The English used in the article in ‘callmewine.com’ is of very poor quality, so I hesitate to take their use of the word ‘cooperative’ at face value. According to the website, the Abbey remains an Augustinian facility, in other words, very much the property of the Catholic Church. I have no easy way of researching the details of their relationship with the growers who apparently own 50 hectares of vineyards whose wines are made there. The Abbey’s website also does not offer any information about their 25 hectares (whether or not they are vineyards). Again from the website, the Abbey is very clearly a functioning religious facility.
And of course there is the inevitable Tyrolean confusion, with the same property being simultaneously the Abbazia di Novacella and Kloster Neustift.
I’ve had the wines several dozen times. They have all been good, but nothing has been remotely on the level of the top Terlaner wines. Still always happy to see them on a restaurant wine list, as that means that the buyer has some knowledge and cares about what is offered.
The Novacella website does say “most of the local farmers deliver their grapes to the Monastery”. Whether or not that’s through a cooperative agreement, I don’t know for sure. Skurnik’s website says it’s over 50 small growers, which seems like a lot to me for something that is not a co-op and is not a large negotiant type business. I’ve always been told it’s a cooperative, but I have never checked to be sure. I see that Oz Clarke’s Grapes and Wines calls it a co-op, as does De Grazia’s website (http://www.marcdegrazia.com/dati/downloads_documento_115.pdf). I see several other references to them being a cooperative. Nothing from the estate itself, but quite a few people who have probably visited the region, including growers in the region who used to sell to them. I guess I don’t know for sure, though it does really seem like they are. As for quality, their Kerner is the best I have had. The rest of the lineup seems quite good, but not great.
Dan, there is this note on CT (for the 2016 vintage) which intrigued me. I’ve not had the wine, and I’m not attempting to criticize the wine by sharing here, but I’m simply interested to get your reaction and anyone else’s.
I feel this wine’s positive reviews are mostly due to its concentration rather than its character. It is undoubtedly a voluptuous wine with a big, creamy mouthfeel and high sensory impact. The acidity provides good balance. But to me, the wine tastes like a big blur of smudgy flavors. And I am surprised to read that it only has 14% alcohol, because I find it hot and bitter on the finish. While I am not surprised that this wine scored high marks from critics (if I tasted wine all day I might inevitably be drawn to the biggest wines too), this is not a wine I recommend. I would use this wine as an example of how critics’ ratings are too skewed toward high-concentration wines and how the ratings are inducing winemakers to put undue focus on concentration.
I haven’t had the 2016 Vorberg, but the 2015 certainly was a voluptuous wine by any standards. However, what is remarkable is how the wine carries all that power and weight with remarkable ease.
But what I’ve noticed is that these wines tend to shed off their baby fat with age. They might be big and bold when they’re young, but they lose quite a bit of weight when they age without compromising any of their remarkable sense of concentration. These certainly are not wines to be drunk young, but only with enough age.
However, the sad truth is that Alto Adige is getting simply too hot for making fresh white wines. Intuitively it might not be that obvious, but it is one of the hottest and most sunniest spots in Italy and it starts to be show in the wines as well. Currently they are having problems with Gewurztraminers which can easily reach 15,5 to 16% potential alcohol with no special tricks in the vineyard.
I have a few bottles of the '15 and '16 in my cellar, but have not tried either yet. What would you recommend as an early drinking window? Ideal? I was thinking I would initially try them 5 years from harvest (this year for the 2015), and then again in 10 years. Should I be thinking longer?
I would say a case of different strokes for different folks, Chris - I also posted a note on the 2016 Vorberg and it reads nothing like his. Hot & bitter on the finish? Maybe if the guy drinks 11% Cabernet Franc from the Loire with Alfert, but I don’t think anyone who drinks Burgs or American Chardonnay would find it so. But at this juncture, this is a young, structured wine - I wouldn’t describe it as a free & easy drinker by any means.
The only thing I would add is that whenever I drink the last bottle of a particular vintage of Vorberg, I always think to myself that I wish I had purchased more - and to my way of thinking, that is the best compliment one can give a wine.
Terlan also makes a blend that they call ‘Nova Domus’. The 2016 is a cuvée of 60% Pinot Bianco, 30% Chardonnay, and 10% Sauvignon Blanc. They claim that it is made with their best fruit. It’s excellent but sells in the $50’s.
We had a tasting we had to choose one vintage of Vorberg from 2010 and 2014. We went with 2010 and it was still a baby.
I’d say that the lesser vintages take about 10 years before they start to sing and the better vintages take much longer.
But, of course, YMMV. Vorberg can be quite impressive already when it is young, so you might want to check it now if you want to. However, they really do take time to show their best.
Otto, you seem to have a good amount of experience with this wine.
I got an offer today to buy a magnum of the 2000, 2004, or 2007. Buying more than one isn’t in the budget as it’s part of larger order. Any opinion on which year is the best bet?
I always resort to checking out what I’ve written in CT.
2007 - A lot lighter and more restrained style of Vorberg with less ripeness and more emphasis on acidity and fresh fruit flavors. Still in pristine condition, although the nose restrained and subtly oxidative suggested otherwise; however, I’d wager this vintage will not hold as long as the bigger ones. Wonderful now and still has some room for further development in the cellar.
2004 - This Vorberg would easily be one of the most impressive vintages of the 00’s, were it not for its rather low acidity, which makes the wine seem rather heavy and a bit flabby. As the wine is showing a remarkable cavalcade of more mature characteristics I can guess that the wine seems to both age and, eventually, deteriorate faster than the more acid-driven vintages. Though this 2004 has still some life left ahead, I suggest it to be drunk sooner rather than later.
2000 - A superb vintage of Vorberg, that is still barely halfway up – the wine is still so youthful and energetic it’s hard to understand it has 15 years under its belt! Probably hitting its stride 5–10 years from now, so it would be a shame opening this now. Lots of room left for further improvement.
So based on these observations, I’d go with the 2000. Terrific already now, but if you are in no hurry to pop the bottle open, you can wait for a long time with that one.
The South Tyrol almost specializes in varieties that are not that well-regarded elsewhere. They make some great Silvaner, Mueller-Thurgau, and Kerner up there too.
Their best examples of PB age like Vorberg; for SF Berserkers La Ciccia usually has a couple of aged examples that are oddly great with their (Sardinian) food.
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