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WEINGUT GUMPHOF

Trentino Alto Adige - Alto Adige Doc

http://www.gumphof.it

Gumphof is a father-&-son biologic farmstead located in Fie' allo Sciliar / Isarco Valley, a tiny Alpine village nestled along the steep, rugged mountain slopes stretching north of Bolzano up to the Austrian border in the northerly reaches of Trentino - Alto-Adige. Markus Prackwieser and his father Johann have been tending Pergola vines of Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Schiava and Pinot Noir since the late 1970s. This year the Gambero Rosso 2011 guide awarded the TreBicchieri prize to Gumphof 2009 Alto-Adige Sauvignon Blanc 'Praesulis', confirming Markus among the region's best and most talented winemakers.

Markus Prackwieser takes care personally of all activities in the vineyard and the cellar. The estate is comprised of roughly 5 Ha. planted with a bunch of traditional white varieties such as Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon and Gewurztraminer, along with the red-berried Schaiva and Pinot Noir. The various parcels stretch along steep, south-facing mountain slopes ranging from 400 to 650 mt. asl. The soil is rocky with a thin superficial layer of clay, intermixed with fragments of weathered schist/slate and porphyr. The wide-ranging day/night temperature variation makes for vibrant, nervy white wines infused with crisp minerality and cool white / green fruit on the nose.

The estate vineyard and nearby apple orchard are biologically farmed, although Gumphof is not certified organic. All wines are fermented with the natural ambient yeasts migrating from the outdoor vineyards to the cellar, and minimally stabilized with the use of cold temperature. The 'Praesulis' whites age in a mix of Acacia wood and French oak 10 Hl casks, following a widespread tradition in the Alto-Adige region. To the contrary, the Schaiva ages in stainless steel tanks only, and the Pinot Noir matures in a mix of 1st, 2nd and 3rd passage tonneaux.

We let the below vineyard gallery speak by itself about the purity and naturalness of these wonderful Alpine wines.