Vines in The Sky
The European Alps
Stretching from the Riviera through South Central Europe is a Mountain Chain of relatively young mountains that most call the Alps. The system is about 800 kms long and 160 km wide.Best known for mountain climbing expeditions and now sports events namely skiing, they offer a wide range of activities ranging from hiking and rock climbing to biking and tennis. During the last 150 years, a number of resorts entertained vacationers world wide. These scenic resorts go hand in hand with the many wine regions that cradle the surrounding hills commonly known as "Pre-Alps" at the foot of this great divide!
Best Of The Alps
Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy and Germany lay in the path of the Alps and this includes their resorts. Twelve of the above resorts established a brand group called "Best of the Alps" focusing on their similarity of surroundings, traditions and developmental history. The twelve resorts are: (Austria) Kitzbuhel, Lech Zurs am Arlberg, St. Anton am Arlberg, Seefeld; (Switzerland) St. Moritz, Zermatt, Davos, Grindelwald; (France) Chamonix Mont-Blanc, Megeve; (Germany) Garmisch-Partenkirchen and (Italy) Cortina d'Ampezzo.Though these regions have similarities, so do they have differences and with a backdrop as magnificent as that of the Alps as well as the best vineyards in the world literally at their feet, that is a prescription for amazing fun!
Austria
Austria is no stranger to fame, culture and beauteous scenery. Its representation by many of its sons and daughters in the world of medicine, science, literature and music is renowned. It's alpine destinations have been publicized in many movies.
Kitzbuhel, home of the world cup ski races and one of the toughest downhill slope competitions---the Streif slope, has also hosted the Triathlon World Cup and hosts a major tennis tournament in the summer months. Lech-Zurs, is actually two villages that are about 4 km apart. Of the two, Lech is the more diverse since Zurs is usually closed down for the summer months. This "most beautiful village in Europe" (it won a special nomination called "Entente Floral" in 2004) . This area also includes many summer and winter sports such as hiking and snowshoeing. St. Anton am Arlberg is not just one resort! A number of other villages close by all have something going on at any one time so there is much to do and see. There is also a race called the Arlberger Bike Marathon that takes place in August. In the Winter, 28o slopes and over 180 country trails will be a challenge for anyone. Like St. Anton, Seefeld encompasses several other villages and has some unique legendary stories. One can walk through Leutasch view the hiking scenery; view the spectacular view of the Stubbier Alps and also reflect on the "Bell of Peace"---a 10,000 kilogram bell erected in 1997 in Mosern; visit an Alpine Park in Scharnitz; visit Reith and check out the rare Alpine Moor and finally visit the little village of Seefeld which has as its legend the historic church of St. Oswald. The story called the "Legend of the Host' goes this way: During the Communion ceremony a local knight whose temper was only exceeded by his impatience and self importance, forced the priest to give him the biggest portion of the Host (wafer). As soon as it touched his lips, the floor began to melt and take him into it. Only the priest's quick thinking by taking the host out of the knight's mouth stopped the process. The host then turned to blood-----I guess that taught him a lesson!!!! Such areas are full of this folklore but the church is still there to visit. Seefeld has many cafes and interesting places to visit and if you go through the Christmas season, make sure you attend Midnight Mass and celebrate New Year's in style. All you need is Champagne which is available via local stores.
Austrian Wine
Wine and Relaxation go hand in hand and what's better when visiting a resort than enjoying your host country's wine! I would suggest something better than that being visiting the vineyards that are close to the area you are in. Unfortunately, the closest winery would be about three hours away in Graz but if it's summer, why not do a day trip or stay overnight. There is nothing like visiting the closest wineries and bringing the "catch" to the suite. In winter group trips could be arranged of better still, have the wines delivered to the door of the resort.
Wine Regions
Lower Austria has 16 wine regions the four most important being Wachau, Kremstal, Kamptal and the Neusiedlersee in Burgenland which makes some luscious sweet wines. There are other regions such as Wienviertel which is the largest wine region and also one of the prettiest but the above four seem to be what many are talking about.Weststeiermark where Gaz is located would seem to be closest to visit from the Austrian resorts.
