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2012 Lagrein Riserva “Di Ora in Ora”

Weingut Carlotto
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The search for the holy grail of Lagrein ended at the humble doorstep of this tiny father-daughter estate in the town of Ora, just south of Bolzano in Italy’s Alto Adige. Ferruccio Carlotto and his daughter Michela farm five hectares of vines in the stony riverbed plains of the valley, surrounded by sheer cliffs. Precise viticulture and vinification along with patient aging in large Slavonian oak casks give birth to the Lagrein of our dreams. –Dixon Brooke

Technical Information
Wine Type: red
Vintage: 2012
Bottle Size: 750mL
Blend: Lagrein
Appellation: Alto Adige
Country: Italy
Region: Alto Adige
Producer: Weingut Carlotto
Winemaker: Ferruccio Carlotto
Vineyard: Planted in 1946, 2003, 2006, 2012, 1.8 ha
Soil: Porphyry, Limestone, Clay, Alluvial stones
Aging: Aged in large, older oak barrels, very small percentage aged in new oak barrique
Farming: Sustainable
Alcohol: 13%

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About The Region

Alto Adige

map of Alto Adige

In the heart of the Dolomites, Alto Adige is Italy’s northernmost wine region. Having changed hands multiples times in its history between Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire (it shares a border with Austria), it boasts strong Germanic influence on its culture, language, cuisine, as well as its wines.

The mountainous geography is the principal determinant of local winemaking styles, with the high-altitude vineyards and cool Alpine climate favoring primarily crisp, racy, aromatic whites from varieties like Kerner, Sauvignon, Müller Thurgau, and Grüner Veltliner. A Mediterranean influence on climate is channeled north up the valley until Bolzano, permitting the cultivation of certain reds as well, among which Schiava, Lagrein, Pinot Nero, and Merlot fare best.

Small growers who once sold fruit to the area’s multiple co-ops are now increasingly bottling their own wines. The arrival of many quality-oriented artisans on the scene caught our eye years ago, and we now count three estates from Südtirol, as it is also known, in our portfolio. These high-acid mountain wines make for a beautifully invigorating aperitivo with thinly sliced speck, a local specialty.

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Where the newsletter started

Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch

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