Abbazia di Novacella Praepositus Valle Isarco Riesling 2022

Abbazia di Novacella Praepositus Valle Isarco Riesling 2022 is a beautifully poised Alpine white that shows just how refined Italian Riesling can be. Sourced from steep, high-altitude vineyards in the Valle Isarco, this is a crisply dry, mineral-driven wine with impressive depth and tension. As part of the estate’s top ‘Praepositus’ range, it represents the pinnacle of Riesling production at one of Italy’s most historic monasteries.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2022 Praepositus Riesling is pale straw with green highlights, signaling its youth and freshness. The nose is pure and focused, opening with lime zest, green apple, and white peach, followed by notes of wet slate, alpine herbs, jasmine, and a delicate flinty smokiness. On the palate, it is dry, racy, and precise, with vibrant acidity cutting through layers of citrus (lime, grapefruit), crunchy orchard fruit, and subtle stone-fruit ripeness. A marked mineral backbone, echoing river stones and salty mountain air, drives the long, mouthwatering finish. The structure and acidity promise excellent aging potential: while already highly enjoyable now, it will gain complexity—developing hints of honey, petrol, and dried herbs—over the next 8–10 years or more.

Production
The Riesling grapes for Praepositus come from selected parcels in the Valle Isarco (Eisacktal), one of Alto Adige’s coolest and steepest subregions. The vineyards sit on poor, stony, predominantly slate and gneiss soils at high altitude, which ensures slow, even ripening and an intense mineral character. Grapes are hand-harvested to allow precise selection of perfectly healthy, ripe bunches. In the cellar, fermentation takes place mainly in temperature-controlled stainless steel to preserve aromatic purity and tension, followed by maturation on fine lees for added texture and complexity, with any oak influence kept very discreet so that the Riesling character and the Alpine terroir remain front and center.

Food & Serving
This Riesling is a superb partner for delicate yet flavorful dishes: think oysters, shellfish, sushi and sashimi, grilled prawns, ceviche, or simply prepared white fish with citrus and herbs. It also pairs beautifully with light vegetable dishes, asparagus, goat cheese, alpine cheeses, and mildly spiced Asian cuisine such as Thai or Vietnamese. Serve well-chilled, ideally around 8–10°C (46–50°F). A brief 20–30 minutes in a carafe can help the wine open up aromatically in its youth, though extended decanting is not necessary.

Producer
Abbazia di Novacella, founded in 1142 near Bressanone in Trentino-Alto Adige, is one of the oldest continuously operating wineries in the world. Run by Augustinian canons, the abbey has shaped viticulture in the Valle Isarco for centuries, pioneering quality-focused, cool-climate white wines in this Alpine corridor. Today, Novacella is widely regarded as a benchmark producer for varieties such as Riesling, Sylvaner, and Kerner, consistently earning high critical praise and international recognition. The Praepositus line represents the estate’s finest selections, showcasing the most expressive vineyards and cementing Abbazia di Novacella’s status as a reference point for top-tier Italian mountain whites.

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