Yesterday we had a tasting of Süd-Tirol/Alto-Adige. This was very nice because it's not an area I have much experience with. Mostly they were attractive wines - at least when unoaked - and sensibly most wines were unoaked. It was a fun night but I didn't really fall in love so I don't think I'll especially try to seek them out though I'll happily drink these if I come across them.
Single blind whites:
2004 San Michele Appiano (St. Michael-Eppan) Pinot Bianco Sanct Valentin - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Alto Adige - Südtirol (1/30/2014)
Nicely aged but with lots of toffee and vanilla aromas suggesting oak. Quite substantial on the palate with plenty of both fruit sweetness and acidity. I didn't like the oak on this, however.
2010 Cantina Terlan Terlano Nova Domus Riserva - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Terlano (1/30/2014)
Nicely aromatic, with a slight Sauvignon Blanc sharpness (but that's only a small component in the blend) and lots of yellow fruit and hay. Broad on the palate but with upright acidity. Moreish. Nice.
2011 Cantina Produttori Bolzano Pinot Bianco Alto Adige - Südtirol Dellago - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Alto Adige - Südtirol (1/30/2014)
Neutral fruit aromas that remind me of unoaked Chardonnay. Quite full bodied but with good acidity. A perfectly decent wine, though not hugely exciting.
2012 Cantina Terlan Sauvignon Blanc Terlano Winkl - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Terlano (1/30/2014)
Very grassy and pungent SB aroma. Good acidity and richness, so it is good for a SB. I'm just really bored with the grape just now so can't get excited.
2011 Abbazia di Novacella (Stiftskellerei Neustift) Kerner Praepositus - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Valle Isarco / Eisacktaler (1/30/2014)
Aromatic and steely; plenty of lime aromas; delightfully crunchy and acidic palate; pure. Long, mineral finish. Very attractive.
2011 Kuenhof (Peter Pliger) Sylvaner - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Valle Isarco / Eisacktaler (1/30/2014)
A slightly musky, sweetish nose, slightly like rose water but not to such a strength that e.g. Gewurz can have. Soft, lowish acidity, some heat on the finish. It was ok, but no better.
2009 Alois Lageder Chardonnay Alto Adige - Südtirol Löwengang - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Alto Adige - Südtirol (1/30/2014)
I cannot sense anything apart from oak. For me: avoid like the plague. Only for lovers of wood.
2011 Kuenhof (Peter Pliger) Riesling Kaiton - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Valle Isarco / Eisacktaler (1/30/2014)
Very attractive wine and one that shows pure Riesling aromatics and a nice dose of acidity that makes this bracing in a nice way. Very nice.
2011 Cantina Terlan Gewürztraminer Alto Adige - Südtirol Lunare - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Alto Adige - Südtirol (1/30/2014)
Floral, spicy, rose water aromas - very classic Gewurz. Quite soft but dry. It has enough grip to be perfectly drinkable but I always seem to hope for more acidity with this grape. But this is just a minor gripe: this is a good example of the grape.
2011 Kuenhof (Peter Pliger) Veltliner - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Valle Isarco / Eisacktaler (1/30/2014)
Spicy and slightly musky nose; dry and with good grip but not terribly high acidity. Pleasant but not all that special.
2011 Pacherhof Sylvaner Alte Reben - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Valle Isarco / Eisacktaler (1/30/2014)
Quite a spicy, aromatic, mineral nose. Wonderfully high but juicy levels of acidity. Very attractive.
2011 San Michele Appiano (St. Michael-Eppan) Gewürztraminer Sanct Valentin - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Alto Adige - Südtirol (1/30/2014)
Very obvious Gewurz nose of flowers and rose water and lychee. Soft and quite sweet but with some grip. Good wine if you like this grape.
2009 Elena Walch Alto Adige - Südtirol Beyond the Clouds - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Alto Adige - Südtirol (1/30/2014)
Smells of oak and yellow fruit. Nice acidity but not so nice bitterness from the oak. Not a wine for me.
Blind red:
2009 Elena Walch Alto Adige - Südtirol Kermesse - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Alto Adige - Südtirol (1/30/2014)
A blend of Syrah, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Lagrein and Pinot Noir. Dark fruit, very oaky; quite unpleasantly bitterly oaky. Nice enough structure, however, and there is some depth to the fruit so perhaps if survives a decade it might be interesting then.