After years of subscribing to the belief that summer red wine = Beaujolais Nouveau and not really enjoying it, I’ve been hopeful that this Alpine adventure of ours would shake me out of my warm weather inertia and introduce new and exciting substitutes to the omnipresent Beaujolais.
As we explored different Alpine reds for the summer season, we decided to start with Schiava. The Schiava grape, also known as Vernatsch (in South Tyrol) and Trollinger (in Germany), is native to Northern Italy’s Trentino-Alto Adige region. Its reputation is that of a very light, refreshing wine, and to us this seemed like the perfect accompaniment for a BBQ of bratwursts and hot dogs.
The two Schiavas that we picked differ in age but both hail from Alto Adige. Our experience drinking them was somewhat of a rollercoaster. The dramatic impact that a small amount of warm air and oxygen had on both caught us by surprise, and we went from wishing that we had chilled both bottles for longer to enjoying them even more as they warmed and sat in our glasses.
Alois Lageder 2020 Schiava
Why We Picked It: The winemaker, Alois Lageder, is committed to biodynamic agriculture, and we thought this bottle would nicely reflect the biodiversity and terroir of winemaking in the Alto Adige.
Purchased From: Hunters Point Wine and Spirits (NYC); Imported by Dalla Terra
When we first tasted this bottle, we said right away that it needed to be served much colder than it was – I gave it a quick chill before serving but not much. Honestly, I really didn’t like it at first but after 30 minutes of sitting in a warm dining room, it transformed and I ended up loving it. The bouquet was pronounced with leather and violets. On the palette we picked up bright red berries and spicy herbs. Schiava isn’t always known for being spicy but given that this particular Schiava was given longer skin exposure than is typical, the pepper really popped.
Visually it was so pale that it could pass for rosé but don’t be fooled – this is not meant to be served cold!
Schiava "Elda" Nusserhof 2015
Why We Picked It: We were curious to see how Schiava responds to blending and age, especially as a lighter-bodied wine. This bottle is not 100% Schiava (it’s blended with a small amount of Lagrein and Merlot) but we thought it would be an interesting point of comparison to the younger, single varietal Alois Lageder bottle.
Purchased From: Eataly (NYC); Imported by Louis/Dressner
The winemaker Nusserhof has been producing wine in Bolzano, Italy – at the very top of Italy – since 1788 by a family that is dedicated to using traditional methods (apparently there is no temperature control in the aging cellar …) and native varieties. With this in mind, their wines are some of the most authentically rooted in the history of Alpine wine production.
We also opened this bottle 30 minutes before eating to give it some air, and in retrospect should have left it open for an hour or decanted it. Given the blend of grapes and age, I was expecting big things from the bouquet. But it was actually quite plain – a little white pepper but really not much else. The first few sips didn’t move us – tart cranberry and faint spice – but otherwise very tannic and withdrawn. 15 minutes later, it changed completely and became juicy with notes of earth and almond. Given that the vineyard’s name (Nusserhof) translates into “nut farm,” the almond seemed especially apropos.
Now, I wanted to LOVE this wine but like better describes the experience, especially after the Alois blossomed and yielded a much more interesting bouquet. Price-wise, the Nusserhof was almost twice what we paid for the Alois, and to me it’s too much for a casual BBQ wine, especially if you’re serving a group.
The verdict: A young Schiava is a great fit for a summer BBQ, where smoke is hitting a wide range of meat and veggies. It stood up to the hot weather in a way that we weren’t expecting and while you could give it a chill before opening, I wouldn’t be too precious about it. Open a few bottles, set them on the picnic table, and let your guests enjoy an evolve-by-the-minute wine as the sun sinks.
Alto Adige & Red Wine
As mentioned, our two wines hail from the Alto Adige, which is part of the Trentino-Alto Adige, a region at the most northern tip of Italy where it collides with Austria. The wines produced here are notable for many things, including their lively acidity (thanks to the cool mountain temperatures) and the sheer force of will and skill required by both winemaker and grape to succeed at such high, rocky elevations. In looking at photos of some vineyards in the region, it brought to mind trying to cultivate a garden on the side of a skyscraper.
In terms of wine on the international market, Trentino-Alto Adige is known for its whites (Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio, in particular) but the region actually produces a significant amount of red wine, which is consumed locally across Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and Germany.
The key red grapes are Schiava (Vernatsch/Trollinger), Lagrein, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Merlot. With two region-specific grapes and then three that are widely grown across the world, the Alto Adige is a great place to try reds that are deeply entrenched in the history of a specific place while also showcasing what very cold nights and high elevation sunshine can do to familiar grapes. We’re excited to work our way through some of these other grapes and styles this summer, and please send any recommendations our way!