WTN: 2006 Hofstatter Pinot Nero Alto Adige

My very first Italian Pinot "Noir"

Pretty ruby color. NIce spicy Pinot nose, with plenty of "Pinosity." On the palate, somewhat more muted. Definitely some pinot fruit, but not a big shower-this wine is more about earthy notes and mushroom. Too primary still for savoryness, but I liked this. What was interesting was the rich mouth feel-there was some acidity, but this definitely was a smooth and rich wine (but "only" 13.5% abv)

I enjoyed this style, actually. At $22 (in a shop in Davis that tends to be priced high), it's a nice deal.

Solid 15 points! Yum!

Brian, I have enjoyed Hofstätter's Pinots also, but the '06 hasn't yet appeared here. I even thought the '03 fair considering what a difficult year that was.

Just one clarification - we are talking of the "Meczan" bottling? They make a "super-cuvée" called Vigna S. Urbano which can be nice but I feels is a touch oaky at times. But do they have a non-named Pinot bottling also?

-Otto

You are correct, Otto. Thank you.

The oak certainly is present here in a big way, but it doesn't lend any vanilla or caramel notes that my inexperienced palate noted. Just a richness in mouthfeel

You are correct, Otto. Thank you.

The oak certainly is present here in a big way, but it doesn't lend any vanilla or caramel notes that my inexperienced palate noted. Just a richness in mouthfeel

Hold on! Are they then making the Meczan differently, because unless my memory fails me (very possible BTW) at least until 2004 it didn't see any oak, not even used oak?

-Otto

Don't know for sure.

I am certainly not tasting the usual oak indicators. Maybe the grapes alone are creating the rich mouth feel that I am tasting?

I'll see if there is info on the web!

Brian, I have enjoyed Hofstätter's Pinots also, but the '06 hasn't yet appeared here. I even thought the '03 fair considering what a difficult year that was.

Just one clarification - we are talking of the "Meczan" bottling? They make a "super-cuvée" called Vigna S. Urbano which can be nice but I feels is a touch oaky at times. But do they have a non-named Pinot bottling also?

-Otto

The Meczan is the un-oaked 'cheap' version, but very nice IMO. They also make Crozzol, Riserva Mazon and the Vigna S. Urbano -all with increasingly longer oak treatments. I tasted the 2000 S. Urbano last month and found it amazing (and for $72 I hope so.) Any oak that may have been shouting a few years ago was only a whisper today. Not that I'm extremely well versed in Italian Pinot Nero, but it was the best I've ever had. Hofstaetter is tops for me in Alto Adige across the board.