Sauvignon Blanc from the steep east-facing Kofl slope above Penon, twelve months on the fine lees in concrete. Exotic fruit, gooseberry and elderflower over a mineral backbone.
Straw yellow with green reflections. The nose opens on exotic fruit — passion fruit and kiwi — then moves on to gooseberry, sage and elderflower. There is no trace of the green, sharp edge Sauvignon can have; altitude and eastern exposure keep the fruit ripe but cool. On the palate the wine is broad and carried, with a creamy texture from twelve months on the fine lees in concrete. The acidity is lively without turning sharp, and beneath the fruit lies a saline, chalky minerality that gives the wine direction. The finish is long, herbal and surprisingly taut. Serve with shellfish, asparagus, goat’s cheese or a dish built on fresh herbs.
Kellerei Kurtatsch is a cooperative in the South Tyrolean village of Kurtatsch, founded in 1900 by forty-two growers. Today 190 member families farm 190 hectares of vineyard between 220 and 900 metres. Erwin Carli is the cellar master.
Kofl is one of the named sites of Kurtatsch, a steep plot on the eastern flank above the hamlet of Penon, between 450 and 600 metres. The soil is sand and gravel, rich in dolomite and quartz.
Exposure is decisive here: the ridge above brings an early sunset, and the cool evening wind falls into the valley. The Sauvignon therefore ripens slowly and keeps its acidity. Yields are held at 50 hectolitres per hectare.
After very brief skin contact the wine ferments in temperature-controlled stainless steel and large wooden vats. Twelve months on the fine lees in concrete tanks follow — a choice that builds texture without covering the aromatics.
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