Decanter: our Sauvignon from Penon-Kofl among Italy’s most celebrated examples

That Sauvignon Blanc has great potential in Alto Adige is no longer a secret. We are therefore especially pleased that Tom Hyland, in his recent Decanter article on Italy’s best Sauvignon Blancs when talking about Alto Adige, also highlighted our Sauvignon from the Geographical Unit (UGA) Penon-Kofl.

At the heart of the article is exactly what defines our daily work: terroir and the conviction that great wines can only emerge where grape variety and site interact in perfect harmony. Our steep vineyards in the UGA Penon-Kofl , situated between 425 and 600 metres above sea level, are among the most exciting Sauvignon Blanc sites in Alto Adige. Poor sandy and gravelly soils rich in dolomitic limestone and quartz, extreme slopes and the unique interplay of intense sunlight and cool nights create the ideal conditions for wines with tension, freshness and depth.

The article also highlights our vineyard approach. Head winemaker Erwin Carli consciously works with local Laimburg clones, which have proven particularly suitable for our sites. These clones produce looser clusters, vibrant natural acidity and, above all, the precision we seek in our Sauvignon. Especially in times of rising temperatures, this focus on freshness and origin becomes increasingly important.

Tom Hyland describes our Sauvignon KOFL as a “classic, assertively styled Alto Adige Sauvignon” and awards the 2020 vintage an outstanding 94 points. We particularly appreciate his description of the wine as “vertical” and mineral-driven, with a earthy, stony character with its fruit and florals notes in the background – a style that  differs from the often more expressive and aromatic Sauvignon Blancs of the region..

Starting with the 2024 vintage, our Sauvignon officially carries the UGA designation “Penon-Kofl” as part of the new site classification system introduced within the Alto Adige DOC. The introduction of these additional geographical units marks an important step for us, confirming a philosophy we have pursued for decades while making the identity and uniqueness of our vineyards even more visible – site by site. Wine by wine.

We would like to thank Tom Hyland and Decanter for this appreciative mention and are delighted to see the uniqueness of our terroir gaining international recognition.