Grape Varieties
In Austria it seems that Gruner Veltliner is the dominant grape producing many styles of superb wine. Other varieties are (White)Riesling,Welschriesling, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Muller Thurgau, Neuburger. There are others but most are either very rare of isolated.(Red) Mostly indigenous species are found here: Zweigelt, Blaufrankish, Blauer Portugieser, Blauburger, Saint Laurent with Pinot Noir and Merlot rounding out the group. There are other lesser wines which fall in the same category as some of the whites mentioned.
Switzerland
Another country that is known for its majestic beauty and superb resorts is Switzerland. As in Austria and perhaps to a greater extent, Swiss wines are not well known outside of their country and probably that is because many are consumed at home. The wines are therefore underrated and not easily accessible anywhere but in Switzerland. The more people who visit here should seek out and consume! What are not underrated are the Swiss resorts.There are four resorts that come under the "Best of the Alps" banner: St. Moritz, Zermatt, Davos and Grindelwald.
St. Moritz is legendary among resorts. It started the alpine resort winter tourism in the mid 19th Century. Another series of firsts were, the first curling tournament, European Ice Skating Championship and first golf tournament. St. Moritz offers everything from winter sports to horse racing (on the frozen lake) and Polo tournaments, curling and cricket as well as a Gourmet festival----all that plus sun 322 days per year. Zermatt is famed for it mountain. Who has not heard of the Matterhorn? According to the experts, Zermatt's claim to fame is 365 days of snow on the slopes. However, there is much more! An interesting fact is that tourism started when mountain climbers came in droves over the mid 19th Century. Now many tours and hikes use this area for a starting point. One interesting not about this town is that it runs combustion free. Most vehicles run on batteries. Grindelwald had a famous secret agent slip through its skating rink. James Bond on Her Majesty's Secret Service was there. A number of feature films have used this area and town as a backdrop. In addition, there are many things outside of the superb skiing and winter sports. Many culinary delights abound here and there are many foot and toboggan paths to wear away those calories in winter and many foot/hiking and cycle paths in summer. The Eiger Village is also a place to see and many an assault on the mountain starts at this place. Remember Clint Eastwood in the "Eiger Sanction"? Last but not least in the Swiss group is Davos. Davos is famous as being a major resort but it also is renowned for some other issues such as: hosting the Spengler Cup Hockey Tournament, the Swiss Alpine Marathon, a Music Festival and the World Economic Forum. Davos's Expessionalist Museum is also there for guests to view. This is including every summer and winter sport imaginable. Tennis. riding and Paragliding are offered at no extra cost. Apparently the place is so healthy that Robert Louis Stevenson (Treasure Island, The Wrecker) who suffered from Tuberculosis stayed there upon doctor's orders. One other thing, in 2011 the World Championship of Velogemel (a Velogemel is Grindelwald's special vehicle that goes down ski slopes at breakneck speeds) celebrates its 100 birthday. Are there any challenge takers????
Swiss Wine Regions
Here vineyards are incredibly steep and many are said to rival the summit of the many mountains not too far from them. While this adds to the scenery, it must be very difficult to keep the vines cropped.
The main regions are Aargau (mainly red), Bern very steep vineyards (mainly white), Geneva (third largest wine region and almost 2000 years of winemaking; red and white wines), Graubunden (mainly red with some good whites), Luzern (mixed red and white; home of William Tell), Neuchatele (white and red ), Ticino (very Merlot and very Italian), Valais (biggest wine region, very steep slopes and many grape varieties), Vaud (again steep terraces with Chassalas the dominant grape), Zurich (red and white from Pinot Noir and Muller Thurgau being dominant).
Grape Varieties
The "main squeeze" of Switzerland seems to be the white Chassalas with Pinot coming in for the reds. It depends who you talk to regarding the Chassalas. Some say give it exalted ratings while others speak "snubbing" about it. The general agreement is that Riesling still makes better wine but that is as everything is concerning wine, a subjective view.
