Three must-try wines from Europe’s highest vineyards in the Italian Alps
- The stunning Valle d’Aosta region – home to the highest vineyards in Europe – produces some unique wines
- Lean, elegant, light-bodied reds and whites are produced form grape varieties such as petit rouge, fumin and prié blanc
Mont Blanc, Italy’s highest mountain, at 4,810 metres, is a popular spot for winter sports and mountaineering. It also produces high-quality wines.
The Valle d’Aosta DOC, which lies in the vicinity of Mont Blanc, is Italy’s smallest wine region and home to Cave Mont Blanc, a cooperative with 80 owners and a combined vineyard site of 18 hectares. The region’s vineyards, at an altitude of 1,200 metres, are the highest in Europe and, thanks to the unique terroir and climate, produce a number of autochthonous wine varieties. The cool climate and altitude mean the vines are less prone to disease and phylloxera-free, so vineyards can be farmed with minimal treatment. Most of the vines are own-rooted. On the downside, the climate may cause ripening issues, and frost is a constant risk – in 2017, for instance, it destroyed most of the crop.
Prié blanc, an indigenous variety, is used to make dry white, sparkling and ice wines. The vines are trained in a pergola system close to the ground. This protects them from adverse weather, and the heat from the ground helps the ripening process. It often has a characteristic nose of green apples and high acidity. The most popular red variety is petit rouge, which has attractive red fruit and soft acidity. Fumin, traditionally used as a blending grape, possesses forward black fruit, high acidity and firm tannins.
Grown in extreme conditions, Valle d’Aosta wines are exhilarating with fresh primary fruit. They are light- to medium-bodied with vibrant acidity, and lean and elegant in structure.
Cave Mont Blanc Glacier Blanc de Morgex et de la Salle DOC 2016, HK$398
This sparkling wine is made from 100 per cent prié blanc, also known as blanc de morgex.
Fermentation in large oak casks (20 per cent) and stainless-steel tanks (80 per cent). Aged in bottle for 22 months, using the traditional method. No dosage is added.
On the nose, green apple, citrus mineral. Lean, dry and slight saltiness with phenolic finish. Pairs well with food.
Nicola del Negro Pinot Noir 2017, Vallée D’Aoste DOC, HK$368
Nicola del Negro, Cave Mont Blanc’s winemaking director, produces a small amount of wine under his own label.
Pinot noir sourced from 21-year-old vines cultivated at 600 metres close to the mountain. Only 1,000 bottles made in 2017. Fermentation in stainless steel, and no oak maturation.
Bright cherries, strawberries and red currants. Medium body with forward primary fruit flavours, ripe tannins and soft acidity. Approachable, easy drinking. Not too complex in style.
Nicola del Negro Chambave Rouge 2017, Vallée D’Aoste DOC, HK$318
Chambave is a subregion of Valle d’Aosta. Vines are on average 70 years old. The wine is a blend of 95 per cent petit rouge and 5 per cent fumin.
Juicy black cherries, some spiciness and pepper, along with floral and vanilla notes. Soft and round bodied with ripe tannins and gentle acidity. Finishing long on the palate.
The wines are available from Cottage Vineyards.
