Slaves of Schiava

“No way… I can’t believe it”, “I had no idea”. See, when a tasting, no matter how original, starts like this, you can already feel satisfied. And if those speaking are the greatest kellermeister in Alto Adige, the satisfaction doubles. In other words, it was a great vertical tasting, that of Schiave d’Amore (evidently quoting Nikita Mikhalkov’s film), organised by a small teams of fanatics with some thirty bottles of wines made with Alto Adige’s Schiava, selected among the 1999/2007 vintages.

Schiave, plural, because many are the local declinations and the grape varieties traditionally associated with this denomination which once represented the mess of the Kaiserjäger and the fuel of farmers, but which most of all is the wine of the heart and the landscape, that is to say, the wine of the Heimat. Today, on the contrary, Schiava is a wine that needs to be re-discovered and in a way saved, since the land dedicated to its cultivation is constantly reduced in favour of the excellent (and more profitable) white wines. But most of all it is a real wine, one to be loved, after the turning point in the 90s thanks to which the best Schiava was produced, developing those qualities which often remind one of Pinot Noir.

However, it’s a known thing, that nemo propheta in patria and so comes Johannes Pfeifer’s surprise, that of the great vine-dresser from Pfannenstielhof when comparing the 2000 and 2002 vintages of his Santa Maddalena (the first to receive the Tre Bicchieri award from Gambero Rosso in 2009) still capable of giving emotion even after over 10 years in the cellar. These are wines conceived to be drunk within one, maximum two years. Same goes for Stefan Filippi, the magician of Bolzano’s winery, who over the years has transformed the Santa Maddalena Huck into a small icon of this Doc while others now would happily do without this humble and still less profitable Schiava.

Apart from the Santa Maddalena star, some surprises also arrived from the Lago di Caldaro versions, despite appearing to have suffered more from the longer time spent in the bottle. Instead, the Lago di Caldaro DeSilvas Peterleiten 2004 by the Peter Sölva & Söhne winery, was still lively in its colour and finely characterised by the ripe fruity scents on the nose, and void of any tannic roughness. A great surprise was given also by the Leuchtenburg 2003 selection, by the Erste&Neue winery: it was still extraordinarily intact in its fruity bouquet where, despite the very hot vintage, one could still distinguish some beautiful cherry notes.

“Virtually no wine – explained Roberto Calderan, who conducted the tasting – and I believe this is already great news, has given any clear sign of its age”. Even a bottle from the Valle Isarco winery, the 2002, some good 10 years after its vintage, after an initial phase of adjustment in the glass, was still capable of expressing its delicate and gentle character”. The same went for Biedermannhof’s “organic” Schiava 2005 from Cermes: a surprising wine, what with its aromatic character, its freshness and elegance. And how about food pairings? Few red wines can so finely match risotto like Schiava. And Stefan Unterkircher of the restaurant Castel Ringberg has reminded us of this with a risotto made with Schüttelbrot and chips of “salamella” made with Pecora con gli Occhiali della Val di Funes (the Villnösser Brillenschaf, a local breed of sheep) – fantastic. Long life to Schiava.

I migliori esemplari

Erste & Neue – Lago di Caldaro classico superiore Leuchtenburg 2003

Tramin – Lago di Caldaro scelto 2004

Ritterhof – Lago di Caldaro scelto classico 2002

Peter Sölva & Söhne – Alto Adige Lago di Caldaro scelto classico DeSilvas Peterleiten 2004

Cantina Valle Isarco – Alto Adige Schiava 2002

Kellerei Meran – Alto Adige Meraner Hügel Eines Fürsten Traum 2006

The logo of the event

Biedermannhof, Johann Innerhofer – Vigneti delle Dolomiti Schiava 2005

Thomas Unterhofer – Alto Adige Schiava 2006

Kellerei Nals Margreid – Alto Adige Schiava Galea 2003

Kellerei Nals Margreid – Alto Adige Schiava Galea 2002

Kellerei S.Michael-Eppan – Alto Adige Schiava Pagis 2009

Weingur H. Lentsch – Alto Adige Schiava 2007

Kellerei Girlan/Cornaiano – Alto Adige Schiava Gschleier 2003

Kellerei Girlan/Cornaiano – Alto Adige Santa Maddalena Bischofshof 2002

Thurnhof, Andreas Berger – Alto Adige Santa Maddalena 2007

Untermoserhof, Georg Ramoser – Alto Adige Santa Maddalena classico2004

Cantina Santa Maddalena – Alto Adige Santa Maddalena classico Huck am Bach 2002

Pfannenstielhof – Alto Adige Santa Maddalena classico2002

Pfannenstielhof – Alto Adige Santa Maddalena classico2000

Franz Gojer, Glögglhof – Alto Adige Santa Maddalena classico Rondell 1999