The dear and talented Paola Repetto of “Thurner P.R.” invited me to this event. The menu was structured with wines from the Quintessenz line of the Kaltern winery.
This winery is a historic cooperative that brings together the winemakers of the municipality of Caldaro, wines produced in the area surrounding Lake Caldaro. Present at this lunch were the oenologist Thomas Scarizuola and the sales director Martin Klammer.
We started lunch with their rather pleasant brut Nature 2017 with a lemon and mint flavor with “beetroot, almonds and bay leaves. We were served the Quintessenz Pinot bianco 2020 with mineral and sweet notes on the nose that reminded me of the ricciarello. The Quintessenz Sauvignon blanc 2020 was paired with the “Fitch fillet of the day with fennel, clam and iodized sauce”.
The dish “Agnolotti of Livorno cockerel with a touch of Parmigiano Reggiano” was combined with the Quintessenz Kalterersee Classico Superiore 2021.
the following dish was: “Beef fillet in a crust stuffed with livers
and Tuscan ham, black truffle and vin santo sauce” which was paired with
the Quintessenz Cabernet Sauvignon reserve 2019 wine which had woody notes but
also pleasant fruity plum flavours, blueberry and cassis.
The last course was the “Creamy with blue, medlar and buckwheat”
paired with Quintessenz Passito 2017.
This, in my opinion, was the most successful food-wine pairing.
We now come to describe the wines tasted.
As regards the width of the tannin, it is important that you make the following clarifications, so that it can be understood. I feel the tannin of the wine on the upper gum. The total width of the tannin is 6/6, i.e. the entire width of the upper gum. Obviously, if the tannin is less wide, it could be for example 5/6 and so on. The width of the tannin is important when the quality of the same is of a good or high level. If the tannin is wider, the wine is more worthy of attention, but the tannin, as I specified, must in any case be of good quality.
Let us now describe the wines tasted.
KALTERN BRUT NATURE
Sudtirol Alto Adige D.O.C., vintage 2017
(grapes: Chardonnay e Pinot Nero vinificato in bianco)
Light and shiny golden yellow appearance.
The bubbles are quite fine and quite numerous.
From the glass rise aromas of warm, freshly baked bread, sweets from the outside of the candy, hints of cognac, pine resin, fresh celery, fresh fennel, hints of white melon, amber to finish with
intense mint tones that recall that of the “after eight” chocolate. (88/100)
KALTERN
QUINTESSENZ Pinot bianco D.O.C., vintage 2020
Bright straw yellow colour.
On the nose, aromas of mandarin, amber, light woody, graphite, floral, rust emerge, ending with a sweet note that reminds me of Ricciarello.
Savory taste and tangerine flavour.
The body is medium and not particularly structured. Wine with a little bit of alcohol pungency on the tongue and upper gum. Its taste persistence is quite long.
In my opinion it lacks a bit of structure and taste persistence. (88/100)
KALTERN
QUINTESSENZ Sauvignon blanc D.O.C., vintage 2020
Straw yellow.
Olfactory mix made of aromas of rue leaf, tomato leaf, jasmine, mint, eucalyptus, light boisé, flint, light exotic fruit (mango and papaya) and iodine in the finish.
The taste reveals salt, lemon and lime. The body is medium and the wine is quite balanced. I perceive a slight swing between alcohol and freshness.
The tongue in the central part and the upper gum feel a little burning. Stopping the wine in the bottle will make the wine more balanced.
Its taste persistence is quite long.
Wine rich in minerality. (88/100)
KALTERN
QUINTESSENZ Kalterer seé Classico Superiore D.O.C., vintage 2021
(grapes: 100% Schiava)
Aromas of medicine drawer, red apple, red roses, Coccoina glue (coconut and almond milk), helichrysum (licorice, mint and chamomile) to finish with boisé notes reminiscent of episperm (the second skin of boiled brown).
The body is medium sufficient plus and the wine has, at this moment, a slightly fluctuating balance between alcohol and freshness. The tannins are quite broad (5/6–), sweet, initially velvety and then burn the upper gum a little. Its intense aromatic persistence is long. (89/100)
KALTERN
QUINTESSENZ Cabernet Sauvignon D.O.C., vintage 2019M
Mix of ruby red and purple.
The olfactory encounter highlights aromas of blond Virginia tobacco, boisé which I identify in the “After eight” chocolate (mint and chocolate), plum, cassis and blueberry.
On the palate the boisé note is quite marked. The body is medium plus.
Flavors of plum, blueberry, cassis and boisé.
Slightly fluctuating taste balance between alcohol and freshness. The tannins are sweet, quite broad (5/6++) initially velvety and then dry and slightly burn the upper gum.
Its taste persistence is long with a woody finish of After eight.
It’s a shame that the wine has this excessive woodiness for me.(90/100)
KALTERN
QUINTESSENZ Passito D.O.C., vintage 2017
(grapes: 100% Moscato giallo)
production 4000 bottles, use of Tonneaux and barriques
It shines intense golden yellow and amber.
Aromas of muscat, honey, chamomile, light caramel and dried apricot.
The body is medium and has a honey and dried apricot flavour. The wine has a slightly fluctuating balance between alcohol and freshness. Its taste persistence is long.
Interesting wine on the nose but, in my opinion, a little lacking in freshness, which is why the central part of the tongue feels a bit burning. (89++/100)
