Let’s be honest — when was the last time you requested a glass of Müller Thurgau? I thought so. But the firm of Alois Lageder, located in Italy’s Alto Adige district (formerly, and still heartfelt by many as, Austria’s Süd Tyrol), produces a fragrant, bone-dry aperitif that will whet your appetite. It may perhaps also begin a new love affair with this misunderstood grape. It’s a hybrid, created in 1882 by Dr. Herman Müller in the Swiss region of Thurgau. Although its true biological parentage is still up for debate, Riesling’s role in the equation is unequivocal and unmistakeable.
2012 Müller Thurgau, Dolomiti, Alois Lageder $14-15 srp
Pale gold in color. A nose that screams youth! Mint, peach, mountain herbs and mineral elements speak refreshment before you’ve even tasted a drop! Invigorating fruitiness on the palate, but with “cut” and a flinty note on its mouth-cleansing finish. Dry, yet loaded with striking flavor complexity. Shellfish, goat cheese or a Venetian veal pistachio will be favorably enhanced. Drink now.
91/100 points
