Abbazia di Novacella Alto Adige wines

Abbazia di Novacella

Abbazia di Novacella is an Augustinian monastery, high in the Isarco Valley near Italy’s border with Austria, in the foothills of the Dolomites. Founded in 1142, it is one of the world’s oldest active wineries, with papal documents from 1177 recording vineyard ownership. Still a functioning monastery, it is now one of the finest wineries in the quality-focused Alto Adige region, regularly receiving the top Tre Bicchieri (Three Glasses) award from the influential Gambero Rosso Italian wine guide. The wines are made from both their own 21 hectares of vineyards and those of 50 or so small growers. With vines grown at up to 750 metres above sea level, their wines have clarity and precision unmatched elsewhere in Italy.

Our range from Abbazia di Novacella include Linea Classica varietal wines for more everyday drinking, such as the local Lagrein red and Kerner white varieties as well as an expressive Sylvaner, brought to the region through their links with Franken in Germany. We also have their higher, Praepositus wines, which are selections of the best parcels of fruit from their vineyards. In particular, this includes their Tre Bicchieri-winning GrĂ¼ner Veltliner. Though the variety is strongly associated with Austria, there are 27 hectares of it grown in the Isarco Valley, and Abbazia di Novacella bring out its peppery varietal character and minerally texture to great effect.