LR, the cuvée riserva by Colterenzio

An in-depth tasting of 7 vintages of the Reserve dedicated to Luis Raifer showed a multifaceted and complex white with great aging capabilities.

Colterenzio dedicates its finest white Cuvée to its honorary president, Luis Raifer. A South Tyrolean personality with a proven track record in winemaking, he inspired the creation of a new wine, born with the 2011 vintage, to this day still surprising, and now on the market with the 2018.

Cuvée LR has changed over the years. But still a cuvée it is, and always celebratory of the main white varieties grown in Alto Adige. The most radical change has been from Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon and Gewürztraminer to the exclusion of Gewürztraminer over the years. With stops in small wood, varying in duration depending on the vintage. Dressed in white glass, protected by a metal mesh, the label speaks of its contents by presenting the image of a painting inside, always different from year to year.

Why a cuvée

In making a cuvée, the winery saw an opportunity to create something unique that would bear the winery's signature, something that would transcend space and time. A wine that was all their own and at the same time could speak of Alto Adige. The result is a wine that does not fear the passing of the years, in fact it benefits by bringing out the characteristics of the vintage and the choices in the field and cellar made from time to time. Versatile even at the table it easily finds a place, an intrinsic factor of blends of several grapes.

The attention in the vineyard and in the cellar, the limited edition and the packaging designed down to the smallest detail already herald an exclusive product. Making it even more precious is the way of communicating it, through images that evoke sensations. In part, the task was entrusted to director Carlo Guttadauro, who made an evocative short movie. The movement of wine, in the goblet, but also in the time from harvest to goblet, is associated with that of a young woman fencing. Throughout, Luis Raifer's watchful eye observes impassively and participates in the union of territory, grapes, wine and art. 

Necessarily, the communication of an exceptional product had to be out of the ordinary in turn. Also out of the ordinary were those who accompanied us on this journey, leading the masterclass Gabriele Gorelli MW, Italy's only Master of Wine.

ITasting, in a quick roundup, the vintages: 2011, the first vintage, still in surprising form certainly charmed everyone. 2012, the most "out of the chorus" vintage, intriguing certainly but with a slightly off-key drift from its sister vintages. 2013, arrived perhaps at the best time to be tasted. 2015, skips a year of production and goes to 2015, the first vintage that excludes Gewürztraminer, loses slightly in immediacy and reflects the hot and powerful vintage. 2016, in my opinion the most convincing tasting, harmonious, communicative, at times reassuring wine. 2017, young but promising, rich in vertical thrust. 2018, definitely intriguing but at a level still ancestral compared to its potential for evolution and growth.

Colterenzio describes itself as a young cooperative winery. The newly founded cooperative, 1960, now involves 300 winegrowing families in South Tyrol. In 1979 Luis Raifer became its director, transferring new blood, ideas and vibrant energy to the entire production compartment. That is why, some 30 years later, Max Niedermayr, current president, Martin Lemayr, winemaker, and Alex Ferrigato, sales director, with sincere gratitude are proud to name such a special product after him.

• Colterenzio-Schreckbichl, Alto Adige Bianco Riserva LR 2016
• Colterenzio-Schreckbichl Alto Adige Bianco Riserva LR 2017
• Colterenzio-Schreckbichl Alto Adige Bianco Riserva LR 2018

Click on the name of the wine to read its fact sheet.

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