2018 Cantina Valle Isarco Kerner Alto Adige
SKU #1448746
92 points
Vinous
Straw-green. Lemon, lime and minty spices on the explosive nose. Then also very forward, explosive minty and juicy gooseberry flavors on the palate. Luscious but bright, with hints of herbs and ripe orchard fruit on the back end. Lovely. Drink through 2023. (ID)
(2/2020)
Wine Advocate
The 2018 Alto Adige Valle Isarco Kerner (with an ample 140,000 bottles produced) is a fresh and direct expression of the grape with mild aromas of white fruit, peach, quince and spring rose. The wine offers good acidity—it is fresh without feeling sharp or too crisp—and it has a touch more substance and volume on the finish that would make the wine a good pairing partner to Thai food or sushi. The wine only sees contact with stainless steel. (ML)
(7/2019)
K&L Notes
In the northern, alpine region of Trentino-Alto Adige Italy, German and Italian mix not only in place names, but also grape varieties. Kerner is a relatively new grape (developed in the 1960s) that is a cross between Riesling and the local red grape Schiava. Cantina Valle Isarco is known as Kellerei Eisacktaler in German, and you see both brand names printed on the front label. Cantina Valle Isarco boasts some of the northern-most vineyards in Italy; they are planted along the valley where the charming city of Bolzano is located and continue until the Austrian border. Though something of a mongrel in terms of ancestry, in the right hands, such as those of the very capable people at Cantina Valle Isarco, it produces a full-bodied, un-oaked wine full of vibrant fruits, ethereal floral highlights and aging potential. A strong, spicy wine to enjoy with charcuterie and sausages or sashimi!
