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Producer Profile: The Expressive Wines of Erste+Neue

Weingut Kaltern

Located in Caldaro, a storybook village on Alto Adige’s breathtaking wine road, the Erste+Neue cooperative winery was established in 1986 following the merger of the Erste Kellerei (founded in 1900) and the Neue Kellerei (founded in 1925). Translated, the name First + New reflects the winery’s nod to tradition while embracing experimentation and an openness […]

Spring Getaway: Dining in Champagne

Amuse bouche

My previous life as a winemaker found me living amidst the rolling hills of southeastern Washington’s Palouse. Carved out by the Missoula floods and crowned in layers of wind-blown loess, it’s a breathtaking landscape that attracts photographers from all over the world. Following harvest, the region changes her gown from green to gold. In the […]

Eifel Pfeiffer Heinz Eifel Kabinett Riesling 2015

Eifel Pfeiffer Heinz Eifel Kabinett Riesling 2015

Billowy, rapturious aromas of white flowers, pine, high-altitude breezes, line-dried linen and white peach waft from the glass. But for me, that wasn’t the most compelling aspect of the Eifel Pfeiffer Heinz Eifel Kabinett Riesling, no—it’s definitely the acidity. A nervy electric cord of pure lemon pith that cuts through this Mosel Riesling like sewing […]

Eifel Pfeiffer Heinz Eifel Riesling Spätlese 2015

Heinz Eifel Riesling Spätlese 2015

A terrific value Spätlese from Heinz Eifel, made from late-harvest grapes grown along the steep, slatey banks of the Mosel. Luscious aromas of yellow peach, Bosc pear, lemon drop, Snapple, and an ethereal kerosene top note. It’s fairly gentle on the palate, and round, with a citrusy burst of acidity that gives as much balance […]

Domaine Sainte Lucie MiP Classic Côtes de Provence Rosé 2015

Domaine Sainte Lucie MiP Classic Côtes de Provence Rosé 2015

Who says rosé can’t age [a little]? This, found in a dusty corner is a welcome surprise, bringing with it a tidepool of minerality and Provence’s warming summer breeze. The 2015 Domaine Sainte Lucie MiP is pale salmon pink in the glass, lithe and made from that most classic blend of cinsault, syrah, and grenache. […]

Erste+Neue Lagrein 2016

Erste+Neue Lagrein 2016

From vines trained on pergolas, an overhead trellis system introduced by the ancient Romans, Erste+Neue’s 2016 Lagrein offers up a sumptuous bouquet of fleshy plums and ripe black cherries followed by spice, crushed lavender, and a daub of earth. It’s softly textured on entry, with plush black fruit framed against a backdrop of velvety tannins. […]

Erste+Neue Pinot Nero 2016

Erste+Neue Kellerei Pinot Nero

Robed in translucent garnet, Erste+Neue’s 2016 Pinot Nero is nimble and lively. Crafted from grapes grown in flint, clay, and lime sedimentary soils that surround bucolic Lake Kaltern, the vines are trained on pergolas. Pie cherries, seedy black raspberry, and forest floor aromas round out the nose. Aging in large casks has imparted a subtle […]

Erste+Neue Pinot Grigio 2016

Erste+Neue Pinot Grigio 2016

The color of sun bleached straw, Erste+Neue’s 2016 Pinot Grigio offers up notes of Bosc pear, yellow apple, prairie flowers, and line-dried linen. Aging on fine lees has graced it with plenty of textural appeal, and there is a faint and lovely background note of freshly milled buckwheat that joins in the delicate interplay between […]

Erste+Neue Sauvignon 2016

Erste+Neue Sauvignon 2016

Classic Sauvignon Blanc aromas of boxwood, lime zest, and piney alpine forest in summer. There’s no excess weight on the palate—it’s vibrant and crisp, offering a sophisticated daub of quarry dust on the finish. 13.5% ABV | Sample Erste+Neue 89 Points  

Erste+Neue Kalterersee Leuchtenburg Classico Superiore 2016

Erste+Neue Kalterersee Leuchtenburg Classico Superiore 2016

Limpid, translucent ruby in the glass, the 2016 Erste+Neue Kalterersee Leuchtenburg Classico Superiore is made from 100% pergola-trained schiava, a grape that is indigenous to the Alto Adige/Südtirol winegrowing region. Lilting aromas of red currants, cherry clafoutis, baking spice, and marzipan waft from the glass. It’s round, light, and silky in texture, with ultra-fine tannins […]

CHRISTINE HAVENS
McMinnville, OR

christine@christine-havens.com