2018 Lagrein Riserva Gries Berger Gei

After a fantastic performance last year, I was eagerly awaiting another chance to taste through the Ignaz Niedrist portfolio. There’s a certain string of energy, mixed with balanced opulence, that ties the wines of this family estate together. The winery is run by husband-and-wife team Ignaz Niedrist and Elisabeth Berger. Their vineyards are located throughout the region, and they use the best sources for each varietal. The warm flatlands of Bolzano are used for the reds, while the whites are farmed through the gentle hills of Cornaiano and up into the high elevations of Appiano Monte. While not certified, the family practices organic farming, and yields are kept drastically low, nearly one-third from what regulations state. Their varieties of choice are Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and old-vine Lagrein from a pergola-trained vineyard at Elisabeth Berger’s family estate. They also make a Schiava that I have yet to come across. While a number of wines this year hail from the difficult 2018 vintage, you’d never know by tasting them. The balance found throughout their Pinot Noirs and Lagrein is amazing, and the 2018 Blauburgunder Riserva is a gem. If anything, the 2020 Sauvignon and Weißburgunder (Pinot Bianco) fell slightly behind the 2019s tasted last year, likely the result of the warm vintage, yet still showing wonderful varietal purity. In a region populated by cooperatives, this small artisan estate shines.