Cellar Profile
Nestled at the foot of Castel Madruzzo, in the foothills of the Dolomites, sits Agricola Pravis. The winery started in the 1970s, as a partnership between three friends. Now, second-generation vintner sisters, Giulia and Erika Pedrini, have taken over the responsibility of running Pravis. Surrounded by stone outcroppings, their small, ecologically-farmed vineyards are scattered throughout the hills, each planted in calcareous stone, according to unique microclimates, with altitudes ranging from 300 to 600 masl. Working with both international as well as indigenous varieties (such as their noteworthy Nosiola), Pravis uses a minimal intervention philosophy that includes a strict gravity flow process. The cooling breeze that whips through the mountain passes from nearby Lake Garda, called the "Ora" by locals, minimizes the risk of mildew and keeps temperatures moderate during the hottest parts of summer, ensuring that these mineral-driven wines retain plenty of elegance. Interestingly, the winery works with the Freiburg Institute in the development of "zero impact" clone varieties that would leave no ecological footprint and would grow in otherwise inhospitable environments for agriculture.
Region
The region of Trentino-Alto Adige is bordered by East and North Tyrol (Austria) to the northeast and north respectively, by Graubünden (Switzerland) to the northwest and by the Italian regions of Lombardy to the west and Veneto to the south and southeast. It covers 13,607 square kilometres and is extremely mountainous, covering a large part of the Dolomites and the southern Alps. Südtirol (where Cantina Kurtatsch is located) has an area of 7,398 square kilometres, all of it mountainous land and covered by vast forests. The climate here is Mediterranean (hot summer and cold winters) owing to the influence of the many mountain ranges, which stand at over 3,000 metres above sea level, and the wide valleys through which flows (from north to south) the main river, the Adige, and its numerous tributaries.
Vineyard
These vineyards are located in the Polin zone of Calavino, at the entrance of the Cavedine valley in Trentino. Soils here are calcareous marl. At 400 masl, with southwest exposure, the climate here is mild thanks to the proximity to Lake Garda.
Winemaking
Hand-harvested fruit is given a few hours of maceration before being gently pressed. The juice ferments in temperature-controlled stainless steel, where care is taken to avoid malolactic fermentation. The wine ages in steel, on its lees, before being bottled young and fresh.
Tasting Notes
This Pinot Grigio has an interesting copper hue from the time spent on its skins after crushing. Aromas of pear, light honey and apricot. The palate is dry, but not austere, with flavours of pear, peach and ginger. There is also a touch of pithiness, framed by fairly generous acidity. Lightly chill and enjoy with baked brie or with mussels in white wine.
Varieties
Pinot Grigio/Gris is thought to be a mutant clone of Pinot Noir and finds its origins in Burgundy, France. There are several styles of Pinot Grigio; dry and mineral-driven, dry and fruit-forward or rich and fruity. The dry and minerally style is most famous from the northern parts of Italy and traverses the foothills of the Alps nearly all the way from Italy through Austria and even Romania, Slovenia and Hungary. The mountains are a powerful force on the agriculture, insuring that grapes keep their high acidity. The wines are most commonly described as dry with relatively high acidity. These characteristics are complemented by aromas of lemon, lime, green apple and blossoms. In Trentino and Friuli, many producers are growing the grapes slightly riper than the rest of Northern Italy, and giving some skin contact to add complexity.