While the Pinot Grigio is an all-time favorite at PRIMA, the one Valle Isarco cuvée we prize the most and get the least is their Kerner. This hybrid cross between Riesling and the red Schiava (a.k.a. Trollinger) grapes was developed to showcase Riesling’s electric acidity and minerality but with greater richness and texture. It has become the grape for which the area is most famous, and Valle Isarco’s is one of its most prized examples.

The 2022 comes from a truly spectacular vintage that combined tons of radiant sunshine with the icy nights for which this region is legion. Rich for a wine grown at over 950 meters altitude, it’s extremely aromatic—the verdant hills of the southern Tyrol trapped in a bottle! White flowers, wild fennel and wet slate are only a few of the aromas that lead into a satisfyingly textural palate with, surprisingly, hints of pineapple and mango. A natural with freshwater fish (grilled or smoked trout?), it has the palate presence to assert itself alongside the much richer dishes of the region as well. Sausages, dumplings, game birds and even poultry-based stews work very well. Of course it’s superb with alpine cheeses as well.

And if you accidentally lose a few bottles at the back of your cellar, you’ll be in for a very pleasant surprise in a few years. It’s a very elegant ager!