Elena Walch Kastelaz Gewurztraminer 2019
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Suckling
James
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Winemaker Notes
The Gewürztraminer Vigna “Kastelaz” is an international benchmark for the variety. With a rich, golden yellow color and a beguilingly complex bouquet both elegant and mineral, with aromas of roses and lychee as well as subtle acacia honey. On the palate, the wine is convincing and complex with an elegant structure, stimulating acidity, harmonious-spicy freshness and a delicate, vibrant finish. A wine with finesse and character.
Perfect accompaniment to shellfish, crabs and lobster, and blue cheese.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
In this wine, the yellow rose of love has been beautifully married to a rich, but lively palate that combines depth and delicacy in an enchanting way. Subtle lychee and lemon character and a long, peppery finish
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Wine
Elena Walch is a leading Alto Adige wine estate, in family hands, and belongs to the elite in Italian wine production, with international success. Encouraging quality and innovation, Elena Walch stood at the head of the Alto Adige quality revolution and has gained local and international esteem for her efforts.
The philosophy of the estate is dedicated to its terroir – the idea that wines must be the individual expression of their soil, climate and cultivation in the vineyard – and that this must be maintained according to principles of sustainability and passed on to the next generation.
The picturesque single estates of Castel Ringberg and Kastelaz are the heart of Elena Walch's vineyards, now working on a vineyard surface of 55ha. With sustainability being one of the core values at Elena Walch, the wines reflect the various terroirs they originate from. Finally, with the aim of making only the highest quality wines, Elena Walch has been honored with several national as well as international awards.
Gewürztraminer, an expressive and aromatically distinctive white grape variety, is considered a noble variety in the Alsace region of France, and produces wonderful wines in the mountainous Alto Adige region of NE Italy. Generally this grape grows well in cooler regions and its natural intensity makes it a great ally for flavorful cuisine such as Indian, Middle Eastern or Moroccan. Somm Secret—Because of a charming perfume and tendency towards slight sweetness, Gewürztraminer makes for an excellent gateway wine for those who love sweet wines but want to venture into the realm of drier whites.
A mountainous northern Italian region heavily influenced by German culture, Trentino-Alto Adige is actually made up of two separate but similar regions: Alto Adige and Trentino.
Trentino, the southern half, is primarily Italian-speaking and largely responsible for the production of non-native, international grapes. There is a significant quantity of Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Merlot produced. But Trentino's native and most unique red variety, Teroldego, while still rare, is gaining popularity. It produces a deeply colored red wine rich in wild blackberry, herb, coffee and cocoa.
The rugged terrain of German-speaking Alto Adige (also referred to as Südtirol) focuses on small-scale viticulture, with great value placed on local varieties—though international varieties have been widely planted since the 1800s. Sheltered by the Alps from harsh northerly winds, many of the best vineyards are at extreme altitude but on steep slopes to increase sunlight exposure.
Dominant red varieties include the bold, herbaceous Lagrein and delicate, strawberry-kissed, Schiava, in addition to some Pinot Nero.
The primary white grapes are Pinot grigio, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay and Pinot blanc, as well as smaller plantings of Sauvignon blanc, Müller Thurgau. These tend to be bright and refreshing with crisp acidity and just the right amount of texture. Some of the highest quality Pinot grigio in Italy is made here.