Indigenous species still hold a mark on the wines of Switzerland. The most important seem to be: (red) Humagne Rouge, Cornalin, Bondola (White) Arvine, Completer, Gouais, Reze, Amigne, Himbertscha. A number of hybrids such as Gamaret and Diolinoir are also grown.
France
France is certainly no stranger to either wine or tourist attractions. The quintessential wine country in the World is also known for its vast attractions to visitors world wide. "The Best of the Alps" has two such attractions which border on a luscious wine producing area.
Chamonix Mont-Blanc needs no introduction as does Megreve. The great Savoie wine growing area below makes this a marvellous triple crown.
Chamonix Mont-Blanc as a commune includes some 16 villages. The town proper is a mecca for skiers and mountain climbers. Being at the foot of Mont Blanc gives it a special drop off place for these sports lovers which can include ice climbers, rock climbers, extreme skiing, paragliding, rafting and canyoning. The varied history of this area includes the first Winter Olympics in 1924. Megreve is another resort which is just west of Chamonix but has a lovely view of Mont Blanc. The town is exceptionally beautiful with wooden chalets, cobbled streets, boutique hotels. The cultural events are many and other activities include: dog sledding, flights over Mont Blanc, spas, antique dealers and horse drawn carriages. The place actually became a tourist hit when the Rothschild family (relatives of the great wine making family in Bordeaux) decided to change their resort location. They opened a hotel at Megreve in 1921 (Ironically just before Philippe de Rothschild took over Chateau Mouton in 1922). An international polo tournament played on snow is held here (Megreve Polo Masters) and a unique golf tournament (Snow Golf Cup) is played here also.
Wines of Savoie
Some of the oldest vineyards in France can be found in the somewhat steep (sometimes over 500 metres) slopes. The terrain is definitely alpine though the temperature can be warm enough not to see snow. I imagine the microclimates are many.
The wines of Savoie are generally consumed by the tourists and sports people who come to the resorts. The wines are mainly white and made from indigenous species that are quite rare mixed with some of the more well known varieties.
Because of its somewhat isolation from other vineyard regions, and the fact that most of the wine is consumed in the same area, the wines are rather unknown and difficult to find anywhere else.
Grape Varieties
(White) Jacquere, Altesse also known as Rousette, Rousanne also known as Bergeron, Chardonnay. (Red) Mondeuse, Gamay, Pinot Noir.
Germany
Well known for its great though very underrated wines, Germany also has vines hugging the alpine resort mountains. Bavaria brings up exotic ideas of legend, power and history. It also exudes heartiness in both life and culinary attributes. Then there is the wines of Franconia!
This is where we find Garmisch Partenkirchen. Located at the foot of Mount Zugspitze with its natural boldness of beauty and the lovely decorated homes as well as the very friendly hosts give this resort town a special place in the heart of all those who visit it. Special sights to visit would be The Partnach Gorge where the Partnach River through a narrow gap between limestone cliffs; the castle of Ludwig 2nd of Bavaria and of course the Zugspitze which is the tallest mountain in Germany. Near by Garmisch is Mittenwald and Oberammergau where the Passion Play is produced and the monastery at Ettal.
Wines Of Franconia
Franconia (and Garmisch Partenkirchen) is in Bavaria and whose wine region is centred around the Main River in the central part of this region. Wurzburg is the centre of wine production in the region though there are two other smaller areas of production around Steigerwald and Bamberg.
The wines of Franconia are said to be quite masculine of Germany's wines. This is due to the cool climate of the area with cold winters and warm summers. As with many of the areas that are either not known very well or service resorts, the Franconian wines are consumed largely at home though they present a high quality presence in resort country.
Grape Varieties
White vines consist of almost 80% of the production with the red wines fulfilling the remaining 20 %. The main grapes are as follows: (white) Muller Thurgau, Silvaner, Baccus, Riesling, Kerner, Scheurebe, Pinot Blanc (Red) Domina, Pinot Noir, Dornfelder, Regent (American hybrid), Meunier, Blauer Portugeiser.
