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.
Over the last 10 years Girlan has been busy establishing itself as one of the most interesting names of Alto Adige. It was the arrival of new cellarmaster Gehard Kofler in 2006, however, that really kicked things up a gear. By 2008, Girlan had five wines competing for Gambero Rosso’s ‘Tre Bicchieri’ (‘Three Glasses’) with one 2008 wine eventually winning this top designation. Girlan and Kofler control some great sites in Alto Adige’s Uberetsch-Unterland subregion. Their wines are of great freshness, delicacy and aromatic complexity, a sure reflection of great sites, low yields and the rigour that Kofler brings to Girlan’s spotlessly clean cellar.
About this wine: This juicy, drink-now aromatic white is a well-judged blend of 45% Pinot Bianco with the remainder split between Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. All the fruit is grown at 448 metres (hence the name) on the mineral-rich hillside vineyards of Alto Adige’s Cornaiano canton. The name not only refers to the altitude of the source vineyards but also to a local expression: ‘448’ or ‘quattro quattro otto’ is a local saying for ‘hurry up’ or ‘chop chop’. So, there’s a bit of Tyrolean wordplay going on here.
This is a joy to drink—a super aromatic, juicy wine similarly weighted to a Cheverny or Pouilly Fumé. You can expect a mouthwatering, tangy wine with spring blossom, sliced apple, citrus peel and fresh-cut herbs on the nose and palate. In the mouth, it’s crunchy, racy and refreshing, but becomes more and more textural over time in the glass. Proper mountain wine and serious bang for buck on offer here.
RRP $39 *Our Special Price $29.99 when you buy 6 or more of this wine.
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