The management of the territory, the development of its potential, and the shift from production that meets customer demands to one that values the connection between the many cultivated grape varieties and the exposures that best suit them are the three main objectives of producers in Alto Adige. This renewed awareness has led smaller companies to specialize in the vocation of their vineyards, as perfectly highlighted by city-based companies or distant realities of the Valle Isarco. Similarly, cooperative structures reserve the best selections only for grape varieties that best adapt to their territory.
So, Girlan specializes in Pinot Noir, which in its finest versions has abandoned the fruity and immediate style to express a stronger connection with the originating territory and the facets it brings, while Tramin focuses on Gewürztraminer and Chardonnay. Similarly, Kurtatsch concentrates on Gewürztraminer and Bordeaux varieties. Then, the territory takes care of the rest, allowing the development of vineyards ranging from 220 meters in the valley floor to over 1000 meters in the higher areas, providing territories like Oltradige, where many varieties find precious habitats, with a climate offering sunny and warm days followed by cool and ventilated nights.
Here, we focus on the two Pinot Noir labels that we awarded Tre Bicchieri in the Gambero Rosso Vini d'Italia 2024 Guide
One is the Pinot Noir Aton Ris. 2018 by Elena Walch, which demonstrates all its value. Fruit of vineyards in the Glen and Barleith areas, it has scents of wild fruit and officinal herbs, but it is on the palate that the wine reveals all its class. Taut and graceful, it captivates with the sapidity and elegance of the sip, concluding with a long and satisfying finish. The relationship between the Walch family and Atesine viticulture dates back centuries, but it is with Elena's arrival in the company in the '80s that the company changes direction, quickly becoming a reference point for enthusiasts. Today, at the helm, there are the daughters Julia and Karoline who manage a vineyard platform that extends for about 90 hectares, distributed from the 250 meters of the valley floor to the 1000 meters where the vines that require more freshness reside.
The other is the Pinot Noir Trattmann Ris. 2020 by Cantina Girlan, a Reserve that in recent years has founded its stylistic signature on elegance and tension, with dark fruit finding complexity and articulation intertwining with notes of officinal herbs and undergrowth. On the palate, the tannin is well-polished, and the acidity gives momentum and length to the sip. The cooperative in Cornaiano relies on the passion and competence of a dense group of 200 winemakers who, along the gentle slopes of the Oltradige area, manage 220 hectares of vineyards under the careful direction of the technical group led by Gerhard Kofler. Completing the vineyard platform are small plots in the Bassa Atesina, particularly in the Mazzon area. In the cellar, the focus is on enhancing the historical grape varieties of the province and producing wines of strong territorial expression.
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