Italy
Italian culture goes as far back as the mist of time! Italian wine goes almost as far and Italian hospitality goes back the farthest of all! The Italian Alps is the last but not least feature of this "Best of the Alps" presentation.
The Six Regions that hug the Alps are: Piedmont with the misty fog that is closely associated with it as well as the great wines of Barolo and Barbaresco made from Nebiolo grapes. In fact, Piedmont literally means "foot of the mountain"; Acosta Valley with its huge glaciers and many sporting events; Lombardy with its forests, mountain villages, vineyards, and pretty meadows; Trentino provides unique cultural and historical perspective in a place of unusual and dynamic beauty; Aldo Ridge offers a chance to look at pristine and very protected nature at its best and also take in the character of this most northerly part of Italy; Friuli-Venezia Giulia offers the best in mountain holidays and both summer and winter sports.
Veneto
For the purpose of this presentation, the major area of concentration is Veneto and the resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo in the Dolomites located within the district. Cortina d'Ampezzo has long been associated with world class skiing events and other Olympic winter sports. Culturally it has been well represented in feature films: For Your Eyes Only (James Bond), The Pink Panther, Cliff Hanger, Trull. Summer activities rival winter ones with hiking and climbing as well as a new bike resort. One claim to fame for Cortina is that it also was the favourite place of actress Audry Hepburn. Another striking feature of this resort is that it is only about two and a half hours away from the vineyards of Veneto and the city of culture called Verona.
Wine Regions
Of the wine regions closest to Cortina d'Ampezzo, Valpolicella (Bordered by Bardolino, Soave and the Po River) is most handily available as its vines "hug" the higher hills known as the Pre-Alps. Its wines are famous world over and often underrated. Here the king of grapes is Amarone made by drying specific grapes for ninety days prior to pressing and fermenting. Regular Valpolicella is made from the same grapes but without the drying process. There are different levels of Valpolicella with Amarone being the highest and most expensive. One form of Valpolicella is called "Ripasso" meaning that Valpolicella wine is refermented over the left over skins of Amarone wine thus adding much in the form of smoothness, power and complexity. Thus it is a form of "re-passing" or "re-doing" the wine making process in order to "improve" an already wonderful product. Some of the greatest wines I have ever tasted come from the vineyards of wineries such as Tommasi, Tedeschi, Zenato, Tenuta San Antonio, Bolla, Guerrieri Rizzardi, Cantina di Negrar, Pasqua, Sartori.
One thing that is going on is that the area is becoming very prominent in the retracing of its heritage. Many wineries in Valpolicella (and Italy for that matter) are returning to their ancient origins by seeking out and redeveloping the ancient and almost extinct/forgotten varieties of the past that were indigenous to the region.
Grape Varieties
The main grapes are Rodinella, Corvina, Molinara (now deregulated). Oseleta is a grape variety that is being revived and used more and more especially in the Tommasi vineyards. Regulations permit the following grapes to be used in certain percentages in the making of Valpolicella: Corvinone, Rossignola, Negara, Barbera, Sangiovese.
Other indigenous and ancient grapes being revived and experimented with are: Turchetta, Corbina, Bressa, Castelrotto, Spigmonte.
Final Say
Those that profit the most at having the very best in the world at your feet---literally---are those who journey to the resorts mentioned here in this article and take advantage of the many activities available to them. "The Best Of The Alps" is actually that and only the best have the greatest to offer.
Where else can one go to Austria and say----"Think that tomorrow I'll hop over to Italy and try some of their wines---or Switzerland; or Germany; or France!!!!! ENJOY!!!!
Stretching from the Riviera through South Central Europe is a Mountain Chain of relatively young mountains that most call the Alps. The system is about 800 kms long and 160 km wide.Best known for mountain climbing expeditions and now sports events namely skiing, they offer a wide range of activities ranging from hiking and rock climbing to biking and tennis. During the last 150 years, a number of resorts entertained vacationers world wide. These scenic resorts go hand in hand with the many wine regions that cradle the surrounding hills commonly known as "Pre-Alps" at the foot of this great divide!
