Italian food and white wine is frequently dotted with little, big truths which, with their culture and ancestral customs, are an important part of the history of our nation. The Novacella Abbey, in this context, is definitely amongst the very best examples that we can mention considered that, considering that its structure (and we should return to 1142), this Augustinian abbey a couple of actions from Bressanone in Alto Adige, can be counted as one of the earliest still active wineries worldwide and its thousand-year history is well linked with the advancement of the area and quality white wine production.
In truth, currently in 1177, Pope Alexander III acknowledged the abbey’s ownership of vineyard land situated in the instant area of the monastic complex. Following purchases, exchanges and contributions, particularly by the Burgrave Reginbert of Säben and his other half Cristina, over the centuries the Abbey came into ownership of a big heritage of vineyards in the middle of which it is still immersed a lot so that today the monastic complex is divided into 2 farming business: the very first is found in Novacella and has 6 hectares of vineyards, 12 hectares of orchards and 0.2 hectares of herbariums; the 2nd, Tenuta Marklhof, lies in Cornaiano and can depend on 22 hectares of vineyards, 13 hectares of orchards and 24 hectares of forest. The Abbey likewise consists of 700 hectares of forest and 400 hectares of highland pastures, partially utilized as a searching reserve.
In specific, in the historical location, within the Bressanone basin, there are the vineyards placed even more north in Italy, situated at elevations that differ in between 600 and 900 meters above water level, with South and South-West direct exposure. The strong temperature level variations in between day and night and the existence of especially thin, pebbly and sandy soils, moraines of glacial origin, make this location the location of option for great gewurztraminers with really great varietal fragrances. In Novacella, in truth, the white grape ranges Sylvaner, Müller-Thurgau, Kerner, Grüner Veltliner, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc are cultivated. The exceedingly severe environment then suggested that the growing of red grapes was directed towards better locations such as the warm Bolzano basin, where we discover lagrein, a standard native South Tyrolean grape planted, and, above all, the Marklhof estate in Cornaiano, situated on a bright hill at an elevation of 420 meters, where we discover ranges such as Schiava, Pinot Noir and Moscato Rosa cultivated.
The love for the area and, at the very same time, a contemporary vision of viticulture has actually just recently led the business to develop 2 brand-new labels connected to the idea of “single vineyard” or “Cru”, Stiftsgarten in Novacella and Oberhof in Cornaiano, whose the task, a couple of days back, existed inside another temple of Italian food and white wine such as Checchino dal 1887, a historical dining establishment situated in the Testaccio district of Rome. The effort was presented by Werner Waldboth, sales director of Abbazia di Novacella, who highlighted how the business viewpoint has actually constantly been to begin with the specifics of the referral terroir to choose which red wines to consist of within the variety proposed by the winery.
” This time– discusses Waldboth– we have actually gone even further, having readily available single vineyards, genuine Crus, which have really strange attributes, efficient in highlighting distinct subtleties in the glass in the 2 ranges they maintain, specifically state Sylvaner and Pinot Noir.”
The Cru “Stiftsgarten” (Abbey Garden) was born from a really little Sylvaner vineyard, a really little spot of land abundant in glacial sediments where there is a historical vineyard over 50 years old which today extends for not even 0, 25 hectares. The 2019 vintage of Alto Adige-Südtirol Valle Isarco Doc Sylvaner Stiftsgarten, with tips of citrus fruit, quince and a soft and creamy taste, performs fermentation and maturation in barriques (half of which are brand-new), then continues with an improvement of 2 years before bottling, where it stays for another 18 months before marketing. “The option to utilize wood– remarks Waldboth– depends upon the truth that we are particular of the capacity of this Cru where Sylvaner is processed like the most imported gewurztraminers worldwide. The aging capacity, you will see, will be amazing.”
The other Cru provided was the Alto Adige-Südtirol Doc Pinot Nero Riserva Vigna Oberhof 2019, a red wine that originates from a really little vineyard of 0.49 hectares situated in Cornaiano where the Pinot Noir grows on a soil abundant in gravelly-morainic deposits, with direct exposure to the North-West and an elevation in between 445 and 455 metres. This essential red, which has an abundant nose of wild red fruits and sweet violets, is valued on the taste buds for a pertinent however determined body crossed by lively acid-savory shocks and well-managed tannins. “Oberhof– concludes Werner Waldboth– after alcoholic fermentation in steel and malolactic fermentation in barrique, grows in little barrels, 1/3 brand-new, for 2 years and improves in bottle for 18 months. This, in our viewpoint, is the very best option since it improves the most genuine expression of this honorable vine and of this Cru in specific.”
Both red wines are minimal edition and have actually a circulation committed specifically to the Horeca channel: the Alto Adige-Südtirol Valle Isarco DOC Sylvaner Stiftsgarten 2019 is produced in 1,000 bottles, the Alto Adige-Südtirol DOC Pinot Nero Riserva Vigna Oberhof 2019 in 1- 500 bottles.
