2020 Pfitscher Sauvignon Blanc Riserva Mathias

53.45 44.17
Type of Wine White
Country Italy
Region Trentino
Appellation Alto Adige
Winery Pfitscher
Year 2020
Grape Sauvignon Blanc
Content (Alc) 0.75 ltr (13%)
Drink window 2023 - 2035
View all characteristics Discover more about this wine

The Pfitscher Sauvignon Blanc Riserva Mathias is the top cru Sauvignon Blanc from Tenuta Pfitscher is named after the founder of the wine domain Pfitscher. It is a true terroir wine! The grapes come from the Kathreinerfelder vineyard in Fiè Allo Sciliar. The vineyard located at an altitude of 900 meters offers the very best conditions for the Sauvignon grape and comes from a soil of gray profier, rocky sandstone - the ideal soil for typical Alto Adige Sauvignon Blanc wine. The grapes are located on very steep slopes where everything has to be done by hand and some parts can even be picked with the help of a 'klettervest'

A maximum of 2000 bottles of this wine are bottled and all bottles are numbered (see our 360-degree photos where you can even zoom in on the back label with the number on it). It is an unusually grand wine that impresses with its depth, elegance and its mineral character. Before pressing, the must undergoes a cold soak for 6 hours. 70% of the must is fermented in oak barrels and 30% in stainless steel. Again 70% of the wine is aged for 16 months in barriques and tonneau. The rest remains in the stainless steel tubs.

In the glass, the Pfitscher Sauvignon Blanc Riserva Mathias has a pale golden color. In the nose we smell aromas of green pepper, mango, passion fruit, peach, fine herbs, nuts, light toast and a refined touch of vanilla. On the palate, dfe wine is great and unique. Rich, lingering, filming with much-needed freshness, extremely mineral and spectacularly persistent tasting. Plus, blessed with a aging potential that will end up stranded somewhere between 10 and 20 years.

The wine always has high ratings and is, in our opinion, a must in the cellar. Parker writes in his review: ".....Here's a new discovery from the far north of Italy. With only 3,156 bottles produced, the Pfitscher 2019 Alto Adige Sauvignon Blanc Riserva Mathias is a smooth, mid-weight expression with plenty of aromatic definition and depth. Just a handful"

2022 I vini di Veronelli - 3 Stelle (MM) 91 // 2022 Bibenda - 4 grappoli // 2022 Gambero rosso - 2 bicchieri // 2022James Suckling - 95 // 2022 Vinum - 91 // 2022 Eros Teboni The Wine Journal - 93 / / 2022 Luca Maroni - 96 // 2022 Doctor Wine - 92 // 2022 Robert Parker The Wine Advocate - 92 // 2022 Falstaff - 93 // 2021 Gault&Millau - 3 grapes // 2021 James Suckling - 92 // 2021 Gardini Notes - 95 + // 2021 Bibenda - 4 grappoli // 2021 I vini di Veronelli - 3 Stelle (MM) 92 // 2021 Gambero rosso - 2 bicchieri (final) // 2021 Falstaff - 93 // 2021 Luca Maroni - 92 // 2020 Gardini Notes - 95+ // 2020 Wine Enthusiast - 92 // 2020 Bibenda - 4 grappoli // 2020 I vini di Veronelli - 3 Stelle (GB) 92 // 2020 Gambero rosso - 2 bicchieri (final) // 2020 Luca Maroni - 90 // 2020 Falstaff - 93 // 2019 James Suckling - 93 // 2019 Bibenda - 3 grappoli // 2019 I vini di Veronelli - 3 Stelle (GB) 91 // 2019 Gardini Notes - 93+ // 2019 Luca Maroni - 93 / / 2019 Falstaff - 92

Vineyard for 2020 Pfitscher Sauvignon Blanc Riserva Mathias

Tenuta Pfitscher is one of the hidden gems from Alto Adige (Süd Tirol). It is a small family business. Their base is in beautiful Montagna. The family has been making wine since 1861 and from 1940 the focus has been completely on making quality wines, now for 7 generations. Their 17 hectares of vineyards are spread over Montagna, Egna, Cortaccia, Ora and Fiè allo Sciliar. The Pfitscher family stands for clean, lively wines from high-altitude vineyards. The cool climate gives them expression, finesse and their own identity. The name Pfitscher has always been synonymous with a passion for making great wines.

The history of Tenuta Pfitscher goes back more than 160 years. In 1861 the foundation was laid for the current wine estate. Today, it is the youngest two generations that determine the course on the domain. Although, nonno Alfred can still be found daily in the vineyards. He is happy to assist Klaus and Monika Pfitscher and their children Daniel, Hannes and Marion with advice and assistance. And in turn they are more than happy to appeal to him. His wisdom and experience are invaluable to the youngest generation. It's not for nothing that they affectionately call him vecchia volpe, or old fox.

The Pfitschers own about 20 hectares of their own vineyards, all located in Alto Adige. Almost all plots are located south of Bolzano, only the Sauvignon Blanc and Muller-Thürgau grapes grow in a more northeasterly, higher and cooler area (Fiè allo Sciliar). As with most producers in this region, the emphasis is not on one white or one red wine, but a wide range of wines is produced. The white/red ratio is about the same. A local variety such as Lagrein is naturally represented, but Gewürztraminer and Pinot Nero are also widely planted. Impressive results have been achieved for years with the latter grape. Both James Suckling and Falstaff Magazine have praised the wines more than once.

Viticulture in Alto Adige almost always means a labour-intensive method, especially when you operate at the level of the Pfitscher family. They prefer to ignore the lower vineyards; it is precisely the steeper slopes with an optimal zone exposure that are preferred by the Pfitschers. And then they also look for the higher parcels of land. There is no vineyard of theirs below 300 meters sul livello del mare; the highest is even 900 meters above sea level! They like to take for granted that the vineyards are not accessible to tractors and harvesters. All the work in the vineyards, including the harvest, is done manually here. Intensive, but nature and the end result benefit from it!

The grapes grow on impressive steep slopes and sometimes we are asked why a wine has a certain price and then we advise them to see what effort must be made to harvest these beautiful grapes. A nice wine does not come into your glass without effort.

 

 

More Information
Type of Wine White
Country Italy
Region Trentino
Appellation Alto Adige
Winery Pfitscher
Grape Sauvignon Blanc
Biological certified No
Natural wine No
Vegan No
Year 2020
Drinking as of 2023
Drinking till 2035
Alcohol % 13
Alcohol free/low No
Content 0.75 ltr
Oak aging Yes
Sparkling No
Dessert wine No
Closure Cork
Parker rating 92
James Suckling rating 92
Tasting Profiles Aromatic, Dry, Fresh, Fruity, Green & grassy, Tense, White fruit
Drink moments Borrelen, Cadeau!, Met vrienden, Summer party, Terras, Voor alledag
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