WINES FROM SOUTH TYROL AT THE TOP 419 TIMES: THE RATINGS OF ITALIAN WINE GUIDES

Traditionally, the majority of new editions of Italy's twelve most prestigious wine guides are published in late autumn. This year the guides awarded the maximum score to 259 different Alto Adige wines a total of 419 times. The wines awarded by the wine guides come from 85 producers. “These high numbers alone show the great consideration in which viticulture is enjoyed in Alto Adige and how producers have now embraced the commitment to obtaining uncompromising quality” , states with satisfaction the president of the Alto Adige Wine Consortium Andreas Kofler. Particular attention for Schiava and sparkling wine A more careful reading of the distribution of the maximum scores shows how, in recent decades, Alto Adige has gone from a land of red wines to a land of white wines, and not just quantitatively. In fact, over half of the maximum scores went to white wines, a third to red wines and the remainder divided between sweet and sparkling wines. “It is notable that, this year, the sparkling wines were awarded not only by specialized magazines, but also received the maximum score from the more generalist wine guides,” underlines Kofler. What also catches the eye is a second novelty. And the president of the Alto Adige Wine Consortium says he is extremely satisfied with this: "The most important native variety of our province, Schiava, is exceptionally present this year in the list of wines with top scores" , explains Andreas Kofler. This year, Schiava wines have obtained the maximum score 26 times. Together with Pinot Noir, traditionally very represented, Schiava is therefore the most awarded grape variety. In third and fourth place are followed by two white varieties Chardonnay (22 maximum scores) as well as Pinot Blanc and Sauvignon (20 each). The sixth position is conquered by Lagrein (18), the second native grape variety, and the seventh by Gewürztraminer (17). The most awarded wines As for individual wines, Bozen Winery's 2021 Lagrein Riserva Taber, with the highest score in seven wine guides, is the most awarded wine this year. Followed, with six maximum scores each, are the 2020 Pinot Noir Riserva Trattmann from Cantina Girlan, the 2020 Sauvignon Riserva Renaissance from Gump Hof-Markus Prackwieser as well as the 2021 Gewürztraminer Nussbaumer from Cantina Tramin. Six labels were therefore awarded the maximum score by five wine guides. This is the 2021 Pinot Bianco Sirmian by Nals Margreid, the 2017 Santa Maddalena classic Der Pfannenstiel. from the Pfannenstielhof, the 2018 Appius from the Cantina Prottici San Michele Appiano, the 2021 Terlano Sauvignon Quarz from the Cantina Terlano, the 2020 Chardonnay Riserva Troy from the Cantina Tramin as well as the 2016 Gewürztraminer late harvest Epokale also from the Cantina Tramin (please refer to the attached table ).

Wineries and wine guides Looking at the number of maximum scores, at the top of this year's producer ranking is Cantina Terlano with 23 awards. Followed by the Tramin Winery with 21, the Girlan Winery and the San Michele Appiano Producer Winery with 17 each, Elena Walch with 16 and the Kurtatsch Winery with 15 maximum scores. 9 different wines with the maximum score is the result that Cantina Valle Isarco and Cantina Girlan can boast. Elena Walch follows with 8 as well as the Kurtatsch winery, the Merano winery, the San Michele Appiano winery and the Terlano winery with 7 each (please refer to the attached table).

The wine guides at a glance Analyzing the distribution of Alto Adige wines with the maximum score in the various wine guides, we note how this year 24 wines were evaluated with the "Three Glasses" of Gambero Rosso, Slow Wine has indicated “Top Wine” to 33 labels from Alto Adige and Vitae awarded “Quattro Viti” to 39 wines from Alto Adige. This year, 31 “Three Gold Stars” and 4 “Great Debuts” for Alto Adige wines come from the I Vini di Veronelli guide, 28 “Corone” from Vinibuoni , 36 “Cinque Grappoli” from Bibenda , 56 “Cinque Grappoli” from Doctor Wine I Faccini 95”, from Winesurf 4 votes over 90 points and from Sparkle four “5 Spheres”. The wines of Alto Adige have also received the maximum score 48 times this year from Le Guide de L'Espresso , while 107 wines from Alto Adige have been awarded by The Wine Hunter and the Bio Guide has awarded the “Gold Leaf” (Please refer to the attached table).

The special prizes go to… The wines and producers of Alto Adige have won six special prizes awarded by the various Italian wine guides. The Tramin winery, for example, was judged the Cooperative of the year by Gambero Rosso , while Doctor Wine , in the same category, awarded the San Michele Appiano Producers Winery. Vitae 's “Tastevin” award this year went to the 2018 Lagrein Riserva Vigna Klosteranger from the Muri-Gries Convent Estate/Winery. In addition to this, the 2019 Sauvignon The Wine Collection from the Cantina Produttori San Michele Appiano received the “Centodieci cum laude”, i.e. the maximum score from L'Espresso , while the 2018 Valle Isarco Pinot Grigio K from the Köfererhof was awarded a “Cento ”. And the same wine guide also awarded Harald Schraffl of Nals Margreid as the best winemaker of the year (please refer to the attached table).