Nose
Complexity, jammy notes, dried flowers and slightly balsamic hints.
Palate
Balanced palate with soft tannins, savouriness and a long finish: Pinot Nero Riserva Alto Adige DOC Ars (Latin for Art) is a wine of choice and vocation.
Growing Conditions
Steinhaus has completed the SQNPI Integrated Farming certification procedure in 2023 and will also start experimental organic management in part of the vineyards in the same year, with a focus on phytosanitary treatments. The green manure technique will be introduced from October 2023, with the aim of increasing the organic substances in the soil, stimulating fertility using absolutely natural methods and promoting and protecting biodiversity.
Harvest
The Pinot Noir harvest involves no less than three stages. After the grapes destined for the Rosé (first passage) have been harvested, the first selection is made for the Pinot Noir Alto Adige DOC Hirsch (second passage), for which the focus is on freshness and fruitiness.
Only in the best years does the third selection of Pinot Noir (third passage) take place, this time destined for the Alto Adige DOC Riserva Ars.
Bottling
The wine rests for an additional year in the bottle before being released for sale.
Winemaking
The Pinot Noir is selected in the vineyard, harvested and then sorted again on a sorting table. Approxi-mately 70/75% of the grapes are destemmed; the rest are vinified in whole bunches when the stalks have reached complete lignification. The entire Pinot Noir harvested is wrapped in dry ice. Subsequently, depending on the vintage, daily punching-down is carried out. The post-fermentation maceration period varies from a few days to a month.
Preferably, spontaneous malolactic fermentation, without the addition of bacteria, takes place before the Pinot Noir is transferred to the barrels.
Aging
Both 225/228-litre barriques and 500-litre tonneaux of different origins and grains are used for ageing, in order to emphasise the specific features of each plot, which are then further enhanced during blending.
The Pinot Noir Riserva Ars is not produced in all vintages but only in those considered the best. The best batches are then blended and aged in steel for a further six months.
Food Pairing
Strongly flavoured pasta dishes, risottos, red meat dishes, cured meats and mature cheeses.