Alto Adige / Südtirol DOC

Region: Trentino-Alto Adige

History: Established as a DOC in 1975
Principal White Grape Varieties: Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Kerner, Moscato, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Sylvaner Verde, Welschriesling (Riesling Italico)
Principal Red Grape Varieties: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Lagrein, Malvasia Nera, Merlot, Moscato Rosa, Pinot Nero, Schiava
Styles and Wine Composition: 

WHITE WINES

• Bianco/Weiss (Wh): Minimum 75% Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, and/or Pinot Grigio (at least two of the three; maximum 70% of any one); maximum 25% Gewürztraminer, Kerner, Müller-Thurgau, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and/or Sylvaner Verde
• Bianco from subzone Terlano only: Minimum 50% Chardonnay and/or Pinot Bianco; maximum 50% Müller-Thurgau, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Sylvaner Verde, Welschriesling, and/or Pinot Grigio; maximum 15% OAWG
• Chardonnay (Wh): Minimum 85% Chardonnay + OAWG
• Kerner (Wh): Minimum 85% Kerner + OAWG
• Moscato Giallo (Wh, WhSw): Minimum 85% Moscato Giallo + OAWG
• Müller-Thurgau (Wh): Minimum 85% Müller-Thurgau + OAWG
• Pinot Bianco (Wh): Minimum 85% Pinot Bianco + OAWG
• Pinot Grigio (Wh): Minimum 85% Pinot Grigio + OAWG
• Riesling (Wh): Minimum 85% Riesling + OAWG
• Riesling Italico (Wh): Minimum 85% Welschriesling + OAWG
• Sauvignon (Wh): Minimum 85% Sauvignon Blanc + OAWG
• Sylvaner (Wh): Minimum 85% Sylvaner Verde + OAWG
• Traminer Aromatico (Wh): Minimum 85% Gewürztraminer + OAWG
• Dual varietals (Wh): Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, or Pinot Grigio: 50–84% of first-named variety; 16–50% of other variety
• Riserva (Bianco and all white varietals except Müller-Thurgau)

ROSATO WINES

• Lagrein (Ro): Minimum 85% Lagrein + OARG
• Merlot (Ro): Minimum 85% Merlot + OARG
• Moscato Rosa (Ro): Minimum 85% Moscato Rosa + OARG
• Pinot Nero (Ro): Minimum 85% Pinot Nero + OARG

RED WINES

• Cabernet (Rd): Minimum 85% Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon + OARG
• Lagrein (Rd): Minimum 85% Lagrein + OARG
• Malvasia (Rd): Minimum 85% Malvasia Nera + OARG
• Merlot (Rd): Minimum 85% Merlot + OARG
• Pinot Nero (Rd): Minimum 85% Pinot Nero + OARG
• Schiava (Rd): Minimum 85% Schiava Grossa and/or Schiava Gentile + OARG
• Dual varietals (Rd): Cabernet, Lagrein, or Merlot: 50–84% of first-named variety; 16–50% of other variety (“Cabernet” can mean any proportions of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon)
• Klausner Laitacher from subzone Valle Isarco only (Rd): Any proportions of Lagrein, Pinot Nero, Portoghese, and/or Schiava
• Riserva (all red varietals except Schiava)

SPARKLING WINES

• Spumante (WhSp): Any proportions of Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, and/or Pinot Nero
• Varietal Spumante (WhSp): Minimum 85% Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, or Pinot Nero + OAWG
• Spumante Rosé (RoSp): Minimum 20% Pinot Nero; maximum 80% Chardonnay and/or Pinot Bianco
• Riserva (Spumante)

DESSERT AND SPECIALTY WINES

• Vendemmia Tardiva (WhSw, RoSw): Same as Bianco, white varietals, or varietal Moscato Rosa
• Passito (WhSw, RoSw): Same as Bianco, white varietals except Welschriesling, or Moscato Rosa

Subzones:

• Colli di Bolzano/Bozner Leiten (varietal Schiava only)
• Meranese di Collina/Meranese/Meraner Hügel/Meraner (varietal Schiava only)
• Santa Maddalena/St. Magdalener and Santa Maddalena Classico (varietal Schiava only)
• Terlano/Terlaner and Terlano Classico (all white nonsparkling types—including Vendemmia Tardiva, Passito, and Riserva—made from Chardonnay, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Sylvaner Verde, and/or Welschriesling)
• Valle Isarco/Eisacktal/Eisacktaler (all white nonsparkling types—including Vendemmia Tardiva, Passito, and Riserva—made from Gewürztraminer, Kerner, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sylvaner Verde, and/or Veltliner; also Klausner Laitacher)
• Valle Venosta/Vinschgau (all white nonsparkling types—including Vendemmia Tardiva, Passito, and Riserva—made from Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Kerner, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc; also varietal Pinot Nero, Pinot Nero Riserva, and Schiava)

Significant Production Rules: 

• Spumante wines must undergo second fermentation in bottles (Metodo Classico)
• Grapes for Passito must be dried on or off the vine to achieve a minimum potential alcohol level of 16.0%
• Minimum alcohol level: 7.0% for Vendemmia Tardiva (13.5% potential); 7.0% for Passito, except Moscato Rosa (16.0% potential); 10.0% for Moscato Giallo (11.0% potential); 10.0% for Moscato Rosa Passito (16.0% potential); 10.5% for Schiava Gentile, Schiava Grossa, and Veltliner; 11.0% for Chardonnay, Chardonnay–Pinot Bianco, Kerner, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Bianco, Riesling, Riesling Italico, Sylvaner Verde, Lagrein Rosato, Merlot, and Klausner Laitacher; 11.5% for Bianco, Chardonnay–Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco–Pinot Grigio, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon, Traminer Aromatico, Cabernet, Cabernet-Lagrein, Cabernet-Merlot, Lagrein Rosso, Lagrein-Merlot, Malvasia Nera, Pinot Nero, Schiava Grigia, and all Spumante types; 12.5% for Moscato Rosa Rosato (subzones differ in some cases by 0.5%)
• Residual sugar: Spumante cannot be sweeter than brut
• Aging: For Passito, minimum approx. 7 months (ERD = June 1, V+1); for Spumante, minimum 20 months, including 15 months on the lees (ERD = June 1, V+2); for nonsparkling Riserva, minimum 2 years (ERD = October 1, V+2); for Spumante Riserva, minimum 42 months, including 36 months on the lees (ERD = April 1, V+4)