Sharp and fresh Alpine wine with flavours of white flowers and tropical fruits

This Rhine Riesling is crafted by Peter Zemmer, in the German-speaking part of Italy in Alto Adige. It has a remarkable taste of fresh fruits and flowers, particularly melon, elderflower and honeysuckle. Peter produces wines of very high quality, and four of them have won the “Two Glasses” award from Gambero Rosso – probably the most prestigious national wine competition in Italy. Peter’s secret is that his vineyard lies in the foothills of the Alps, so he’s able to grow grapes with expressive aromas and a high level of zingy natural acid. Even in summer, cool winds from the glaciers blow through the vineyard and help to preserve the refreshing zest found in this flavoursome wine.

Peter follows a winemaking technique that enhances the wine’s natural fruitiness. First, he cold macerates his grapes for eight hours, to bring out the natural flavours. After that, the grapes are pressed and the juice is delicately clarified by gravity, without using a centrifuge. It takes more time, but doesn’t stress the wine. The juice is then fermented in stainless steel tanks, at a controlled temperature of 19 °C.

Tasting notes

Pale lemon colour. On the nose, this wine has expressive aromas of melon, elderflower, honeysuckle, yellow apple, and bread dough.  It is dry on the palate, with pronounced flavours of fruits balanced by high acidity – a combination that offers a very refreshing taste. The wine has a medium level of alcohol and a medium body. It is youthful and will age beautifully in the cellar, where it will continue to develop its complex aromas.

Awards

Wine Enthusiast – 90/100 points (2019 vintage) | I Vini di Veronelli 2021 – Two Stars (2019 vintage) | Gambero Rosso – Two Glasses (2017 vintage)