Cantina Kurtatsch Kerner 2023

If you’re looking for a wine that captures the sheer, bracing clarity of the Italian Alps, look no further than the 2023 Kerner from Cantina Kurtatsch. This is a co-op that consistently punches above its weight, working with 190 families who treat their high-altitude plots with the kind of reverence usually reserved for grand cru estates.

The Kerner grape—a hardy cross between Riesling and Schiava—thrives in the steep, wind-swept vineyards of Graun, perched nearly 3,000 feet above sea level. This 2023 vintage is a textbook example of why this variety has found such a happy home in the Alto Adige. On the nose, it’s remarkably expressive, leaping out of the glass with notes of white peach, Meyer lemon zest, and a distinct floral hint of wild lilacs. On the palate, it’s all about the tension. The high-altitude diurnal shifts (blistering sun by day, Alpine chill by night) allow the grapes to develop lush fruit while maintaining a laser-like acidity. You’ll find a stony, saline minerality here that speaks directly to the dolomite limestone soils of the region, finished with a subtle, spicy flick of white pepper.