Best Of The Alps
Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy and Germany lay in the path of the Alps and this includes their resorts. Twelve of the above resorts established a brand group called "Best of the Alps" focusing on their similarity of surroundings, traditions and developmental history. The twelve resorts are: (Austria) Kitzbuhel, Lech Zurs am Arlberg, St. Anton am Arlberg, Seefeld; (Switzerland) St. Moritz, Zermatt, Davos, Grindelwald; (France) Chamonix Mont-Blanc, Megeve; (Germany) Garmisch-Partenkirchen and (Italy) Cortina d'Ampezzo.Though these regions have similarities, so do they have differences and with a backdrop as magnificent as that of the Alps as well as the best vineyards in the world literally at their feet, that is a prescription for amazing fun!
Austria
Austria is no stranger to fame, culture and beauteous scenery. Its representation by many of its sons and daughters in the world of medicine, science, literature and music is renowned. It's alpine destinations have been publicized in many movies.
Kitzbuhel, home of the world cup ski races and one of the toughest downhill slope competitions---the Streif slope, has also hosted the Triathlon World Cup and hosts a major tennis tournament in the summer months. Lech-Zurs, is actually two villages that are about 4 km apart. Of the two, Lech is the more diverse since Zurs is usually closed down for the summer months. This "most beautiful village in Europe" (it won a special nomination called "Entente Floral" in 2004) . This area also includes many summer and winter sports such as hiking and snowshoeing. St. Anton am Arlberg is not just one resort! A number of other villages close by all have something going on at any one time so there is much to do and see. There is also a race called the Arlberger Bike Marathon that takes place in August. In the Winter, 28o slopes and over 180 country trails will be a challenge for anyone. Like St. Anton, Seefeld encompasses several other villages and has some unique legendary stories. One can walk through Leutasch view the hiking scenery; view the spectacular view of the Stubbier Alps and also reflect on the "Bell of Peace"---a 10,000 kilogram bell erected in 1997 in Mosern; visit an Alpine Park in Scharnitz; visit Reith and check out the rare Alpine Moor and finally visit the little village of Seefeld which has as its legend the historic church of St. Oswald. The story called the "Legend of the Host' goes this way: During the Communion ceremony a local knight whose temper was only exceeded by his impatience and self importance, forced the priest to give him the biggest portion of the Host (wafer). As soon as it touched his lips, the floor began to melt and take him into it. Only the priest's quick thinking by taking the host out of the knight's mouth stopped the process. The host then turned to blood-----I guess that taught him a lesson!!!! Such areas are full of this folklore but the church is still there to visit. Seefeld has many cafes and interesting places to visit and if you go through the Christmas season, make sure you attend Midnight Mass and celebrate New Year's in style. All you need is Champagne which is available via local stores.
Austrian Wine
Wine and Relaxation go hand in hand and what's better when visiting a resort than enjoying your host country's wine! I would suggest something better than that being visiting the vineyards that are close to the area you are in. Unfortunately, the closest winery would be about three hours away in Graz but if it's summer, why not do a day trip or stay overnight. There is nothing like visiting the closest wineries and bringing the "catch" to the suite. In winter group trips could be arranged of better still, have the wines delivered to the door of the resort.
Wine Regions
Lower Austria has 16 wine regions the four most important being Wachau, Kremstal, Kamptal and the Neusiedlersee in Burgenland which makes some luscious sweet wines. There are other regions such as Wienviertel which is the largest wine region and also one of the prettiest but the above four seem to be what many are talking about.Weststeiermark where Gaz is located would seem to be closest to visit from the Austrian resorts.
Grape Varieties
In Austria it seems that Gruner Veltliner is the dominant grape producing many styles of superb wine. Other varieties are (White)Riesling,Welschriesling, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Muller Thurgau, Neuburger. There are others but most are either very rare of isolated.(Red) Mostly indigenous species are found here: Zweigelt, Blaufrankish, Blauer Portugieser, Blauburger, Saint Laurent with Pinot Noir and Merlot rounding out the group. There are other lesser wines which fall in the same category as some of the whites mentioned.
