner Libellula 2020, aged in oak, smoky, and mineral; on the nose, it leaves the fruit in the background and conquers the palate with tension and length, as well as the Kerner Luxs 2022. The Sölva family's company extends for 7 hectares along the hills surrounding Lake Caldaro on different plots. If for varieties that require more warmth, such as Bordeaux varieties or Lagrein, the zones of Prutznai and Lavason are tapped, Schiava reigns supreme at Barleit, and white grape varieties are found in the highest vineyards of Vial and Kardatsch. A real viticultural puzzle that, within a few kilometers, offers ideas and possibilities for reliable and high-quality production.
- A. A. Kerner Libellula Ris. 2020 - Niklaserhof Dieter Sölva
- A. A. Kerner Luxs 2022 - Niklaserhof Dieter Sölva
Always convincing is the Kerner from Mair's house, which, even with the 2022 vintage, does not fail to assert its class. Intense aromas of citrus and flowers in the mouth highlight richness and tension, resulting in a juicy and captivating drink.
The 2022 Kerner from Villscheiderhof Florian Hilpold is one of the wines produced by the Hilpold family's company, which is located on a terraced vineyard overlooking Brixen. Also very good is the Sylvaner 2022, fresh and immediate in its expression of white fruit and flowers, on the palate it reveals a profile characterized by the contrast between acidity and softness, resulting in a long and satisfying drink.
The 2022 Kerner from Taschlerhof Peter Wachtler is one of the wines produced by Peter Wachtler's company, a handful of hectares dedicated to the characteristic white varieties of Valle Isarco, providing grapes for excellent-level production. We are on the western side of the valley where small vineyard plots rise upwards supported by a network of dry stone walls that make the landscape unmistakable.
The 2022 Kerner from Tenuta Ebner Florian Unterthiner is one of the wines produced by Florian and Brigitte Unterthiner's company, a small reality that can rely on old vineyards extending over a handful of hectares and providing grapes for production that combines the finesse of Valle Isarco with the richness of Bolzano wines. The basin of Bolzano enjoys a warm and Mediterranean climate during the summer, but it is enough to venture into Valle Isarco and climb the first foothills of Renon to enjoy sudden breezes and great temperature variations.
The 2022 Kerner from Thomas Unterhofer is one of the wines produced by the company in the highest area of Caldaro, in Pianizza di Sopra. Here, the Unterhofers have been producing wine for about fifteen years. Also excellent is the Sauvignon Mirum 2022, which matures in large barrels before giving its aromas of ripe yellow fruit and flowers. In the mouth, it is dry and of excellent length.
The 2022 Kerner Karneid from Glögglhof Franz Gojer is one of the wines produced by the company. The Gojer family is certainly among the protagonists of the Santa Maddalena area, with a beautiful viticultural platform on some of the best exposures in the classic area. Among the reds, Schiava and Lagrein remain the absolute protagonists, while for the whites, one must go up the course of the Isarco River to Cornedo, where Kerner, Sauvignon, and Pinot Bianco find their home.
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