Nearly a thousand years of history have marked the production of Abbazia di Novacella, which, in 2023, reaps the fruits of centuries of experience by launching the top-of-the-line Sylvaner Stiftsgarten and Pinot Noir Riserva Vigna Oberhof.
It’s been 881 years since Novacella Abbey’s founding, but it does not seem to suffer from its age; on the contrary, it stands out among the territories of South Tyrol more imposing than ever. It is also one of the oldest working wineries in the world and among the most spectacular, thanks to the splendid religious complex that houses it. Indeed, the Abbey represents a major cultural and artistic hub, a treasure trove of countless styles and works bearing witness to nearly a millennium of history.
Novacella Abbey has also been closely associated with winegrowing ever since its founding. In late 12th century, Pope Alexander III recognized the monastery's ownership of vineyards located in the immediate vicinity of the monastic complex. Over the centuries, through donations, bequests, purchases, and exchanges, the abbey came into possession of a substantial estate of vineyards amid which it is still immersed.
Today Abbazia di Novacella operates two farms: the first is in Novacella and the second, Tenuta Marklhof, is in Cornaiano. In 2023 it decided to celebrate them by launching two bottles that represent their best expression. In this regard, Werner Waldboth, sales, and marketing manager of the winery, told us about the two wines during Vinitaly: "These wines represent the pinnacle of quality of the labels marketed by the winery. They are the products that best tell the story of the winery and the terroir and, in cascade, also illuminate the other references with value."
"The focus of the project is dedicated to the two new single vineyards, the spearhead of the production: the Sylvaner Stiftsgarten and the Pinot Noir Reserve Vigna Oberhof. Our idea is to put Sylvaner and Pinot Noir at the center and to enhance them to their fullest expression. The long and deep-rooted history of the winery, along with the research done over the past centuries, has been very important to us and is still a trademark today. We have been producing Sylvaner, for example, for more than 100 years, and the long experience we bring to the bottle as well," Werner Waldboth explained. Sylvaner Stiftsgarten is made on soil rich in glacial sediment from a vineyard that is more than 50 years old. Fermentation and maturation take place in barrels and are then followed by two years of aging before bottling and then resting for another 18 months before release. The result is a wine with a deep golden yellow color, while the nose has hints of ripe apple, pear, apricot, brioche, and sweet notes of vanilla. The palate is powerful, with fine spices, stimulating minerality and a long lingering finish.
The Pinot Noir Riserva Vigna Oberhof, on the other hand, was born at the Marklhof estate in Cornaiano, on a soil of gravelly-morainic deposits. After alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel, malolactic fermentation and maturation take place in French Barriques and Tonneaux for 24 months, then refines for another 18 months in bottle before the release. It is the ultimate expression of the territory and is deep ruby red in color; the nose offers hints of black cherry, berries, bitter chocolate, and fine spices. In the mouth, it’s elegant with taut tannin, lively acidity, and fine minerality.
"Vinitaly was also the stage to present a new label from our Insolitus line. It is the line that allows us to experiment, innovate and discover new products," Werner Waldboth told us. The Insolitus project started in 2020 with the desire to find new interpretations of the land under the banner of sustainability and drinkability, and it led the winery to want to test both in the vineyard and in the cellar in new and different ways. "The year 2023 also gave birth to our Kabi Riesling: a wine inspired by German-style Rieslings of which we have produced about 2,000 bottles. We like to experiment, and if the result convinces us, the wine becomes part of our portfolio."
Address
Abbazia di Novacella
Via Abbazia, 1, 39040 Novacella BZ
Telefono: 0472 836189
