Alto Adige offers more than one white wine (#ItalianFWT)

If you associate northern Italian wine with Pinot Grigio, I invite you to look again.

Pressed against Austria and Switzerland at Italy’s northernmost border, Alto Adige produces only a small amount of the country’s total wine. But this picturesque region has the highest proportion of Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) wines in the country. That translates into a lot of quality wine, including reds, such as Schiava and Lagrein, for the Austrian market, and an array of whites – Pinot Grigio, Gewürtztraminer, Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling – for export globally.

For skiers and outdoor enthusiasts, the Dolomite Mountains – a UNESCO World Heritage site – give Alto Adige much of its high drama and allure. But Alto Adige, or South Tyrol (Südtirol) to its German-speaking population, is known for a mix of cultural traditions, too. The region was once a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Considering this history, it’s no surprise to find the third-generation Zemmer family farming and producing wine in Alto Adige.

The Italian Food, Wine and Travel group of bloggers will be exploring the wines of Trentino-Alto Adige and Friuli-Venezia Giulia in Northeast Italy for this month’s Twitter chat on Aug. 3. Hope you can join us at 11 am ET by following the hashtag, #ItalianFWT.

The wine – 2017 Peter Zemmer Pinot Bianco DOC

For this month’s #ItalianFWT theme, I found a Peter Zemmer Pinot Bianco in the local Pennsylvania state store.

The Peter Zemmer winery is located in the village Cortina, in the lowlands of Alto Adige. This small village, which has gone by various Latin and German names, dates back at least 700 years.

It is the last village with a German-speaking majority before the southern provincial border with Trentino, and the only village in the middle of the valley floor near the Adige River.

The valley floor enjoys abundant sunshine. After snowy winters, mountain streams provide ample amounts of water to the vineyards. Hot summers mean scorching heat in the valley. But in the afternoon, there is a dry and cool breeze called “Ora” that comes up from Lake Garda. Major temperature fluctuations between day and night give the wines their intense flavor.

Pinot Bianco is grown on the valley floor and on steep slopes near the vineyard estate. The soil is stony, sandy and extremely chalky. Low yield in this particular terroir is responsible for the quality of this wine, according to the tech sheet. Grapes are pressed gently and clarified through natural settling of sediments. Fermentation occurs in stainless steel tanks.

My tasting notes: Light gold in color. Aromatic nose of ripe apples and peaches. Green apple, lime and lemon zest on the palate. Medium+ acidity. Medium finish. 13.5% alcohol. At $12.99 in the Pennsylvania state store system, this wine is a great value and alternative to Pinot Grigio.

The pairings – Day 1: Chicken schnitzel; Day 2: Flounder skillet

Just had to go Austrian on Day 1 of this Alto Adige wine pairing. Chicken schnitzel is light and easy for summer. Pound boneless chicken breast into thin patties. Then dredge patties in flour, then egg, then seasoned bread crumbs, in that order. Pan fry in oil for about 3-5 minutes on each side. With a squeeze of lemon, schnitzel pairs beautifully with Pinot Bianco.

Appetizers, fish and shellfish are just as suitable matches. Here is the recipe for the flounder skillet I prepared for Day 2 of this wine (serves 2):

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Hefty tsp. dill weed
• 2 thinly sliced red potatoes
• ½ sliced onion (or 2 scallions)
• Green beans
• ½ lb. flounder fillets
• ¼ cup white wine
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. butter
• Salt and pepper
• Lemon slices

Instructions:

1. Parboil potatoes and green beans.
2. Heat oil in skillet.
3. Stir in dill weed.
4. Layer parboiled potatoes, green beans and onions in skillet.
5. Top with flounder.
6. Sprinkle wine, lemon juice, salt and pepper over top.
7. Dot flounder with butter.
8. Cover and reduce heat.
9. Simmer until potatoes are done, about 20 minutes.
10. Garnish with lemon slices.

Lemon in both these dishes lend a delicious pairing note to the Pinot Bianco. Whatever you choose, my recommendation is to keep it light and citrusy with this wine. Enjoy!

Check out the following bloggers to learn more about Northeast Italian wines. Hope you can join us Aug. 3 for the chat!

• Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla hunts down “Coniglio in Agrodolce + Ronchi di Cialla Ribolla Gialla 2017”
• Wendy tries “Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Pizza with a Terlano Pinot Bianco” over at A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Gwendolyn is The Wine Predator, and she will be “Celebrating Summer in the Mountains of Italy : 4 wines with 4 courses from Südtirol”
• Jeff at FoodWineClick! will be getting back to nature with “A Food-Friendly Skin-Fermented Vigneti delle Dolomiti”
• Cindy will be taking a look at “Picolit – A Historic, Rare, Sweet Dessert Wine from Collio DOC” over at Grape Experiences
• Jennifer will be taking her Vino Travels to the farthest reaches of Italy’s northeast to discover “Friulian Reds with Zorzettig”
• Lauren, The Swirling Dervish, will be trying out “Elena Walch Müller Thurgau with Summertime Shrimp Pad-Thai”
• Katarina will be look closer at “Aquila del Torre winery: An Oasis in Friuli Focused on Local Identity and Innovation” at Grapevine Adventures
• And Kevin, this month’s host, will be doing a bit of a double-header here at SnarkyWine, with some “Mountain Bubbles and a Tannic Finish”