It may not sound Italian, but it's still delicious! The Vino Vino Situation presents... Lagrein Elena Walch from South Tyrol

Lagrein? It may not sound Italian, but we are still in Italy! In fact, we are strolling down the gorgeous wine route of South Tyrol, south of the Austrian border. With its walking and cycling paths, enjoyable in every season, this part of the country has become a popular tourist destination.

South Tyrol is a land of orchards and vineyards. When it comes to wine, South Tyrol and neighboring Trentino, which together form a single administrative region, are two distinct realities.

RELATED: 20 Italian Wines You Should Know, One for Each Region

There are many native grape varieties grown within the South Tyrol DOC zone. Mostly known for its white wines, South Tyrol is also home to some native red wine grape varieties, such as Lagrein. In fact, this variety might be related to Trentino’s native grapes, Marzemino and Teroldego.

south tyrol photo

Autumn in South Tyrol (Photo by blondinrikard)

Lagrein Elena Walch: An all-women winery in the heart of South Tyrol

On the wine route, we find the beautiful town of Termeno, where Elena Walch and her daughters run their winery. Yes, this is another all-women winery, like Giovanna Madonia with her Sangiovese.

The company became appreciated throughout the years thanks to a type of production that aims at reaching high quality standards and valorizing the territory. The vineyards are located at different altitudes and get different sun exposure, in order to get the best from every condition. The historical cellars themselves are worth a visit!

RELATED: Spumante Rotari Brut: Bubbles from Trentino

Their Lagrein wine has a very dark ruby red color, with aromas of berries and flowers: blueberries, blackberries and violets. Hints of spices, too. It’s defined as a rustic wine, but its tannic feature is delicate. This Lagrein is also refined in Slavonian oak barrels.

It is a great wine to drink during a meal, especially if including game meat or hard cheeses.

Just make sure to pronounce its name right! Since it’s German, the right pronunciation is “Lah-grah-een”. I had a few unpleasant experiences for pronouncing it wrong…

Enjoy your wine!

 

Wine maker: Elena Walch
Name: Lagrein
Region: Trentino-South Tyrol
Type: Still Red Wine
Grapes: Lagrein
Price: About $16

 

Working in wineries across Italy, I get to see how much passion goes into each bottle. With the Vino Vino Situation, every week I recommend great Italian wines. These reviews are unsponsored and unsolicited. Salute!

 

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