Decanter has named Peter Zemmer Vigna Kofl Riserva among its top 15 international Pinot Noir wines. As proud stockists of this delightful Italian Pinot Nero – along with Peter Zemmer’s other award-winning Alto Adige wines – we’re delighted to see it listed among star bottles from critically acclaimed regions like Burgundy and New Zealand.
Peter Zemmer Vigna Kofl Riserva: an “international Pinot Noir to watch”
To create its list of the best international Pinot Noir wines (opens new window), Decanter looked at its 15 top-scoring bottles from last year’s Decanter World Wine Awards.
The result is a comprehensive list of the world’s very best Pinot Noir wines, from new world regions like Argentina, South Africa and the USA as well as European stalwarts France and Germany.
We were really pleased to see Peter Zemmer’s Vigna Kofl Riserva among last year’s top-scorers. Not only did the 2019 vintage score a very impressive 96 points (gold) in the 2022 DWWA – it was also the only Italian Pinot Nero to make the list.
Cool climate Italian Pinot Nero
With more than 18,000 wines to choose from, the Decanter judges certainly have their work cut out. And it’s especially tricky with Pinot Noir. This famously finicky grape is at risk of becoming a victim of climate change, as its finesse and elegance requires cooler temperatures to really reach its potential.
This is why Vigna Kofl Riserva is such a success story. The grapes are grown in the Alps, at more than a thousand metres above sea level. Planted on south-facing slopes, the vines soak up that bright Italian sunshine as cool glacial winds blow through the vineyards – cooling the grapes and providing ventilation. The chilly temperatures help the grapes to preserve their acidity, so the wine is crisp and long-lived.
Why is Peter Zemmer Vigna Kofl Riserva one of the world’s best Pinot Neros?
In its review, Decanter describes the wine as having “ripe red cherry and redcurrant fruit, with a certain bloodiness and some forest floor characters.” They go on to praise its “good intensity, lots of red cherry and savoury notes backed by judicious oak spice.”
As for us, we felt that Vigna Kofl Riserva had a richer, more concentrated flavour than any other Pinot Nero we’ve ever tasted. And, as purveyors of fine Italian wine, we’ve tasted quite a few!
A lot of care and attention go into making this wine. The grapes are hand-picked, and the wine itself is treated gently. For example, particles are removed using two rackings and slow pumping without a centrifuge. This treatment takes longer, but is more common for fine wine.
It’s then aged in small French barriques for a year, with another six months aging in stainless steel and another six in bottle. That allows its deep flavours of strawberry, dried rose petals and dark chocolate to integrate.
Try Vigna Kofl Riserva and other award winning Pinot Nero at Independent Wine
Peter Zemmer’s Vigna Kofl Riserva is just one of many Italian Pinot Nero wines available at Independent Wine. Explore our range and discover bottles like Kurtatsch Glen – named one of Italy’s top ten Pinot Noirs by the Concorso Pinot Nero. Or, the UK-exclusive Palladium by K.Martini & Sohn – is made by an award-winning Swiss-Italian winemaker. We also stock another Peter Zemmer Pinot Nero, Rolhüt, which is grown lower on the slopes than Vigna Kofl but still benefits from altitude.
Explore our full range of Italian Pinot Nero and discover the joy of Alto Adige red wine: with free next day delivery across the mainland UK.