Merlot Cabernet Curtis – 2023

Young Merlot Cabernet Curtis from Cantina Kurtatsch with dark fruit

The Merlot Cabernet Curtis from Cantina Kurtatsch is the latest bottling of this South Tyrolean cuvée made from Merlot and two Cabernet varieties. Not a wine to lay away and not a vintage for the display case, but a red wine that already openly shows what it is capable of.

The Merlot Cabernet Curtis from Cantina Kurtatsch is a dry South Tyrolean red wine from the 2023 vintage, vinified from Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. In Latin, "Curtis" means something akin to a high-lying farm, which is where the wine village of Kurtatsch derives its name. The wine comes from the slopes directly above this village.

Dark cherry, violets, and black pepper

A dark ruby red fills the glass, young and dense, without the brownish rims that older vintages show at the edge. The color reaches to the rim of the glass and lets almost no light through.

The aroma is still entirely on the fruit side, with dark cherry, a hint of violets, and black pepper behind it. On the palate, the fullness of the Merlot comes through first, followed by the slender, spicy trail of the Cabernet Franc. The wine has 13.5 percent alcohol and feels juicy rather than heavy.

The tannins are still young and a bit angular, but they settle down after half an hour in the glass.

At the grill and at the Sunday table

This red wine finds its place with grilled lamb chops, pasta with a slowly braised ragù, and young mountain cheese. The youthful acidity cuts through the fat and keeps the palate alert.

Even a burger with aged cheese stands up well to it, as the young fruit enjoys the strong roasted aromas from the pan. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees Celsius, and in a large glass, the aroma gets significantly more room to breathe.

Those looking for the cool counterpart will find it in the Pinot Noir, and in the neighboring village, the Kellerei Tramin from South Tyrol vinifies its wines.

Small crates and a cool steel tank

The harvest is done by hand at the moment of full ripeness, and the grapes are quickly brought to the cellar in small crates. The yield is restricted to 70 hectoliters per hectare so that fewer berries carry more flavor.

Following the specifications of cellar master Erwin Carli, the grapes are destemmed, after which the mash ferments under temperature control in stainless steel. Cool fermentation captures the fresh fruit notes that would be quickly lost in a warm tank.

Subsequent pressing is done gently so that only the soft tannins from the skins and seeds migrate into the wine. It is precisely this gentle pressure that determines whether a young red wine tastes rough or round.

What this vintage still has in store

A young vintage like 2023 first shows the fruit and only much later the structure beneath it. Three to four years in a cool cellar will serve the wine well; then leather and tobacco will emerge alongside the berries.

Those who do not want to wait should open the bottle an hour in advance and let the wine breathe in peace. A board with bacon on the table, the glass beside it, and the afternoon stretches out pleasantly. Incidentally, a second day in the refrigerator does not harm an opened bottle.

More wines from the south of South Tyrol can be found in the Cantina Kurtatsch assortment. Young, but already completely at one with itself.

Origin and values

• Origin: Wine from Italy
• Growing region: South Tyrol - Alto Adige DOC
• Grape varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon
• 13.5% vol. alcohol
• 5.0 g/l acidity
• 2.5 g/l residual sugar