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The race for the "next pinot grigio" is on, as evidenced by the elevated profile in northern Italy's other whites and the regions that specialize in them. Like that of Friuli–Venezia Giulia, Alto Adige's star is rising stateside in the form of exquisite wines made from grapes that naturally thrive so close to the Austrian border: müller-thurgau, pinot blanc, grüner veltliner, riesling, kerner, sylvaner, and of course gewürztraminer, which is actually a native variety.
By contrast, northern Italy's most celebrated reds come almost exclusively from Piedmont; Alto Adige's indigenous reds in particular remain largely unknown in the United States for an array of reasons. Among them are limited production and even more limited distribution, hampered by an as yet incohesive brand identity. This is due, in large part, to the bilingual legacy of a centuries-long tug-of-war between Austria and Italy for control of this northernmost province (also known as Südtirol or South Tyrol).
Still, I'm betting on their eventual arrival -- literally. On a recent trip to the inaugural Festival del Gusto in Bolzano/Bozen, a fellow journalist and I put $100 on which of the province's two signature, but very different, reds, schiava or lagrein, would make it to the U.S. first. Granted, the cases for and against make it a tough bet.
Schiava
This varietal is by far South Tyrol's most widely grown, reflecting its traditional place on the everyday local table. Light and softly fruity, the wine it produces is usually drunk chilled as an aperitif or a companion to antipasti, including platters of local cheeses and the beloved, lightly smoked ham called speck.
As Alois Matscher, sommelier-owner of the Michelin-starred Zum Löwen in Tesimo, explains, "it doesn't have the structure" to withstand much heavier courses (he personally recommends it with pizza).
But to say it's not particularly complex -- comparisons to beaujolais are common -- is not to say it's monotonous. Its extensive cultivation zone spans an array of microclimates influenced by the mainly Alpine landscape, with all its peaks, valleys, nooks and crannies. This zone, however, skews increasingly Mediterranean toward the south. Versions I tried yielded everything from wet dirt and warm brick to white pepper, tomatoes, strawberries and sour cherries.
How soon schiava might register on the palate of the average American red-wine drinker, slowly but surely as it's shifting from the high-alcohol fruit bombs that have long dominated domestic cellars, is anyone's guess. The bigger problem, according to one local winemaker I met, is that "we have no focus on the name."
Schiava is also sold under its local German name, vernatsch, which is better known in Germany itself as trollinger. What's more, when blended with minimal amounts of lagrein or pinot nero (also known as blauburgunder, spätburgunder, and of course pinot noir), it may also be bottled as St. Magdalener -- or, to use the Italian name for the DOC, Santa Maddalena. Such confusing nomenclature for such an uncomplicated wine!
Lagrein
Conversely, lagrein has no aliases but a rather more complex personality. Dark and juicy, it flourishes in the lower-lying vineyards surrounding Bolzano. The wines it yields are, at their best, beautifully balanced, lacking for neither acids nor tannins and finishing long. A touch spicy, another touch earthy, they typically exhibit the likes of plum and blackberry, tobacco and dark chocolate, along with the occasional hint of mint or licorice.
Actually, it is not strictly true that lagrein is called by no other name (sigh). You may sometimes see it labeled as Lagrein Dunkel (German) or Lagrein Scuro (Italian) to distinguish it from the rosés it produces, which may be called Lagrein Kretzer (German) or Lagrein Rosato (Italian).
In any case, insists Franz Josef Loacker of Tenute Loacker, "lagrein is going to replace chianti." It's a bold prediction I'm not yet willing to echo. An unfamiliar Italian wine with a German moniker will be an intially hard sell to the average, less-than-adventurous American consumer. This is not least because the price point, due to the low export volume, is likely to be considerably higher than that of all but the best chianti.
Still, I'm the one who bet on the potential of lagrein rather than schiava to enjoy some success in the U.S., mainly because its general profile won't be unrecognizable to fans of syrah.
The race is on to replace the new "it" varietal on American tables. Place your bets.
Zester Daily contributor Ruth Tobias is a Denver-based food and beverage writer. Since beginning her career in Boston, she has contributed to a wide range of publications, including Sommelier Journal, Mutineer, Denver Magazine, The Boston Phoenix, Zagat Survey, Culinate and the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food & Drink in America.
Photos, from top: Schiava and lagrein wines from South Tyrol. Credit: Ruth Tobias
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