2021 | Falkenstein Winery | Riesling Alto Adige Valle Venosta

It opens up aromas of kiwi, lime and bergamot peel, lily of the valley, granny smith apple and vague mineral suggestions. On the palate, it reveals a pleasant fruity thickness, enlivened by a pleasing acidity; balanced finish on a citrusy trace.

Producer Information

The Falkenstein winery, located in the scenic Vinschgau, aka Val Venosta, is one of Italy’s greatest producers of Riesling. The estate’s name dates to the 12th century when it was a hunting house for the castle located just below them on the hill. The hunting was done traditionally with falconry, hence the image of the falcon on the estate’s labels. Much of the valley floor of the Val Venosta is dedicated to apple orchards which was, for many years the Pratzner family’s main business. That is, until 1983, when Franz and his wife, Bernadette, began to make wine. Their first vintage was 1989 when they made just 600 bottles. It was not until the 1995 vintage that they bottled wine using the Alto Adige DOC. The family business is split between a guesthouse run by Franz and Bernadette’s daughter, Michaela, and the winery, which their daughter, Magdalena, runs (though Franz is still very much involved). Their mother, Bernadette, locally known as a great chef, prepares meals at the guesthouse. Today, the estate comprises fourteen hectares of vineyards which they work organically. In three of their vineyards, they also have begun working biodynamically. They have six hectares of Riesling, three of Pinot Bianco (aka Weissburgunder), and smaller amounts of Sauvignon, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Noir. The winery and vineyards sit in the Alps just 5 miles south of the Austrian border. Most of their vineyards face south or southeast at approximately 600-900 meters and have beautiful views of mountain chains leading to Mt. Ortler, the tallest mountain in Alto Adige. The soil here is a mix of gneiss (similar to granite), slate, mica, and quartz and the wines reflect this in their minerality and structure. In this cool region nestled in the mountains, the wines are extremely fresh and vibrant. Their whites, for example, have a very low pH, usually no more than 2.95, and given that they are vinified dry, they are some of the finest examples of racy, mineral-driven Alpine wines!

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