A Chardonnay from the best plots around the village of Kurtatsch, matured for twelve months in barrique. Stylishly opulent, with exotic fruit and fine toasted notes — and the freshness of the mountains. Gault&Millau rated this vintage 95 points: world class.
Deep golden yellow in the glass, with a faint green tinge. The nose is rich and layered: ripe citrus, coconut and a touch of vanilla, underpinned by the fine toasted notes of barrique ageing. The palate is round and full, with a creamy texture from the bâtonnage and a silky core of fruit. The body is firm without becoming heavy; extract and acidity hold each other in balance, and the dolomite soil makes itself felt in a saline minerality that lends the wine length. The finish is long, refined and lightly toasted, with a citrus lift that keeps the opulence in check. Serve with roast poultry, braised veal, slow-cooked monkfish or aged mountain cheese.
Kellerei Kurtatsch is a cooperative in the South Tyrolean village of Kurtatsch, founded in 1900 by forty-two growers. Today 190 member families farm 190 hectares of vineyard between 220 and 900 metres. Erwin Carli is the cellar master.
Freienfeld is the estate’s Riserva line. The Chardonnay comes from the best plots around the village centre of Kurtatsch, facing south-east at 300 to 500 metres, where the vines root in sandy and gravelly soils rich in dolomite.
The must ferments in barrique and matures there for a further twelve months, with regular bâtonnage and a partial malolactic fermentation. Six months on the fine lees in a large oak cask follow, and a minimum of six months in bottle. The Riserva designation is regulated in Alto Adige: a white Riserva may not be released until two years after the harvest.
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