SOMA Merlot Cabernet – 2022

SOMA Merlot Cabernet from Cantina Kurtatsch from the deepest vineyards

The SOMA Merlot Cabernet from Cantina Kurtatsch is a South Tyrolean cuvée made from three Bordeaux varieties in precisely defined proportions. It is not a blend mixed by intuition and not an everyday wine, but a red wine from the warmest vineyards in Kurtatsch.

The SOMA Merlot Cabernet from Cantina Kurtatsch is a dry South Tyrolean red wine made from 60 percent Merlot, 30 percent Cabernet Franc, and 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. These proportions are strictly fixed, which is by no means a given for a cuvée. The grapes grow on hillsides between 220 and 250 meters, in the warmest strip South Tyrol has to offer.

Garnet red, plum, tobacco, and dark chocolate

A deep garnet red sits in the glass, nearly opaque, and the wine leaves a broad veil on the rim. A red wine from such warm sites shows its density even before it reaches the palate.

The nose features ripe cherry, plum, and blackcurrant, underpinned by tobacco and a hint of dark chocolate. On the palate, it is broad and calm, with 14 percent alcohol and ripe, well-integrated tannins.

The finish lingers, and the dark fruit remains on the tongue long after several breaths. This is not a loud force, but one that simply endures.

With beef fillet, game ragout, and hard cheese

This red wine is at home with beef fillet, a slowly braised game ragout, and long-aged hard cheese. The ripe tannins embrace the meat rather than working against it.

Lamb chops and a piece of dark chocolate after a meal also stand up to it, as its fruit carries enough weight. It should be served at 18 degrees, and a carafe will remove any remaining austerity.

If you are looking for something light for the summer, you will find it in the Pinot Grigio, and for an alcohol-free option, there is the non-alcoholic grape juice.

Fifty hectoliters and not a liter more

For the SOMA, the vines stand on sandy-loamy soils with dolomite and clay minerals. The yield is restricted to 50 hectoliters per hectare, significantly stricter than for the winery's other red wines. These red soils are the reason why the Merlot here becomes rich and round at all.

Fewer grapes on the vine mean thicker skins, and thicker skins mean more color and more tannin in the wine. This is exactly where the density that distinguishes this red wine from the entry-level cuvée comes from.

Fermentation takes place in a rotor tank, which slowly rotates the mash instead of circulating it with a pump. This extracts color and tannin from the skins without the wine becoming harsh.

An evening that will not be short

The large temperature differences between day and night in this warm location keep the aromas vibrant and the fruit clear. The 2022 vintage is ready to drink and will keep in a cool cellar for several more years. Cool nights at this depth are not a matter of course, but the result of the surrounding mountains.

An hour open in the glass or a carafe changes it significantly; it becomes softer and rounder. A late evening, low light, a bit of cheese left on the board, and the bottle will not be corked again.

More from the south of South Tyrol can be found in the Cantina Kurtatsch range. Power with poise.

Origin, values, and awards

• Origin: Wine from Italy
• Region: South Tyrol - Alto Adige DOC
• Grape varieties: Merlot 60%, Cabernet Franc 30%, Cabernet Sauvignon 10%
• 14.0% vol. alcohol
• 5.2 g/l acidity
• 1.2 g/l residual sugar
• Awards: 2022: Gold Mundus Vini