Abbazia di Novacella Schiava '23

Located in Novacella, in northeastern Italy, the Abbazia winery was founded in the mid-12th century by an Augustinian order of monks. To support themselves and contribute to the community, at the abbey grapes are cultivated for winemaking, and other crops are grown as well, and there is a school devoted primarily to viticultural studies. Although it is one of the world’s oldest wineries, with more than 850 years of winemaking history, the cellar is entirely modern. The abbey’s reputation as a winery is stellar.
 
Schiava and Pinot Noir are planted near Lago di Caldaro, and Lagrein is planted near Bolzano. The production comes from a total of 80 hectares. Abazzia also works with grapes grown by dozens of small farmers in the area. The soils are mainly granitic schist, created by ancient glaciers, and the vineyards can be rather steep. Yields are low naturally, producing wines that are aromatic, fresh, and rich.

The estate is celebrated for its crisp, mineral-driven whites as well as its excellent red wines. The Schiava (“skee-ah-vah”), a grape also called Vernatsch or Trollinger, for this bottling is grown in the village of Cornaiano, at 350 to 420 meters in elevation. Abbazia di Novacella’s Schiava was fermented on the skins for five days in stainless steel tanks. Schiava tends to yield wines that are light-bodied, are low in tannins, and have medium-plus acidity. Its aromas tend to include fresh berries, roses, mint, and rosemary, along with a hint of citrus.