J. Hofstätter Südtirol Alto Adige Pinot Nero Barthenau Vigna S. Urbano 2011 (3L) *

High in the mountainous vineyards of Alto Adige, in Italy's far north, Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir) finds the cool alpine conditions it needs to keep its lift and perfume. This bottling from J. Hofstätter, the single-vineyard Barthenau Vigna S. Urbano from the 2011 vintage, is a still red made from a grape that rewards patience and precision, and that shows a lighter, more aromatic profile here than in warmer corners of the wine world.

No tasting notes are on file for this release, so we will let the wine speak for itself. Expect the fine-boned, red-fruited character that Pinot Noir tends to carry, framed by the freshness this cool region is known for.