Rottensteiner

Rottensteiner

We always like to find a close relationship between a family and a place and there are numerous examples in this catalogue, but in this particular case there is a distinct association between the actual geological bedrock of the vineyard, with the red porphyry stone of the Dolomites and the Rottensteiner family records of winemaking on this land since 1530. The current guardians of this heritage are Hannes Rottensteiner, his wife Judith and his two sisters. I might also add that on my most recent visit, exactly five years since my first here, I was delighted to find Judith’s 84 year old father in law driving the forklift at 6pm! A true family business indeed.

The Alto Adije is one of Italy’s smallest wine regions, with not much over 5000 hectares of vineyard, and its wines are hard to find in the UK market, so I am extremely pleased to have identified a producer whose wines so perfectly encapsulate the purity and freshness of Dolomite wines. My growing predilection for mountain viticulture is always reinforced when I see pictures, as recently from Chile, of vines growing on flat plains, all but submerged in two feet of standing flood water, a reminder of the vital importance of a good slope when it comes to planting vines. Good drainage is essential and higher altitude will provide a promise of freshness in the final wine. At Rottensteiner, we find wines growing at up to 800m, naturally producing wines that are crisp, elegant, delicate and refreshing. That is a common feature with soils of volcanic origin, as is the case with porphyry.

Pinot Bianco tends to be much racier, lighter on its feet than most Pinot Grigio, and in Italy I trust it more. It seems ideally suited to this location. The Santa Maddalena sings of a single vineyard site and a good one, now biodynamically farmed, the Premstallerhof, making it not simply pretty, but also gently perfumed, complex and original, a combination of two local grape varieties, mostly Schiava (=Vernatsch) with some Lagrein.

Kitz is a delicious mix of the Burgundian varieties growing here (Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay) with a twist of aromatic, but not at all grassy Sauvignon Blanc. It makes a good aperitif by the glass, perhaps more so than with food. Their Lagrein Gries Riserva is typically dark in colour and has the depth and structure that promise further rewards with extra age in bottle, probably the finest example of the grape that I have tasted. I think this quartet will offer a very interesting introduction to Dolomite wines for those who are unfamiliar with them, which probably means most people in the UK.