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 to new ideas.
In Alto Adige, the vineyard holdings per family are among the smallest in Italy, a mere .42 ha. on average. Erste + Neue supports over 600 small-scale investor-grape growers, and the winery’s team of agronomists works closely with growers year-round, organizing training sessions and vineyard inspections while supporting sustainable, herbicide-free farming practices.
This spirit of cooperation guides each step—the grapes are tended and harvested by hand, then graded when they arrive at the winery. The winemaking team embraces a style of minimal intervention in the cellar, allowing varietal tapicity to shine through. In Erste+Neue’s range of white wines, a pronounced mineral backbone imparted by limestone-rich glacially deposited soils reflects these wines’ authenticity and charm. In their reds, heady aromatics and freshness are the hallmarks of an alpine microclimate with cool nights.
The entire line retails for under $20 USD—an excellent value and well worth exploring.
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. Well-balanced acidity keeps it bright and fresh. 13.0% ABV | Sample 90 Points
Erste+Neue Pinot Nero 2016: 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 tannin structure while preserving a sense of freshness. 13.5% ABV | Sample 89 Points
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 that gather at the mid-palate, ushering in a finish of warm spice. 12.5% ABV | Sample 88 Points
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 bright citrusy acidity and coursing minerality in this refreshing Alto Adige white. 13.5% ABV | Sample 90 Points
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 89 Points
For more visit: Vinea Imports and Erste+Neue
206-313-4994
