Girlan Lagrein 2022

Description

Girlan is one of the finest ‘grower collectives’ in Northern Italy’s spectacular Alto Adige, a stone’s throw from the Austrian and Swiss borders and encircled by the saw-toothed Dolomite Mountains, producing exemplary whites and reds. They have long encouraged their growers to focus on those varieties that best suit their soils, aspects and altitudes and they have led the way in single ‘commune’ and single vineyard wines. Girlan was also one of the first collectives in Alto Adige to pay its growers according to the quality of their fruit and apply strict controls on yields.
It is important to understand the central role that collective wine growing has had in Alto Adige. For a multitude of reasons including: geographic isolation, mountainous topography and tiny average holdings, local growers have historically banded together to form co-operatives. Over 70% of the region’s wines are produced by such co-ops and a number, including Girlan, control a wonderful array of the region’s finest sites.

Lagrein is generally the most impressive red grape of the spectacular Alto Adige region in the far north of Italy (close to Austrian border) when yields are controlled (which they are at Girlan). This variety is deeply coloured and can have fruit character reminiscent of dark cherries.

Thanks to careful vineyard selection, low yields and subtle oak handling, Girlan producers a dark, richly aromatic red with fine tannins and real freshness. Stylistically, it is perhaps most comparable to the medium bodied red wines of Savoie, made from the Mondeuse variety. On the other hand this wine is unique in an almost pinoesque kind of way!

At its best Lagrein can produce some of the Alto Adige’s most striking reds. This is a fabulous example. Drawn from vineyards within the sandy Bassa Atesina terroir, a canton of the mountainous Südtiroler Unterland, this is a fragrant, beautifully balanced red that is both pulpy textured and vibrantly fresh with some powdery tannins playing their role. It was raised in large wooden barrels and concrete vats for eight months. Expect plenty of spicy, mineral, dark cherry, bitter chocolate and sap notes on the complex and driven palate. Imagine a dark, inky Beaujolais and you’ll be coming close to the style on offer here. There’s a nice twist of (ripe) tannins that will meld beautifully with the right food and the finish is perfumed and incredibly moreish. It should match brilliantly well with simply prepared grilled and roast meats, game and a variety of hard cheeses.

RRP $52 *SPECIAL 6 BOTTLE OR MORE BUY $41.50