Vinous – Eric Guido

Vinous – november 2020

In “Trentino & Alto Adige: Worlds Apart,” Eric Guido reports on the differences between the regions of Trentino and Alto Adige. Among the wines tasted in this report:

TIEFENBRUNNER Feldmarschall von Fenner Müller-Thurgau Alto Adige DOC 2018 – 94 points
“The 2018 Müller-Thurgau Feldmarschall von Fenner from Tiefenbrunner is luminous gold in color with green hues in the glass. Its bouquet is stunning and perfumed with lime citrus-infused yellow flowers, white smoke minerality, wild herbs, green apple and savory exotic spice. There’s a richness to its depths of textural white orchard fruits, perfectly offset by stimulating acidity and a cooling hint of mint leaf, as inner florals amass toward the close. Wow, there’s so much going on here, and yet this is still so youthfully poised. I can imagine that a few years in the cellar will really bring the Feldmarschall to life.”

TIEFENBRUNNER Merus Gewürztraminer Alto Adige DOC 2017 – 90 points
“The 2017 Tiefenbrunner Gewürztraminer Merus is deeply alluring, showing confectionary spices, hints of vanilla bean, ripe mango and hints of tropical citrus. Its heady aromas are a perfect introduction to the balance of rich oily textures and stimulating acids that are found within. This literally buzzes with energy, as salty minerals offset flavors of lemon curd and ripe peach. The Merus really packs a lot of character and seductive depth into a well-defined and chiseled Gewürztraminer.”

TIEFENBRUNNER Turmhof Lagrein Alto Adige DOC 2018 – 90 points
“The 2018 Lagrein Turmhof from Tiefenbrunner is dark, feral and even a bit rustic, but in the best possible way. It’s as if you can smell the earth which these vines grow in. It leaps from the glass with a mix of dark, mineral-laden soil, crushed black cherry, brown spice and hints of violets. Velvety smooth from start to finish, there doesn’t seem to be a single thing out of place here, hosting red and blue fruits with sweet inner florals and a core of penetrating minerality. Fine tannins clench the palate throughout the finale, balanced by residual acids, and with a lasting note of tart wild berries. The Turmhof spends eight months in a mix of both small and large neutral oak, which does wonders to create an elegant expression.”

TIEFENBRUNNER Merus Pinot Bianco Alto Adige DOC 2018 – 90 points
“The 2018 Pinot Bianco Merus wafts up from the glass in a blend of mineral-laced apple and pear with hints of sweet vanilla and white flowers. Its elegant textures soothe, nearly oily in feel, coating all that they touch in notes of ripe orchard fruit with a cleansing twang of yellow citrus and arching inner florals. A salty tug of residual acids lingers throughout the cheek-puckering finale. The Pinot Bianco Merus pleases from start to finish. It’s also an incredible value.”

TIEFENBRUNNER Merus Chardonnay Alto Adige DOC 2019 – 90 points
“The 2019 Chardonnay Merus blends spicy florals and minerals with a note of apple and pear to create a refined and inviting bouquet. It’s soft and enveloping in the mouth with a contrast of zesty acids, leaving an almost salty impression. Yellow citrus lingers on the mouthwatering finale of this wonderfully pure and expressive Chardonnay.”