2023 Nals Margreid, Sauvignon Blanc “Stein” Südtirol Alto Adige DOC, Italy.
The brilliant, crystalline and mineral driven Stein Sauvignon from Nals Margreid, a producer I had never tasted before, is an impressive wine with loads of alpine character and terroir influence that is very compelling in the glass and on the vibrant crisply detailed medium bodied palate. Zesty, steely and aromatic this pale greenish/gold hued Stein Sauvignon has plenty of lemon/lime, gooseberry and tangy tart peach stone fruit to make an impact, along with hints of spicy green herbs, wet stone, citrus blossoms and sour grass. A exotic touch of mango and pithy grapefruit linger on with this Alto Adige white and its natural complexity makes it a good choice with soft cheeses and lighter cuisine, especially delicate white fish and or shellfish. Formed in 1932, by the joining of Nals Winery with Margreid, this is now a very modern, critically acclaimed winery and looks to show off art, architecture and local traditions with its spectacular facility and visitors center.
This wine, 100% Sauvignon Blanc, comes from vines that the winery says are situated in Nalles, in a 150-metre-deep alluvial fan carved out by the Sirmian and Nalles streams at about 400 meters of elevation, with as the name “Stein” suggests lots of stony soils. The Alto Adige has an interesting climate that ranges from continental to sub-Mediterranean, and it is characterized by warm days and cool nights, that allows for wonderful ripeness and fresh acidity. The grapes are all harvested by hand with a careful selection of the bunches and the wine is made to capture the purity of place and vintage. After a direct whole cluster pressing, the clarified must is fermented for around three weeks in stainless steel tanks and it is aged on the lees for a further five months before bottling. Again, this wine was tasted at the Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri tasting in San Francisco, where it was a popular choice for the award winning whites. Nothing fancy need here and I can’t wait to sample some of the other offerings from this winery in the future and I highly recommend chasing this one down, it is a very rewarding Sauvignon Blanc.
($20 Est.) 92 Points, grapelive