To accompany everyone’s varied pizza and pasta dishes, I selected another food friendly yet very difficult to find grape in the States, Gumphof Südtiroler Vernatsch 2011. Vernatsch [or Schiava] produces uncomplicated, easy drinking, light bodied wines with moderate acidity and low tannins. The Gumphof estate is located in the Isarco Valley in Alto Adige [or Südtiroler or South Tyrol] in northern Italy. The vineyards are situated on steep slopes at an altitude of 350-550 metres above sea level, with an incline at 50-70%. Markus Prackwieser took over the 5 acre family estate from his father in 2000, transforming the estate and possessing the goal of producing “wine that embodies the character of its surrounding and the people who create it”.
Transparent bright ruby in colour, aromas of cherry and warm summer earth rose from the glass. Bright cherry and raspberry flavours were underscored by savory, earthy mushrooms in the nearly fizzy, light to medium body. Traces of white pepper and nutmeg comprised the snappy finish. Bright, crisp and refreshing, this is a wonderfully easy drinking glass for the table or sipping on its own.
Vernatsch [Schiava] I was not able to verify varietal percentage.
Alto Adige
Italy
Bottled by Markus Prackwieser-Prösler Ried
12.5% Alcohol
$18 [average price]
Enjoy now thru 2014
