Elena Walch : Lagrein Riserva Vigna "Castel Ringberg" 2018

A fresh and complex wine from Alto Adige

The estate

A multi-award winner by Wine Spectator and El Gambero Rosso, Elena Walch is at the helm of one of the most beautiful properties in Italy's Alto Adige region. Elena Walch is a leading figure in the Trentino Alto Adige region, a very old and steep wine-growing area in the north-east of Italy. Following her marriage to Werner Walch, the fourth generation of one of the region's largest winegrowing families, this qualified architect embarked on a winegrowing adventure, bringing her freshness, dynamism and modernity to the traditional establishment. Today, Elena Walch is one of Italy's leading winemakers. Driven by the passion passed on from their mother, Karolina and Julia Walch have joined the family estate.

The wine

Elena Walch's Lagrein Riserva Vigna "Castel Ringberg" is a Trentino-Alto Adige wine whose name refers to the castle built by the Habsburgs in 1620. The vines rest on a sloping terroir overlooking Lake Caldaro.

This vineyard, which is the estate's monopoly, is situated at an altitude of 330 to 400 metres and is called "Vigna", meaning "vineyard". Its uniqueness is due to the variety of soils, which are composed of 30,000-year-old glacial gravel from the Adige river, limestone with morainic substrates, and soft limestone in the gently sloping areas.

Exposure to strong drying southern winds and the proximity to Lake Caldaro actively contribute to the signature of this wine, which has a residual sugar content of 5.8 g/litre in the 2018 vintage.

The vintage

Although the cool winter delayed budburst, the warm and humid conditions during the flowering period made up for the delay. A hot and particularly dry July preceded an August whose temperature variations between hot days and cool nights were ideal and enabled the grapes to reach an optimal ripeness level.

Vinification and ageing

The hand-picked grapes are fermented for around 10 days and malolactic fermentation is carried out in stainless steel vats. The wine is aged for 20 months in French oak barrels and then aged in the bottle for several months before being sold.

The blend

Lagrein (100%).

Elena Walch's Lagrein Riserva Vigna "Castel Ringberg" 2018: Characteristics and tasting tips

The tasting

Colour
The colour is a beautiful garnet red.

Nose
The expressive nose blends fruity aromas (cranberry, redcurrant, cherry) with notes of chocolate and tobacco.

Palate
The full and smooth palate is seduced by this wine’s fine tannins and freshness. The finish exudes spicy notes and a suave minerality.

Cellaring

This 2018 Riserva Vigna "Castel Ringberg" by Elena Walch can be cellared until around 2036 to develop its full range of aromas.