2021 Gewürztraminer

The highs are very high within Köfererhof's 2021 portfolio. Günther Kerschbaumer took the ripeness of the year and married it perfectly to his style of intensely mineral-driven, high-acid whites. The Sylvaner R is yet again a tremendous standout and one of the vintage’s top wines. The Müller Thurgau, Pinot Grigio and Riesling R (now with the “R” status as the vines have matured beyond twenty years of age) are also worth checking out. The Köfererhof winery is located in the Isarco River Valley, literally a stone's throw from Abbazia di Novacella, where elevations range from 650 to 850 meters above sea level. While small by Alto Adige standards, Köfererhof produces around 100,000 bottles. All wines are sourced from six hectares of estate vines and five hectares of long-held, contracted parcels throughout the valley. While visiting Kerschbaumer, he pointed out several of these locations, mostly micro-parcels that the same families have farmed for generations. Also of note is the new 2018 Pinot Grigio K, which is refined in a combination of new and used tonneaux for one and a half years on the lees without malolactic fermentation. I know it’s difficult for many readers to think of Pinot Grigio as a truly serious wine, but Köfererhof seems determined to prove otherwise. Lastly, a new Sauvignon from the 2021 vintage will be released next year. I’ll say it again: there’s only so long that these wines can fly under the radar.