Alto Adige Wines

Press Highlights

December 2014

Alto Adige Press Summary

December 2014

Alto Adige Wines press coverage during the month of December 2014 garnered a total of 166,365,523 media impressions and 85 total articles. Of these articles, 1 was featured on broadcast television, 49 were published online, and 35 were published in print publications. Highlights include The New York Times, in which Pinot Bianco wines from Alto Adige are recommended for pairing with a recipe for Porchetta Pork Roast by the publication’s chief wine critic, Eric Asimov. Hayley Hamilton Cogill published an article in D Magazine outlining the highlights of her trip to Alto Adige in September 2014. Hayley gives an overview of the region’s history and unique culture, and also recommends several wines from J. Hofstätter, Cantina Terlano, Abbazia di Novacella, Tieffenbruner, and Elena Walch wineries. Bill St. John of the Chicago Tribune recommended both the 2012 Cantina Andriano Sauvignon Blanc and the 2012 Abbazia di Novacella Pinot Grigio in his wine and food pairing column. Elizabeth Stark and Brian Campbell of the Condé Nast Traveler included Alto Adige in their list of undiscovered wine regions to explore in 2015. Finally, the 2012 Abbazia di Novacella Praepositus Kerner was ranked as number 78 out of Wine Enthusiast's top 100 wines of 2014, and received a score of 93 points.

Date: 12/10/2014 Print Audience: 439,731 Online Audience: 21,084,160 Page Count: 1/1

Chicago Tribune

Date: 12/17/2014 Print Audience: 2,517,307 Online Audience: 57,395,455 Page Count: 1/2

The New York Times

Date: 12/17/2014 Print Audience: 2,517,307 Online Audience: 57,395,455 Page Count: 2/2

The New York Times

Date: 12/21/2014 Print Audience: 439,731 Online Audience: 20,500,550 Page Count: 1/1 Chicago Tribune

A quick fried rice dish studded with ham, peas and egg makes an excellent

dinner. Wash it down with a zesty wine. (Bob Fila, Chicago Tribune)

The convention when pairing wine with either eggs or ham is "don't." Ham is too salty; eggs, too gooey. (They gum up

the palate and block any wine's flavors.) But there are saltier foods than ham that beg for wine (oysters, for instance,

and Muscadet; or salted nuts and fish and fino sherry). And cooked-through eggs have all the goo gone. Many wines

can successfully pair up with this dish, despite all that's going on in it. That's what zesty acidity, lean structure,

moderate alcohol and low tannin in wines are meant for. And that's what's recommended.

THE FOOD: Fried rice with ham, egg, onions and peas

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a skillet until hot. Add 3 cloves garlic, minced; cook, 1 minute. Add 3/4 cup each chopped

onion and chopped ham; cook until ham is slightly crisp and the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Stir in 3/4 cup peas;

cook, 1 minute. Pour in 3 beaten eggs; toss vigorously, breaking up any large egg clumps, about 1 minute. Cook until

eggs firm, about 2 minutes; stir in 4 cups cold cooked white rice. Toss rapidly, until rice heats through, about 2

minutes. Season with soy sauce.Makes: 4 servings

THE WINES

2012 Abbazia di Novacella Pinot Grigio, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy: Yes, terrific pinot grigio still

comes from Italy for less than $30 a bottle; here's one, all apples and pears and fine

crispness. $20

Date: 12/23/2014 Online Audience: 283,395 Page Count: 1/11

SideDish

In the vast world of wine there are a few commonalities that define a region. Most often that

discussion leads with the soil composition of a vineyard. The soil can define the character of

a wine and is one of the key parts of a region’s terroir, the French term that defines the

sense of place of a wine. However, the discussion of wine produced in Alto Adige, the

picturesque Northern Italian region that rests along the Adige River, does not start with their

soil. Instead, it begins with high elevations. In Alto Adige, you’ll find massive sloping

terraces of vines that soar thousands of feet into the sky, with conditions influenced by the

Dolomite Mountains leading into the Italian and Swiss Alps. The slopes are so steep that

work, all done by hand, is treacherous. Maintaining vines that typically shouldn’t exist at

elevations so high is laborious, but worth it for the wines the region produces. I visited

recently, traveling as a guest of the Alto Adige Wine Consortium.

