Kellerei Kurtatsch, Alto Adige Riserva Merlot DOC, Brenntal

About Kellerei Kurtatsch

Kurtatsch since the early 1900s has been the representative of the area s best growers and the source of its finest, most expressive wines. Over the decades, growers have diligently researched which vineyards and soils would give the best expression of each grape. The village of Kurtatsch (Cortaccia in Italian) is particularly blessed when it comes to terroir, with a wide range of soils that suit perfectly both native and international grapes. The province of Alto Adige is located in Italy s north-eastern corner, on the border with Austria. Alto Adige also called S dtirol, or southern Tyrol is a mountainous region with vineyard plantings that range from 900 to 3,000 feet above sea level. Most of the region s fertile area is located in a dramatic valley created by the confluence of two rivers, the Adige and the Iscaro. Culturally, the region is both Germanic and Italian (both languages are official) thus you will see two languages on wine labels: for example, native red grape Schiava Grigia is also known as Grauvernatsch. Individual plots have always been planted with an eye toward ensuring the particular terroir and altitude are suitable for each grape type. Vineyards are cared for sustainably, and harvests are performed by hand. In general, white grapes are pressed and fermented on selected yeasts in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks. Wines are aged on fine lees for a minimum of five months. Red grapes are also fermented on selected yeasts and aged in large, neutral casks (either Slavonian or French oak).