Muller Thurgau

Among the most famous white grape varieties of northern Europe, such as Riesling, Gruner Veltliner and Sylvaner, there is one that is particularly popular and also known in Italy. It is the Müller-Thurgau. In reality it is a variety that has only recently been introduced into the ampelographic heritage. It is not a naturally occurring grape, but a white berried grape created in 1882 by the Swiss researcher Hermann Müller, crossing the Rhine Riesling with the Madeleine Royale . The result is a semi-aromatic variety , particularly suitable for cold climates, which however does not have the character of elegance, finesse and longevity of the riesling father. Today it is grown in central Europe, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In Italy it is mainly present in Trentino Alto-Adige. Within the region it is cultivated in a leopard spot almost everywhere, but there are two particularly suitable areas in which it expresses itself on levels of particular excellence. This is the Isarco Valley , which rises from Bolzano to Bressanone and represents the northernmost part of the vineyard territory of our peninsula and the Cembra Valley , which from Lavis rises towards the Dolomites, between woods and mountains of porphyry. The vineyards are planted up to the altitude of 800/900 meters above sea level. Only in these extreme conditions does the grape manage to reach full maturity slowly, maintaining a good degree of acidity.

If grown in warm areas, the wines are ordinary, banal and unbalanced, with an all too rich fruit and little freshness. It is a vine with a rather early and fairly productive maturation, which must be planted on poor and not very fertile soils, which can naturally limit it in force, so as to give few clusters with a good aromatic concentration. The vineyards at altitude , moreover, can benefit from significant temperature variations between day and night, which favor the development of intense and elegant aromatic outfits . It is no coincidence that 90% of the Italian Müller-Thurgau is produced in Trentino Alto-Adige and that of the approximately 900 total hectares, more than 400 are located in the Cembra Valley, where in July a review dedicated to the best expressions of this interesting white grape variety. In its best expressions, it presents a bouquet with floral aromas, citrus notes, fruity aromas and a slight spiciness with hints of nutmeg. On the palate it is a medium-bodied wine, with a harmonious and balanced sip, with a mouth center that gives a juicy and intense fruit, often with hints of tropical fruit, well balanced by a fresh finish, which closes with pleasant sapid sensations. It is a wine that can be tasted as an aperitif, to accompany seafood appetizers, delicate fish dishes or shellfish. It is also excellent in combination with first courses with vegetables or mushrooms. Also try it with a risotto or with tagliolini with white truffle.