Date: 12/23/2014 Online Audience: 283,395 Page Count: 2/11

SideDish

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but every photo I took of the

Austrian-German influenced Italian region did not do it justice. Every vision was a

moment out of The Sound of Music: green, vibrant hills were very much alive and

the urge to yodel occurred often.

Sprawling vineyards of fully ripened indigenous Lagrein and Schiava, along with

luscious Pinot Noir, flourish in the low altitude and warmer climate near Lake

Caldaro. Traveling north to altitudes upwards of 3000-4000 feet above sea level,

varieties turn from red to white. The higher you climb, the more diverse the varieties

become: Chardonnay grows in, the lower areas followed upward by Pinot Grigio,

Gewürztraminer, Pinot Bianco, Gruner Veltliner, and more. As altitudes climb each

variety becomes more resistant to cool temperatures, ripens later, and is filled with

bright acidity and minerality.

Date: 12/23/2014 Online Audience: 283,395 Page Count: 3/11

Side Dish

The far Northeastern Italian area is one of the oldest wine producing regions in the

world, prized by Romans for the quality. Historically it was a part of the Habsburg

empire, then briefly under French rule with Napoleon, then Austrian rule, with the

region fighting for Austria the First World War. After WWI, the region was annexed

to Italy. Though technically a part of Italy for almost 100 years, the feeling

throughout the area is still very Eastern European. The main economy for the

region is agriculture, either vineyards or apple crops. (Alto Adige supplies around

80% of apples consumed throughout Europe.) Today, the region is one of the

wealthiest in Italy, recently named the third most popular region for tourism in Italy,

just behind Rome and Tuscany.

Date: 12/23/2014 Online Audience: 283,395 Page Count: 4/11

SideDish

Visually, churches with tall steeples dot the

landscapes instead of the traditional Italian

square bell towers. Alto Adige boasts the

most historic castles of any region in Europe

and almost as many monasteries. White-

washed cottage-like buildings with farmhouse-

style architecture, many with building names

stenciled on signs with ultra-clean precision,

emulate the clean, structured lines of a

conservative past. Languages mix between

German, Italian, and their local dialect that

combines a bit of both.

As does the food, all with a German-Austrian-

Swiss influence. Meals in Alto Adige are

hearty and rich, filled with everything from

traditional knodel (bread dumplings,) to coarse

grained polenta, schlutzkrapfen (potato dough

ravioli) with butter sauces, house-made

sausage and roasted meats, apple strudel,

and Speck dell’Alto Adige PGI (Protected

Geographical Indication,) the beloved cured

ham of the region.

Date: 12/23/2014 Online Audience: 283,395 Page Count: 5/11

SideDish

Throughout the region there are dozens of welcoming,

traditional farmhouse restaurants, that take your senses

and palate to a cozy place. Local dishes, served family-

style, are paired with house-made beer and wine. What

makes these establishments so important to the people of

the region is that the Italian government supports this

“argitourismo,” as it is known in the country, giving back to

the farmers who have chosen to turn their farms and

homes into seasonal B&Bs or eating establishments.

Though each can only be open seasonally and around

70% minimum of what is used in the establishment has to

come directly from the farm or made from products

generated on the farm, this incentive has generated a

significant amount of additional income for local farmers.

Being a farmer is the job they were born to do, many

inheriting the land from their fathers. Preparing and

sharing traditional dishes, making wine from the few vines

each farmer owns, is their way of life, passed down

through generations.

