Südtiroler Blauburgunder Riserva DOC takes us to Alto Adige, or Südtirol as it is called on the German-language labels, right up in the foothills of the Alps in northern Italy. Here the appellation lies in the province of Bolzano, where Blauburgunder (the German name for Pinot Nero) is allowed to show a cooler, more precise side than in many warmer regions. The alpine climate yields elegant Pinot Nero wines with a freshness that has made Alto Adige one of Italy's finest areas for this very grape.
Riserva is the more ambitious version. The wine is made from at least 85% Pinot Nero, and the designation Riserva indicates that it has had longer ageing before it reaches the market. This typically gives more complex wines with structure, where terroir and barrel ageing interact and create a distinct sense of origin.
Although Blauburgunder has its own place here, Alto Adige is a versatile wine district. A large part of the vineyards are planted with schiava (vernatsch in German), a light red grape, and the region is just as known for its white wines. Under the overarching Alto Adige DOC you will find a broad range of white wines made from a single grape, including müller-thurgau, chardonnay, sauvignon, pinot bianco and pinot grigio. Add to this the aromatic gewürztraminer, which is thought to originate from the town of Termeno (Tramin) right here in Alto Adige.
If you are fond of Pinot Noir with cool freshness and alpine precision, Südtiroler Blauburgunder Riserva offers a fine entry into the Italy of the mountains. These are wines with structure and elegance, and if you want to explore the rest of the area, you will find both fine white wines and light reds from schiava under the same umbrella of Alto Adige / Südtirol.