Wine of the Week: Lagrein DOC

Lagrein DOC from the Tenuta J. Hofstatter winery in Alto Adige, Italy’s northernmost region.

This weekend we will taste the Lagrein DOC ($20.99) from the Tenuta J. Hofstatter winery in Alto Adige, Italy’s northernmost region. Neither the name of the wine nor the winery sounds Italian, for until 1919, this region was named Sud Tirol and was part of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. After its incorporation into Italy, the region’s name was translated to “Alto Adige”. The winery is located in the historic wine village of Tramin, near Bolzano, the region’s capital, with vistas of the snowcapped Dolomiti. The winery is managed by the fifth generation of this winemaking family. The Lagrein grape has thrived in the southern Alto Adige since the 13th century. I love history and a fun fact is that in 1370, Emperor Charles IV passed a law that forbade his troops to drink Lagrein as the wine was historically reserved for the nobility, the church, or the courts.

Steinraffler vineyard

The Lagrein grape is grown in the single Steinraffler vineyard where it thrives on the vineyard’s gentle slopes containing gravelly, calcareous soils that heat up so Lagrein can ripen to its fullest potential aided by the warm wind from nearby Lake Garda. It is my go-to wine to accompany steak as it is a velvety, full-bodied wine like Cabernet Sauvignon, with a long finish. The perfect pairing for my fave menu of grilled filet mignon with bearnaise sauce, baked asparagus with Piazza’s lemon olive oil fresh sage leaves, and roasted new potatoes. Lagrein’s refreshing acidity and tannic structure pair well with other hearty dishes including boeuf bourguignon, and ragu, or go Tyrolean and drink it with goulash! With this weekend’s forecast of cloudy skies or rain. Lagrein is a perfect antidote to the less-than-perfect weather!

Come join me for a taste on Friday from noon to 5:45 or Saturday from noon to 4:45!
Cin Cin,
Jenn