The wineries in the region are either part of a cooperative

owned by the farmers/vintners of the region and a small number

are family owned. The cooperative practice in the area thrives

due to the farmer involvement. The farmers each own a part of

the winery and are “governed” by an elected board that

manages daily operations. Their agreement is that all of the fruit

they grow must be sold to the co-op, and they will be able to buy

back what they want for personal consumption. They are paid a

unanimously agreed upon price by the percentage of fruit they

provide the co-op. Since each co-op is regionally specific, the

vines are usually right around the winery production facility,

producing wine with the unique characteristics found in that

distinct part of Alto Adige. Growers are usually growing apples

as well as grapes. On average, seven out of ten growers do

both, often with higher profits coming from apples.

If you aren’t a member of a co-op, you are one of the few family

owned properties in the region, and you make wine from a

small-estate vineyards from purchased fruit. Since so many

varieties thrive in the region, most wineries make at least 20

different wines. Not many outsiders have been able to enter into

the wine business in Alto Adige because the landowners in the

small communities generally pass the property to the next

generation.

Date: 12/23/2014 Online Audience: 283,395 Page Count: 6/11

SideDish

Date: 12/23/2014 Online Audience: 283,395 Page Count: 7/11

SideDish

Pairing the hearty dishes of the area is easy. Traditional

Lagrein and Schiava, two varieties that have been grown in

the area for hundreds of years, are light bodied with low-

complexity and fresh acidity.

Pinot Bianco, potentially the most loved white wine of the

region, also fits nicely with the food. Though the variety has

made a name for itself in Alsace, France, the Italians of Alto

Adige know how to make the often lackluster Pinot Bianco

shine. The delicate yet abundant variety creates refreshing

flavors that burst from the glass.

Pinot Grigio is commonly referred to as the white wine of Italy.

If you asked an Italian why they grow it, they might say it is

because outside markets demand it. Most locals feel the

grape is often overly ripe and over-processed. However, in

Alto Adige the variety is loved both locally and internationally.

Producers elevate the variety, showcasing minerality and

herbal notes, as well as traditional fruit flavors.

Date: 12/23/2014 Online Audience: 283,395 Page Count: 8/11

SideDish

Pinot Noir, or Pinot Nero, is not the common Italian variety in Alto Adige. Grown on slopes up

from warm Lake Caldaro, the variety benefits from afternoon sunshine which ripens the fruit on

the sloping hills. The grapes are bathed with constant, cooling breezes from Lake Garda, Italy’s

largest lake. The winds shift the hot daytime temperatures to chilly temperatures at night with a

diurnal swing of upwards of 30 degrees, making this inland region feel Mediterranean.

The Pinot Nero wines showed a treasured ability to age, improving depth, elegance, and

refinement as they age in the bottle. A favorite came from family owned J Hofstatter, sampling a

2012 and 2005. The aged wine showed complexity and elegance, elevating berry and spice

flavors with layers of dried herbs and earthiness. J Hofstatter Meczan Pinot Nero is available at

Wine Poste and Jimmy’s for $24.

Cooperative owned Terlano Winery is known for producing white wines with the ability to age.

This is due to the high mineral content of the volcanic soils in the south, along with old vines that

bring highly concentrated flavors with very low yields per vine. One of their most loved

is Terlaner White, a blend of 60% Pinot Bianco, 30% Chardonnay, and 10% Sauvignon, with the

first vintage dating back to 1893. The three classic white varieties blend in harmony, each adding

a specific characteristic to the wine, Pinot Bianco adds acidity, minerality, and freshness. The

Chardonnay adds depth and warmth. The Sauvignon adds structure and aroma. The initial

aromas of the wine include lemon zest and white flowers, leading to stone fruit flavors. When

aged flavors shift to dried fruit and spice, however the acidity is still present, even in a 20 year

old wine. $22 available at Pogo’s.

