A Schiava for the summer

Let us be thankful that South Tyrol has rediscovered, and is reviving, the Schiava-Vernatsch grape variety, once the most popular, then declined, and now back in consideration. The Schiava Fass No. 9 from Cantina Kellerei Girlan is really worth drinking even, or perhaps especially, in these hot months.

Schiava in South Tyrol has been in serious danger of disappearing despite representing the heart of Südtirol's winegrowing tradition. From 70 percent of the area under vine until the 1970s to just under 10 percent today. The reasons are many and in some cases quite valid: the exhaustion of key markets for the type such as Switzerland and Germany, the growing success of white wines, etc. 

The result remains that this typical, very pleasant, versatile and modern wine has experienced a very serious crisis. Fortunately, in recent years, more shrewd and farsighted producers have imprinted a decisive change in attitude and thus promotion and enhancement of this wine, planting of new vineyards in the most suitable areas, but above all awareness of the commercial potential of Schiava. 

It is a wine of great drinkability, with silky tannins, a balanced alcohol and that should be drunk at a cool temperature, almost like a white wine, and that is able to go with almost any dish. The credit for this renaissance of Schiava belongs to many: small producers, important private companies and, of course, cooperative wineries. Among the latter, the Girlan Winery represents a true bastion of the type. Famous for the now legendary Schiava Gschleier, they have always made it a point of honor to preserve the production of this truly popular Südtirol wine. 

But another Schiava-based wine we want to talk about. It is Fass Nr.9 (Cask Number 9), a Schiava first bottled in 1961 and currently produced in about 100 thousand bottles. The 2022 vintage for the type is one of those vintages that will be hard to forget: simply perfect. And the Fass9 is no exception: Cernilli would say "to drink in buckets," and in this case that seems to me to be exactly the right expression.

Click on the name to read the tasting notes:

Cantina Girlan, Alto Adige Schiava Fass Nr.9 2022           

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