Description
The Alto Adige PDO or dell’Alto Adige PDO (Südtirol PDO or Südtiroler PDO in German) is reserved for the following types of wine: White, Spumante, Rosé Spumante, Passito and Late Harvest White; Red, Rosé, Red Passito and Late Harvest (the latter only with the specification of grape variety). The Designation also incorporates numerous grape variety and geographical specifications.
Production Area
The production area of Alto Adige PDO (Südtirol PDO or Südtiroler PDO in German) is within the territory of numerous municipalities in the autonomous Province of Bolzano.
Description of product typologies
Alto Adige PDO or dell’Alto Adige PDO (Südtirol PDO or Südtiroler PDO) Bianco is straw-yellow, varying in intensity; it offers intense floral and white fruit sensations on the nose, as well as hints of tropical fruits and aromatic herbs; it is fresh, dense, mineral, intense and persistent on the palate. Riserva can be displayed on the label if the wine has undergone an ageing period of at least 2 years, commencing October 1st of the year in which the grapes were produced, and the natural alcohol level is above 11.5%. It can also be a Late Harvest wine. Alto Adige PDO or dell’Alto Adige PDO (Südtirol PDO or Südtiroler PDO) Spumante is straw-yellow, varying in intensity and at times with green or golden reflections, and has a fine and persistent perlage; the nose bursts with an ample, mellow bouquet; it is sapid, fine and harmonious on the palate, dry in extra-brut wines and semi-sweet in brut wines. Riserva can be displayed on the label if the wine has undergone an ageing period of at least 36 months in the bottle and is not released for consumption before 42 months, commencing October 1st of the harvest year of the most recent batch of grapes. Alto Adige PDO or dell’Alto Adige PDO (Südtirol PDO or Südtiroler PDO) Rosé Spumante is pink, varying in intensity, with a fine and persistent perlage; the nose bursts with a delicate, ample and complex bouquet that is typical of fermentation in the bottle; it is fresh, fine and harmonious on the palate, dry in extra-brut wines and semi-sweet in brut wines. Alto Adige PDO or dell’Alto Adige PDO (Südtirol PDO or Südtiroler PDO) Passito is yellow, varying in intensity; it is delicate, pleasant and characteristic on the nose; the flavour is semi-sweet or sweet, full, harmonious and characteristic of the grape variety. The organoleptic properties of Alto Adige PDO or dell’Alto Adige PDO (Südtirol PDO or Südtiroler PDO) wines which specify the grape variety (or varieties) are typical of the grapes and terroir of origin. Alto Adige PDO or dell’Alto Adige PDO (Südtirol PDO or Südtiroler PDO) Spumante wines must be produced exclusively by fermentation in the bottle (Classic Method), aged for at least 15 months in the bottle, and not released for consumption earlier than 20 months after October 1st of the harvest year of the most recent batch of grapes.
Geographical and sub-area specifications
The Alto Adige PDO or dell’Alto Adige PDO (Südtirol PDO or Südtiroler PDO) can be accompanied by six sub-geographical designations: Alto Adige PDO Colli di Bolzano (Südtirol PDO Bozen Leiten), Alto Adige PDO Meranese di Collina (Südtirol PDO Meraner Hügel) or Meranese (Südtirol PDO Meraner), and Alto Adige PDO Santa Maddalena (Südtirol PDO St. Magdalener) (also with the specification Classic); these only apply to the red wine and are produced in the Province of Bolzano with grapes which are typical of the terroir of origin. Alto Adige PDO Terlano (Südtirol PDO Terlaner); this only applies to white wine (incl. Riserva) and Passito without a grape variety specification, and white, Passito and late harvest wines with a grape variety specification, and they are produced in the Province of Bolzano with grapes that are typical of the terroir of origin. Alto Adige PDO Valle Isarco (Südtirol PDO Eisacktal or Eisacktaler); this only applies to Klausner Laitacher red wine and white Passito and late harvest wines with a grape variety specification, and is produced in the Province of Bolzano with grapes that are typical of the terroir of origin. Alto Adige PDO Valle Venosta (Südtirol PDO Veinschgau); this only applies to wines that specify the white and red grape varieties, including Passito and late harvest wines with Riserva displayed on the label and is produced in the Province of Bolzano with grapes that are typical of the terroir of origin. The Alto Adige PDO or dell’Alto Adige PDO (Südtirol PDO or Südtiroler PDO) can also be accompanied by additional geographical specifications referring to municipalities, districts and specifically delimited areas within the production area, where the grapes used to make the wine actually come from.
Grape variety specifications
The Alto Adige PDO or dell’Alto Adige PDO (Südtirol PDO or Südtiroler PDO) may display the following grape variety specifications. From white grape varieties: minimum 85% for each of the following: Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon, Gewürztraminer, Müller Thurgau, Riesling Italico, Riesling, Kerner, Sylvaner, Moscato Giallo; a maximum of 15% of similarly-coloured grapes originating from other grape varieties suitable for cultivation in the autonomous Province of Bolzano can be used. From two white grape varieties: Chardonnay-Pinot Bianco; Chardonnay-Pinot Grigio; Pinot Bianco - Pinot Grigio; both varieties must make up more than 15% of the total. Passito with two white grape varieties: Chardonnay and/or Pinot Bianco and/or Pinot Grigio and/or Müller Thurgau and/or Sauvignon and/or Riesling and/or Sylvaner and/or Traminer Aromatico and/or Kerner and/or Moscato Giallo; there must be two of these varieties present and both varieties must make up more than 15% of the total. From red grape varieties: minimum 85% for each of the following: Cabernet or Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc, Lagrein, Merlot, Malvasia, Pinot Nero, Schiava or Schiava Grossa or Schiava Gentile or Schiava Grigia, Moscato Rosa; a maximum of 15% of similarly-coloured grapes originating from other grape varieties suitable for cultivation in the autonomous Province of Bolzano can be used. From two red grape varieties: Cabernet-Merlot; Cabernet- Lagrein; Merlot-Lagrein; both varieties must make up more than 15% of the total. The characteristics of the colour, scents and flavour of each specification are typical of the grape variety and terroir of origin.
Additional specifications
The Alto Adige PDO or dell’Alto Adige PDO (Südtirol PDO or Südtiroler PDO) designation can be followed by the specification Vigna (Vineyard) with the relative toponym.