Date: 12/23/2014 Online Audience: 283,395 Page Count: 9/11

SideDish

One cooperative that isn’t run by the farmers or vintners is Abbazia di Novacella, a

St. Augustine monastery which dates back to 1142. Instead, it is still run by the

church. As in many Old World wine communities, the church and nobility always

played a part in wine production, with vintners growing fruit specifically for one or the

other. Today, the working monastery is financially independent of the Italian state and

Catholic church thanks to their unique ability to produce and sell wine.

Devoted to prayer and the study of religion and philosophy, the monks do not work

their vineyards, which is left to a staff of permanent and seasonal workers led by the

Abbot. Everything the monastery does is devoted to the praise of God and serving

the people. Their property includes a middle-school and dormitory, a gilded Baroque

library, steep terraced vineyards, as well as their completely carbon-neutral winery

production facility. In addition to what they grow, they purchase fruit from 50

additional vintners. These contracted vintners farm to the monastery’s specifications.

Date: 12/23/2014 Online Audience: 283,395 Page Count: 10/11

SideDish

Walking through Abbazia di Novacella vineyards, tasting almost fully ripened fruit along the

way, I noticed that nothing tastes as similar in fruit form as in the wine the fruit produces

than the purple skinned Gewürztraminer. Though the skins are dark, quick pressing after

harvest ensures that the wine produced is a pale straw color filled with aromas of

honeysuckle, rose, tropical fruit, and spice. It’s floral and juicy but dry, which makes it a

perfect wine for food. The white Kerner variety has origins in Germany but has been grown

in Alto Adige since the 1970’s. The grape, a cross between Schiava and Riesling, produces

highly aromatic wines filled with orange, peach, and apple with a medium-bodied palate.

The wines are available locally at Wine Poste for $20 a bottle.

Family owned since 1675, with their Castel Turmhof Estate dating

back to 1225 A.D., Tieffenbrunner Winery is dedicated to

maintaining their history of producing high quality wines by

following tradition while utilizing modern technology. This ensures

that the true essence of the grape is expressed in each wine

produced. I had a chance to walk the Hofstatt vineyard, home of

their Müller-Thurgau vines for their Feldmarschall von Fenner

wine, sitting at 3,300 feet above sea level. Cultivation at this

altitude is usually impossible. However the microclimate of the

area and the protection from northerly winds by the Mendel

Mountains, allow this cool climate, mineral-driven variety to

thrive.Tieffenbruner Feldmarschall von Fenner is available for

$33 here.

Date: 12/23/2014 Online Audience: 283,395 Page Count: 11/11

SideDish

Elena Walch, an architect by trade, married into one of the most

historic family wineries in Alto Adige. She fell in love with Werner

Walch while restoring the family’s 17thCentury Renaissance castle,

Castel Ringberg. Upon their marriage, she left her profession to

become a winemaker and modernized many traditional practices

to make the family winery, Wilhelm Walch, more efficient. Shortly

after she started Elena Walch Winery. Her focus on the terroir,

creating wines that expressed where they came from has led

Elena Walch wines to be some of the most well-respected in the

region. Helped today by daughters, Julia and Karoline, the winery

continues to develop and grow. Elena Walch Beyond the Clouds

Grande Cuveeis a highly concentrated Chardonnay based white

blend of precisely chosen vines. All of the fruit is crushed and

fermented together, aged in new French oak for 10 months, and

followed by six months in the bottle before release. The result is a

spicy, toasty and slightly smoky wine with ripe apple, dried peach,

and toasted almond flavors. A big wine, perfect for sipping on cool

nights as the richness has a beautiful warming effect. $55

available here.

Date: 12/25/2014 Print Audience: 822,826 Online Audience: 2,312,690 Page Count: 1/1 Condé Nast Traveler

Date: 12/31/2014 Print Audience: 186,537 Online Audience: 358,901 Page Count: 1/2 Wine Enthusiast

Date: 12/31/2014 Print Audience: 186,537 Online Audience: 358,901 Page Count: 2/2 Wine Enthusiast