Lagrein – 2022

Dark-berried Lagrein 2022 from Cantina Kurtatsch in South Tyrol

The 2022 Lagrein from Cantina Kurtatsch is a powerful South Tyrolean red wine. Not a velvety charmer or a giant from oak barrels, but a dark, juicy wine with a firm tannin structure and the backbone for the hearty cuisine of its homeland.

The Lagrein 2022 from Cantina Kurtatsch is a varietal red wine from South Tyrol, bottled in a 750-milliliter bottle and aged in large oak barrels. Lagrein grows almost nowhere else and is genetically related to Teroldego and Syrah. This vine needs plenty of warmth, and the first hillside locations above the Adige Valley provide more than enough of it. In the glass, it has 13.5 percent alcohol, is vinified dry, and has no sweetness in the finish.

Blackberry, plum, and a hint of coffee

The Lagrein sits deep dark in the glass, almost impenetrable to the rim. Anyone holding it against the light will see almost nothing shine through, and the narrow rim glows violet instead of brick red.

On the nose, blackberry and dark plum come first, overlaid with savory spice notes and a touch of freshly ground coffee. On the palate, it is juicy and meaty; the fine-grained tannins take a firm hold and keep the dark fruit together until the end.

This grip is typical of the variety, as Lagrein was never intended to be a charmer, but always a wine to accompany food. A youthful freshness remains in the finish, which keeps it surprisingly agile despite all its intensity.

For game, braised roasts, and aged mountain cheese

Hearty cuisine is its home, without any restrictions. The darker the meat on the plate and the longer it has been braised, the more reliably it stands by its side.

It finds its match with game ragout, braised beef, leg of lamb, and aged mountain cheese because its tannins know how to handle fat and roasted aromas. It should be served at 16 to 18 degrees in a large glass, and half an hour of breathing time before the first sip does it a world of good.

Those who prefer something lighter will find a cool counterpoint in the light Grauvernatsch, and those looking for finer, brighter aromatics will find what they are looking for in the Pinot Noir.

Large oak barrel and the tranquility of fine lees

The Lagrein vines for this wine grow on loamy, sandy gravel soils. In the first hilly locations between 200 and 250 meters, the very warmth collects that this variety requires for full ripening.

Harvesting is done by hand, and the grapes are quickly brought to the cellar in small crates. Whatever has been destemmed there according to the specifications of cellar master Erwin Carli then ferments under temperature control on the skins in stainless steel.

Afterward, the wine moves into the large oak barrel and remains there quietly on the fine lees for months. The barrel is old enough not to contribute any more vanilla, and the yeast gives it that round texture that you feel on the palate more than you taste.

A wine for a long evening

Outside it’s November; inside, a stew has been simmering for two hours. On the table sits a bottle that needs no further explanation. Vinum gave this vintage 16.5 points, which is quite a statement for a regional wine in this price range.

It should be drunk within the next four to five years, because after that it loses more than it gains. More from the warm south of South Tyrol can be found in the Cantina Kurtatsch assortment. This is what the dark side of South Tyrol tastes like.

Origin, values, and awards

• Origin: Wine from Italy
• Region: South Tyrol - Alto Adige DOC
• Grape variety: Lagrein
• 13.5% vol. alcohol
• 5.2 g/l acidity
• 1.7 g/l residual sugar
• Awards 2022: 16.5 points Vinum