J. Hofstatter Barthenau Vigna S. Urbano Pinot Nero A. A. DOC 2013

The flagship Pinot Nero Barthenau Vigna S. Urbano is gorgeous. Fleshy, radiant and expressive, it boasts superb depth and the balance to match. Hints of earthiness, tobacco, hard candy and dried flowers all open up on the deep, resonant finish. It is rich yet also very much medium in body, as Alto Adige Pinots almost always are. This is a fabulous version of the Barthenau.

This is a single vineyard wine sourced from Hofstatter’s Barthenau estate. Hofstatter was the first producer in the Alto-Adige to produce single vineyard wines at the equivalent of the grand cru level. Terroir: Mazon and its extraordinary Pinot sites are located opposite Tramin-Termeno on the other side of the valley. These vineyards face toward the evening sun and the Ora wind that travels up the valley into the early evening hours. This keeps demanding Pinot grapes dry and healthy. Ludwig Barth zu Barthenau, a university professor with a passion for wine, planted Pinot Noir at his Mazon estate at the end of the 19th century. His introduction of the variety in the region proved to be quite successful. J. Hofstätter continues the legacy of this pioneer at his original farmstead vineyards, which stretch to neighbouring Yngram-Höfen. The Pinot Blanc “Vigna S. Michele”, the Pinot Noir “Vigna S. Urbano” and the “Riserva Mazon” all thrive here. In the heart of the vineyard is the “Roccolo”, a parcel with 70-year-old vines that grow on a traditional pergola training system. Grapes are grown at an elevation of 1,476 ft/450 m above sea level. The vineyard is located on a gentle slope where both exposure to sunlight and air circulation are ideal, resulting in perfectly ripe and healthy grapes. The alternation between warm days and cool nights accounts for the firm backbone of fruity acidity and consequently excellent ageing qualities in the finished wine.