Alto Adige: Where Culture And Wine Have A Long History
German, Italian and Latin-Roman tongues meet in the Dolomites, but the vineyards language is loud and clear.
The languages spoken in Alto Adige are as varied and complex as the grapes that grow in its vineyards.
“The languages are part of the identity of the region,” Eduard Bernhart, Director of Consorzio Alto Adige said. “But, it’s not so easy to talk about, we do master classes on what would be the best way to explain who we are. We are on the border of northern Italy in the Alps, in the Dolomites and on the border of Switzerland and Austria. We don’t speak just one language. People here have three languages. A German dialect, an Italian or a Latin-Roman language. All three are official languages.”
Whether you grow up in the mountains, the plains or the city will most likely determine your native tongue.
Dominated by the mountainous terrain of the Alps and Dolomites, the northern Italian region has earned an outstanding reputation for its white wines. A restaurant wine list hack is to order an Alto Adige white. It’s almost guaranteed a sommelier has that wine on the list for personal reasons and for industry insiders to enjoy.
It will come at a great value and is guaranteed to be more exciting than most of the other whites on the list.
The Pfitscher Stoass Gewürztraminer 2024 ($27.99) had pronounced geranium and elderflower rise from the nose, while quince paste and a savory touch of grilled pear emerge on the palate. It wrapped up with a hint of salinity.
