Do you like Trentino Alto Adige? Have you ever been there?
During 2017, I visited this region very often for some wine events and tastings. In October and November in particular, I took part in Autochtona, Ferrari Trento 1995 tasting and Merano WineFestival.
Merano WineFestival 2017 was the 26th edition!
It’s the “winter” appointment for all wine lovers. Every year, this fair gets more and more attention.
Just one more thing! A lot of you asked me where I stay overnight every time in which I take part in a wine event. For Merano WineFestival 2017 I booked in two hotels: Seeleiten Hotel and ImperialArt Hotel. The first is located near the Caldaro lake and it offers a wonderful view on the lake. I’ve chosen it because I’ve organized some tours in the wineries of Trentino Alto Adige before Merano WineFestival. The other hotel, ImperialArt, is in front the Kurhaus (then, it’s perfect for the festival!) and it’s the most exclusive hotel in Merano with a lot of special services. I think that you saw both the hotels by my Instagram Stories.
Now, I’m going to tell you something more about Merano WineFestival 2017 and which were the wines that impressed me the most.
Are you ready? Let’s start!
Merano WineFestival 2017
From 10th to 14th of November, Merano WineFestival 2017 took place in Merano.
Kurhaus was confirmed as the location for the event. It’s one of the most important historical congress centers in the whole of Europe.
Helmuth Köcher, the president and the founder of Merano WineFestival, was very happy about the edition that has just ended. He has seen great emotions, great results and a lot of contents.
The program of Merano WineFestival 2017 was very rich:
- Wine Italia – more than 800 wines awarded by The WineHunter;
- Gourmet Arena – the main point where you could find typical and traditional food products, both from Italy and from abroad;
- Naturae et Purae – a particular attention on eco-friendly food and wine products (organic, biodynamic and natural wines);
- Catwalk Champagne – an entire day dedicated to the best French Champagnes;
- Istria Focus – a food and wine selection of traditional products;
- Wine International – a wine trip between foreign countries, from Spain to Argentina, passing through South Africa and Crimea;
- Cooking Farm – dedicated to show-cooking and talk-show with chefs about the food;
- Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux – the most prestigious wines from 13 historic Châteaux.
Charity Wine Masterclasses
The location of the Masterclasses was always Hotel Terme Merano.
There were 20 Charity Wine Masterclasses during Merano WineFestival 2018. The revenues from the masterclasses will be donated to support a project in Africa by Gruppo Missionario Merano.
Some of the topics were Bolgheri, Grand Crus de Bordeaux, Valtellina, Falanghina or Champagnes.
Laurent-Perrier Champagne
I’ve taken part in the Masterclass about Laurent-Perrier Champagne. You should know that I’m a big fan of sparkling wines!
The moderator of the tasting was Alberto Lupetti, a professional journalist specializing in Champagne.
Laurent-Perrier was founded in 1812 by André Michel Pierlot. The wines of the Masterclass were: La Cuvée, Brut Nature, Cuvée Rosé, Millésime 2007 and Grand Siècle.
It started with La Cuvée, 48 months on the lees. It’s a blend of 55% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir and 10% Meunier. The wine appeared with a mineral note, citrus fruit, apples and pears.
Brut Nature was more complex. 72 months on the lees. More Pinot Noir than the previous (45%), the remaining part – Chardonnay. A great freshness and some notes of citrus fruit and crusty bread. The finish was a bit short.
The third wine was Cuvée Rosé. This wine was born in 1968. The grape is only Pinot Noir. 60 months on the lees. On the nose, the wine is very delicate with some notes of strawberry, currant, blueberry and rose. The residual sugar is 9 g/l.
There was also a single-vintage, Millésime 2007. More than 7 years on the lees and a residual sugar of 9 g/l. A blend of 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir. It was very pleasant! Some tropical notes, apple and a mineral hint.
At the end, the Grand Cuvée of Laurent-Perrier: Grand Siècle. It’s a hard wine to taste and understand. 8 years on the lees and a blend of Chardonnay (55%) and Pinot Noir (45%) from three vintages: 1997, 1999 and 2002. The residual of sugar is 8 g/l. Notes of candied fruit, almond and honey.
Three pleasant wines
During Merano WineFestival 2017, I had the pleasure to discover three new pleasant wines. Let me know by leaving a comment if you’ve already tasted them!
Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett 2008 – S.A. Prüm
An interesting Riesling from Mosel. The color was gold. A typical note of petrol, followed by honey, apricot and citrus fruit. Intense, fresh, medium body, with a long finish. Very much recommended with seafood, white meats and cheese.
Iselis Nasco 2015 – Argiolas
The grape is Nasco, an indigenous Sardinian grape. The color was pale yellow. Smelling it, some notes of tropical fruit, peach, apricot and summer flowers. Rounded and well-balanced, with a long finish. It can find the best pairing with seafood and white meats.
Alladium Passito – Cieck
A dessert wine from Erbaluce grape. The color was amber. Sweet, notes of honey, peach and a hint of lemon. Well balanced with a long finish. Alladium is perfect with patisserie and blue cheese.
9-13 November 2018
They are the new dates for the next edition of Merano WineFestival.
If you can’t wait until November, you can take part in the next events organized by Helmuth Köcher. The next will be Wine&Siena on 27th and 28th of January. You can find the upcoming events in the private wine club, request your free access!
During Merano WineFestival 2017 I had the opportunity to meet some old friends but also new “winery lovers” from all over Italy. It’s always a pleasure taste a wine together!
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Cheers
Simone
