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Hi everyone –

One of the things we love doing with our Friday offers is building brand recognition and steering you towards wines that deserve attention for all the right reasons. Family ownership, land stewardship, incredible winemaking, and dynamic personalities. This week, we return to a favorite winery after tasting through the current releases. This is the best lineup of J. Hofstatter wines we’ve ever tasted through. And they are perfect for the fall and early winter seasons.

Here we go …

The Pinot Family

Most wine consumers don’t know that Pinot Gris/Grigio and Pinot Blanc/Bianco started simply as pigment mutations of Pinot Noir. You read that right! When it comes to the DNA profile, the proper reference to the grapes is merely “Pinot,” and the variations Noir/Grigio/Bianco refer only to the color of the grapes.

Pretty cool, uh?

I’m not going to get into the nitty-gritty of the science. But here’s a paragraph from a fantastic article on Vinepair about the subject:

Nearly all Pinot Noir grapevines have both active and inactive chromosomal regions that contain these “pigment” genes. Sometimes, however, an inactive chromosomal region replaces an active one. What this means is that cells of Pinot Blanc emerge from a Pinot Noir plant. To sum it up? When you’re drinking Pinot Blanc, you’re drinking the result of a mutated Pinot Noir plant.

And if you REALLY want to dive into the science of this subject, read this: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23095995/

What I really want to do here is introduce you to two essential topics: the wines of Alto Adige and the producer featured here, J. Hofstätter.

Alto Adige 101

If I had all the money in the world, this is where I would live.

You can be enjoying lunch in April or May with a friend outside of the city of Bolzano, under a palm tree, in shorts and a t-shirt, sipping on incredible local wines and eating local food, when your friend suddenly asks, “Hey, wanna go skiing?”

Your answer is, of course, yes. And about 30-45 minutes later, you’re in the powder in the Alps.

That’s pretty cool.

Photo: Giuseppe Milo

Alto Adige is in far northern Italy, one hour north of Verona. But while Verona is extremely Italian (think pasta, risotto, and Romeo and Juliet), Alto Adige is Germanic, having been part of Austria until the early 20th century. In Alto Adige, you don’t go to an Enoteca for dinner, you go to a Gasthof. Everyone speaks German (and Italian, and English). The trains run on time… the only place they do so in all of Italy.

And the wines!

Wild diurnal temperature swings, along with a narrow valley with directly east and west-facing vineyards, ensure acidity is the name of the game. Whether you’re drinking white, rosé, or red, when the wines are from Alto Adige, you can be assured of lip-smacking goodness. These wines are best served with charcuterie and cheeses to help balance their acidity. If you really want to live it up, buy some speck (cured ham with juniper berries).

Cool facts about Alto Adige

• Grapes have been grown here for almost 2,500 years.
• There are 13,800 acres (5,600 ha) of vineyards with 274 wineries and 5,000 growers.
• Alto Adige DOC has 6 sub-regions.
• 70% of production is by cooperative wine cellars (a very high percentage!).
• Alto Adige has the highest concentration of Michelin Stars in all of Italy.
• 98% of all production is DOC wine – the highest in Italy!
• 64% of Alto Adige wine is white wine.
• 70% of people in Alto Adige (Südtirol) speak German.

Photo of me on my first day in Alto Adige, May 2003.

A favorite producer: J. Hoffstätter

We have a short list of favorites of Alto Adige, and often leading that list is J. Hoffstätter.

We’ve followed their wines for over twenty years, and they have consistently impressed us with purity, freshness, detail, and quality. In fact, looking back in my tasting notes, I’ve noticed a consistent uptick in quality year after year since about 2017 (and the wines were delicious then, but even better now).

From the winery website:

Martin Foradori Hofstätter took over the winery from his parents in 1992. Together with his wife, he embarked on an era of modernisation and expansion of the winery. Built in 1998, the cellar tower has become an unobtrusive but nevertheless defining feature of the Tramin village alongside the imposing parish steeple tower.

More recently, in 2017, he expanded to Trentino, the home of his ancestors. He purchased the Maso Michei farmstead in the Valle di Ronchi, a fascinating mountain area above the town of Ala. Today, Tenuta J. Hofstätter is one of Alto Adige’s largest family wine estates with unique, outstanding vineyards.

Our family has always shaped the winery and we too, are equally shaped by the winery. Our three children have grown up in the everyday life of our family business. After finishing their studies and gaining important work experience, they are eager to shape the future of the winery.

THE WINES

J. Hofstätter Pinot Bianco 2023

In Alto Adige, the German name for Pinot Bianco, Weißburgender, is used interchangeably with Pinot Bianco. Head over the border to France, and it becomes Pinot Blanc. Interestingly, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay were mixed up for many centuries because their leaf and vine structures are very similar. Only in the early to mid-20th century was the confusion worked out.

Pinot Bianco is a magical grape for me. It’s often a bit more structured and serious than Pinot Grigio, giving more orchard fruits and minerality. The Italians themselves love it (and drink it far more than Pinot Grigio).

Rich and unctuous, with loads of apple and pear, along with an alpine/mountain freshness that is addictive. Think peach meets minerals, and you get a sense of what I mean. Ideal pairing: lobster risotto!

J. Hoffstätter Pinot Grigio 2024

Here’s the truth: there is a lot of crap Pinot Grigio out there. The reasons are easy to understand.

1. Americans love their Pinot Grigio—light-bodied, crisp, clean, and palate cleansing.
2. Americans love a bargain, something cheap.
3. Pinot Grigio, as a vine, grows like a weed and can produce up to 12 tons of fruit per acre, though quality will decline.
4. As a result of everything listed above, a tsunami of cheap lemon-water Pinot Grigio hits the American market every year.

However, if you grow Pinot Grigio in the right place (like Alto Adige), and limit the crop loads, and have a deft touch with winemaking (ala J. Hoffstätter), you can end up with a wine that is mind-blowing in its depth and complexity.

J. Hofstatter Pinot Nero “Meczan” 2023

In Alto Adige, Pinot Noir is called Pinot Nero. And on the label, you’ll also see the German name for the grape, Blauburgunder.

I remember sitting in a wine bar in Alto Adige, watching an obnoxious American couple try to order wine. “We have some outstanding Weißburgender and Blauburgunder!” the bartender said.

“Oh, no, thanks, we don’t like those wines,” said the Americans.

“Oh, then how about a Pinot Bianco and a Pinot Noir?”

“Fabulous! Exactly what we were looking for!”

Okay, take note here. Pinot Nero from Alto Adige is a bit of a different animal. It’s leaner and edgier than anything you’ll find from the West Coast of North America. “Plush” is not a word here.

I LOVE THIS WINE. It’s a razor’s edge of a red wine, able to cut right through the richest of dishes. If you have this wine (a bit chilled) with anything fatty, rich, and yummy, you’ll be thrilled.

My favorite pairing is rib-eye steak with Brussels sprouts on the side. This is one of the only wines I’ve found that can dance between the power of a rib-eye and the flavors of green veggies.

Final thoughts

This grouping has everything you could want for the next month of wine enjoyment. Freshness, depth, food pairing ability, and all the other good stuff we like to support (starting with family ownership).

A little stock-up is suggested. You won’t regret it.

Jason Kallsen
Sommelier and founder/owner of Twin Cities Wine Education

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Offer and special pricing are available as inventory lasts