Kuenhof Kaiton Valle Isarco Riesling 2013

Peter and Brigitte Pliger make some of the best white wines in the South Tyrol (Alto Adige), not far from the border with Austria in the Valle Isarco (named after the minerally river flowing through the area). These are steep, stony vineyards that impart serious minerality into the wines. With the cool alpine climate, their dry wines (like this one) have the acidity that pairs wonderfully with alpine meats and cheeses.

Peter’s dry Kaiton Riesling delights the nose with green herbal notes of wild arugula, lime zest, and honeysuckle. When you take a sip, it transforms into classic lemons and limes, but also star fruit and maybe a touch of banana on there. The minerality of the wine is distinctive and really comes through on the palate.

This is a higher acidity Riesling, and it’s great paired with fatty foods like hard cheeses (pecorino and parmigiano reggiano are perfect) and even a soft blue cheese like gorgonzola. This goes well with fondue paired with sliced green apples and bosc pears. It’s pretty nice with the region’s salumi like Speck.

I get this brilliant wine directly from fellow Italian importer Oliver McCrum, who is a stickler for clean and precise wines. This is on the top of his list, and not a wine to be missed.

Bottle Size: 750ml

Alcohol: 13.5%