Germany is renowned for the white wines made from its indigenous grape varieties, and yet in Italy’s northernmost region of Alto Adige, four of the six Germanic varieties grown there actually produce finer wines than in Germany.
Alto Adige was part of Austria until 1919; the region’s name previously was Südtirol, or South Tyrol. On the losing side of World War I, Austria was forced to cede South Tyrol to Italy. The residents of South Tyrol had the choice of relocating to Austria, but most stayed in the region, which Italy renamed Alto Adige, literally, Upper Adige.
Riesling, the king of Germany’s white varieties, makes no wines in Italy that rival those in Germany—although it certainly performs very well in Alsace, France, formerly part of Germany. Riesling needs a longer growing season than it usually finds in Alto Adige. Austria’s Grüner Veltliner likewise performs worse in Alto Adige than in Austria. The four Germanic varieties that thrive in Alto Adige are Sylvaner, Kerner, Müller Thurgau and Gewürztraminer.
Some authorities believe that Gewürztraminer’s true home is actually around Tramin, a town in Alto Adige, though the oldest Gewürztraminer vines, dating back to the 1500s, were found in Germany. But even if Gewürztraminer did originate around Tramin, the area was originally Austrian, giving Italy weak claim to the grape.
A minor performer today in Germany, Gewürztraminer is an important variety in Alsace, where it typically makes rich, floral, exotic wines. Alto Adige’s Gewürztraminers are more restrained, have higher acidity, and are more useful than those from Alsace.
WINE OF THE WEEK 2006 Abbazia di Novacella Kerner, Valle Isarco (Alto Adige, Italy) Abbazia di Novacella is the northernmost winery in Italy. It is also a monastery, a farm and, dramatically tucked into the Alps on all sides, a popular destination for Austrian and German tourists. The Abbazia produces a fine line of white and red wines, but its Kerner is special. The ’06 Abbazia Kerner is crisp, lively and aromatic, with intense white fruit, mineral flavors and with a hint of Muscat-like flavors as well. It’s truly delightful. Wholesale price per case of 12 is $168.
Gewürztraminer grows in two major areas in Alto Adige: in the very cool, northern Isarco Valley, in the same area as Sylvaner, Kerner and Müller Thurgau; and in the somewhat warmer Traminer area, where a famous Gewürztraminer vineyard, Kolbenhof, is located. Wines from Kolbenhof are richer than the racy Gewürztraminers of the Isarco Valley, but not nearly so rich as Alsace Gewürztraminers, and they have better acidity.
Müller Thurgau is a fairly new variety, developed in 1882 by Hermann Müller. A cross between Riesling and Madeleine Royale, Müller Thurgau was developed as an early-ripening variety. Producers in Alto Adige, however, have discovered that Müller Thurgau thrives at very high altitudes, where the cool climate allows the variety to retain the required acidity to make crisp, aromatic wines.
Sylvaner is an old German variety that produces decent wines in Germany and Alsace. In northern Alto Adige’s Isarco Valley, however, it has blossomed with fresh, crisp, viscous, aromatic and lively fruit flavors.
Kerner is the real wild card in the group. A relative baby of a variety, it was developed in 1969 from Riesling and the red variety, Trollinger. It retains great acidity and resembles one of its parents, Riesling, with its great aromatics.
Kerner is actually quite popular in the Franken region of Germany, but it excels in Alto Adige’s Isarco Valley, where it’s a potential star, still somewhat undiscovered. Kerner wines from the Isarco Valley typically are intensely aromatic and crisp, with minerally flavors. We love them.
The good news for restaurateurs is that all four of these Germanic Alto Adige white wines—Gewürztraminer, Müller Thurgau, Sylvaner and Kerner—are very food-friendly and reasonably priced.