Alto Adige / Südtirol – Italian Germany or German Italy?

My recent journey to unWined took me to northern Italy. At least that was my impression judging from the maps and road signs. However, the autonomous region of South Tyrol is certainly a place of many nuances and a very pronounced multiculturalism.

According to official statistics, 62% of the population speaks Italian as their first language, while 30% speaks German. In my short experience in the region (a couple of days), German seemed to dominate. Yes, I’ve heard occasional ciao and grazie, but the further west we traveled, they completely gave way to the friendly Grüß Gott. Most professionals advertising their services on cars opted for the German language version, unlike official signs, which were always bilingual. Unmistakably, the driving style was 100% Italian – sudden overtaking, tailgating and disregard for speed limits were commonplace.

The climate of South Tyrol is an interesting mix. It was March, so it was still quite cold, as indicated by snowy Alpine peaks all around. At the same time, I’ve seen thriving palms by the Caldaro Lake (Kalterer See) and ripening lemons on the trees in the market of a mountain town. Local cuisine is similarly peculiar. Although we managed to find a place offering pizza and pasta, it was easier to come across a Gasthaus with schnitzels and a German-style bakery full of donuts and poppy seed cakes. On the other hand, the coffee machine in the hotel, when asked  for “Kaffe”, dispensed about 5 ml of very aromatic (and very Italian!) espresso.

So is this German Italy or Italian Germany? Honestly, I’m not sure if it’s possible to label this region like that. It’s a mix of at least two cultures which together created something entirely new. They managed it by selecting different influences and adapting them to the local character of the place.

These influences are also present in the local winemaking tradition. Among the wineries, there is no shortage of German-sounding names. In the wine itself, you can definitely taste the hints of a cold climate. White wines are the most prominent. For instance, the nearby village of Tramin boasts that it is the birthplace of the famous aromatic and peppery Gewürztraminer variety. There are some interesting exceptions to the white wine rule. Most notable is Kalterersee – a type of local red wine made from the indigenous Vernatsch grape, grown around Caldaro Lake (Lago di Caldaro). Lagrein is another local grape variety used to produce red wines. International grape varieties such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Merlot are also quite prevalent.

Dramatic landscapes of Alto Adige were a real highlight for me. Every bit of arable land in the mountain valley was used, either for orchards or grapes. The scenery was clearly layered. Looking from the bottom there were: fruit orchards in the flat fields, the hills largely covered by rows of vines (cultivated in multiple ways), then only a strip of forest topped by bare rocks of the peaks. The hills are as steep as some of the impressive vineyards in Germany or France.

I visited two wineries during my stay: Castel Sallegg in Caldaro and Elena Walch in Tramin. In both, I was able to taste several wines without prior booking (and with no charge). Beware of the typically Italian opening hours with a two-hour gap in the middle of the day!

At Castel Sallegg, I focused on red wines. Sauvignon Blanc 2022 and Gewürztraminer 2022 were the only whites I tried. The wines were true to the characteristic notes of their varieties. Floral for Sauvignon and rosy for Gewürztraminer. Interestingly, as far as the taste goes  they were pretty different to their cousins from France or New Zealand. Sauvignon was distinctly dry and mineral with only slight hints of citrus fruit. Gewürztraminer was full of contrasts. On the one hand quite fruity, yet yeast flavors dominated. There also was a bit of interesting bitterness or even spiciness.

From the reds, I tried Pinot Noir 2022 (stainless steel tanks), Pinot Noir Serenis 2019 (oak barrels), Merlot Serenis 2019 (oak barrels), as well as wines made from local grape varieties Lagrein 2022 (stainless steel tanks) and Bischofsleiten 2022 (the local Kalterersee, also made in stainless steel tanks). Most of these wines were light, fresh, and quite acidic. Not very fruity, unfortunately, with a rather limited range of flavors. I preferred the wines that had aged in oak, they showed more elegance and complexity. Bischofsfleiten intrigued me the most; it was unique and expressed the character of the region well. It is a very light and fruity red wine, almost transparent in color. Notes of strawberries and raspberries dominate, with ever present acidity. It is recommended to serve chilled. It supposedly pairs very well with many dishes, including fish!

Po doświadczeniach i radach z Castel Sallegg, w winiarnii Elena Walch skupiłem się na winach białych ze średniej i wyższej półki. Wina były zrobione z różnych szczepów więc naturalnie się różniły, ale miały jedną łączącą je cechę – były bardzo „eleganckie”. To dość niejasne określenie, lecz takie wrażenie przychodziło mi od razu na myśl pijąc te wina. Były złożone, nieprzesadzone pod żadnym względem, miały subtelną klasę. Moje wrażenia:

At the Elena Walch winery, after the experiences and advice from Castel Sallegg, I focused on white wines from the medium and higher shelves. The wines were made from different grape varieties, so naturally they varied. But they had something in common – they seemed very “elegant”. I know that this term might sound quite vague. For me, though, it best describes Elena Walch wines. They were complex, understated, with subtle class. My notes from the tasting:

Single Vineyard Kristallberg Pinot Bianco 2022 – honey-floral scent. Quite mineral with a hint of unripe pear on the palate. Slightly bitter.

Chardonnay Cardellino 2022 – yeast and brioche on the nose. Buttery and yeasty flavors with citrus fruit notes. Pleasantly mouth-filling.

Gewürztraminer Concerto Grosso 2022 – typical bouquet for this variety: mango, lychee, and rose. I tasted some fruity notes that were balanced with a certain sharpness, giving this wine a very interesting character. Quite full-bodied and giving an impression of sweetness, despite minimal sugar content. Completely different from a “typical” Gewürztraminer.

The highlight of this tasting was a decent red wine, Lagrein Riserva Castel Ringberg 2021. The wine spent 20 months in oak barrels. It smelled and tasted strongly of black currant. It had powerful tannins, it might need a few more years to soften and gain a deeper flavor.

Alto Adige / Südtirol is a very fascinating region that combines seemingly very different worlds, German and Italian. It’s definitely worth a visit (especially if you’re driving down to Italy to ski, then it’s on the way). Alpine panoramas made the biggest impression on me: high mountain passes shrouded with a mysterious layer of clouds and below slopes covered with fruit trees and vines. The wine was simply okay. I bought a few souvenir bottles, especially Kalterersee, but that’s all. This style of (red) wine is probably not my thing. I think next time, I might need to visit some other regions of northern Italy. Maybe Barolo?

Castel Sallegg winery: https://www.castelsallegg.it/en.

Elena Walch winery: https://www.elenawalch.com/en/