REPORT ON THE ALTO ADIGE UNCORKED TASTING, FALL 2025

REPORT ON THE ALTO ADIGE UNCORKED TASTING, FALL 2025

The Date and Time: Tuesday October 14, 2025  12:30 to 5PM
The Event: Tasting a variety of wines from the Alto Adige Uncorked region of Italy.
The Venue: Aria Restaurant
The Target Audience: wine trade, wine media, agents, sommeliers.
The Availability/Catalogue: It was another huge booklet, listing some 19 wineries not at the LCBO as of October 14. There were notes about every winery, and of course a listing of the wines that they were presenting (almost all of them Alto Adige DOC but also with some IGTs). BTW, a quick check of the LCBO catalogue shows that there are 33 wines from Alto Adige, all from four wineries: Alois Lageder, Elena Walch, Cavit and Tiefenbruner (these four were not at the trade tasting). The area is well-known for its white wines.
The Quote/Background: The masterclass was overbooked, and the room for some 110 wines to sample was very tight.
The Wines: I did not try everything -- no time. Prices were not indicated....

**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Cantina Bozen Chardonnay 2024 Alto Adige DOC
-Cantina Bozen Chardonnay Riserva Stegher 2022 Alto Adige DOC
-Cantina Colterenzio Cabernet Sauvignon Riserva Lafoa 2021 Alto Adige DOC
-Castle Englar Cuvee Blanc de Castel 2023 Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT 
-Castle Englar Gewurztraminer Orange 2021 Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT
-Cantina Kaltern Sauvignon Stern 2024 Alto Adige DOC
-Tenuta Kornell Bianco Riserva Aichberg 2022 Alto Adige DOC
-Manincor Sauvignon Tannenberg 20214 Alto Adige DOC
-Hans Rottensteiner Winery Pinot Nero Riserva Select 2021 Alto Adige DOC
-Morandell Winery Cabernet Franc Riserva Podalirius 2022 Alto Adige DOC
-Cantina Teriano Chardonnay Riserva Doran 2022 Alto Adige DOC
-Cantina Teriano Merlot Riserva Gant 2022 Alto Adige DOC
-Peter Zemmer Pinot Nero Riserva 2022 Alto Adige DOC

***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (86 – 89 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Cantina Bozen Pinot Grigio 2024 Alto Adige DOC
-Winery Castel Sallegg Sauvignon Blanc 2023 Alto Adige DOC
-Castelfeder Chardonnay Doss 2024 Alto Adige DOC
-Castelfeder Sauvignon Raif 2024 Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT
-Cantina Colterenzio Chardonnay Lafoa 2023 Alto Adige DOC
-Castle Englar Chardonnay Belasy 2022 Alto Adige DOC
-Tenuta J. Hofstatter Chardonnay 2024 Alto Adige DOC
-Tenuta J. Hofstatter Gewurztraminer Joseph 2024 Alto Adige DOC
-Tenuta Kornell Sauvignon Blanc Cosmas 2024 Alto Adige DOC
-Cantina Kurtatsch Sauvignon Kofl 2023 Alto Adige DOC
-Cantina Kurtatsch Cuvee Bianco Amos 2023 Alto Adige DOC
-Morandell Winery Merlot Antiope 2024 Alto Adige DOC
-Hans Rottensteiner Winery Chardonnay Alto Adige DOC
-St. Michael-Eppan Winery Chardonnay 2024 Alto Adige DOC
-St. Michael-Eppan Winery Chardonnay Fallwind 2024 Alto Adige DOC
-Cantina Teriano Chardonnay Somereto 2024 Alto Adige DOC
-Cantina Tramin Chardonnay Glarea 2024 Alto Adige DOC
-Peter Zemmer Chardonnay Buchholz 2024 Alto Adige DOC

The Food: buffet style - dried apricots, tzatziki, raw veggies, red beet hummus, white bean puree, outstanding chicken liver pate, pita bread, olives, diverse salami, prosciutto, breadsticks, cured hams, nine different cheeses including asiago italiano, chevre des pyrenees, appenzeller, caciottina toscana, cossanella, et al, and four excellent terrines from the Cheese Boutique: game terrine with pork and cranberries, elk terrine and figs, duck rillettes and foie gras, duck terrine and orange.
The Downside: it was very crowded and I spent considerable time trying to get samples to taste and spit. 
The Upside: great food
The Contact Person: b.marassi@ice.it
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 88.

Dean Tudor,  Prof Emeritus T'karonto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) School of Journalism

Treasurer of Wine Writers' Circle of Canada http://www.deantudor.com
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