Valdadige & Alto Adige

Have I mentioned how confusing Italy is to me?  Today we are looking at the northeastern corner of that peninsula.

Valdadige is the Adige river valley extending from Trentino-Alto Adige to the north down to Veneto in the south.  It extends through three provinces: Bolzano, Trentino-Alto Adige and Verona in Veneto.  Vineyard cultivation there may go back to the Iron Age with the wine industry as we think of it today being jump started by monks in the Middle Ages.

Valdadige received its DOC in 1975 but clearly plays second fiddle to the Alto Adige  DOC.  Alto Adige, or Sudtirol to the German population there, extends from Vento to the east to Lombardy in the west and Tirol, Austria to the north.  It encompasses the northern half of the Trentino-Alto Adige province.  Alto Adige is where the finest Pinot Grigio comes from.

Why this subject now?  Aside from just passing the Memorial Day seasonal marker, we have a couple stellar pinots in the store from both places.  San Pietro has the Alto Adige pedigree while Santi has the Valdadige value.  Both are great summertime pleasers.  Try them both.  You'll be needing them when it gets hot.