Switzerland
Another country that is known for its majestic beauty and superb resorts is Switzerland. As in Austria and perhaps to a greater extent, Swiss wines are not well known outside of their country and probably that is because many are consumed at home. The wines are therefore underrated and not easily accessible anywhere but in Switzerland. The more people who visit here should seek out and consume! What are not underrated are the Swiss resorts.There are four resorts that come under the "Best of the Alps" banner: St. Moritz, Zermatt, Davos and Grindelwald.
St. Moritz is legendary among resorts. It started the alpine resort winter tourism in the mid 19th Century. Another series of firsts were, the first curling tournament, European Ice Skating Championship and first golf tournament. St. Moritz offers everything from winter sports to horse racing (on the frozen lake) and Polo tournaments, curling and cricket as well as a Gourmet festival----all that plus sun 322 days per year. Zermatt is famed for it mountain. Who has not heard of the Matterhorn? According to the experts, Zermatt's claim to fame is 365 days of snow on the slopes. However, there is much more! An interesting fact is that tourism started when mountain climbers came in droves over the mid 19th Century. Now many tours and hikes use this area for a starting point. One interesting not about this town is that it runs combustion free. Most vehicles run on batteries. Grindelwald had a famous secret agent slip through its skating rink. James Bond on Her Majesty's Secret Service was there. A number of feature films have used this area and town as a backdrop. In addition, there are many things outside of the superb skiing and winter sports. Many culinary delights abound here and there are many foot and toboggan paths to wear away those calories in winter and many foot/hiking and cycle paths in summer. The Eiger Village is also a place to see and many an assault on the mountain starts at this place. Remember Clint Eastwood in the "Eiger Sanction"? Last but not least in the Swiss group is Davos. Davos is famous as being a major resort but it also is renowned for some other issues such as: hosting the Spengler Cup Hockey Tournament, the Swiss Alpine Marathon, a Music Festival and the World Economic Forum. Davos's Expessionalist Museum is also there for guests to view. This is including every summer and winter sport imaginable. Tennis. riding and Paragliding are offered at no extra cost. Apparently the place is so healthy that Robert Louis Stevenson (Treasure Island, The Wrecker) who suffered from Tuberculosis stayed there upon doctor's orders. One other thing, in 2011 the World Championship of Velogemel (a Velogemel is Grindelwald's special vehicle that goes down ski slopes at breakneck speeds) celebrates its 100 birthday. Are there any challenge takers????
Swiss Wine Regions
Here vineyards are incredibly steep and many are said to rival the summit of the many mountains not too far from them. While this adds to the scenery, it must be very difficult to keep the vines cropped.
The main regions are Aargau (mainly red), Bern very steep vineyards (mainly white), Geneva (third largest wine region and almost 2000 years of winemaking; red and white wines), Graubunden (mainly red with some good whites), Luzern (mixed red and white; home of William Tell), Neuchatele (white and red ), Ticino (very Merlot and very Italian), Valais (biggest wine region, very steep slopes and many grape varieties), Vaud (again steep terraces with Chassalas the dominant grape), Zurich (red and white from Pinot Noir and Muller Thurgau being dominant).
Grape Varieties
The "main squeeze" of Switzerland seems to be the white Chassalas with Pinot coming in for the reds. It depends who you talk to regarding the Chassalas. Some say give it exalted ratings while others speak "snubbing" about it. The general agreement is that Riesling still makes better wine but that is as everything is concerning wine, a subjective view.
Indigenous species still hold a mark on the wines of Switzerland. The most important seem to be: (red) Humagne Rouge, Cornalin, Bondola (White) Arvine, Completer, Gouais, Reze, Amigne, Himbertscha. A number of hybrids such as Gamaret and Diolinoir are also grown.
France
France is certainly no stranger to either wine or tourist attractions. The quintessential wine country in the World is also known for its vast attractions to visitors world wide. "The Best of the Alps" has two such attractions which border on a luscious wine producing area.
Chamonix Mont-Blanc needs no introduction as does Megreve. The great Savoie wine growing area below makes this a marvellous triple crown.
Chamonix Mont-Blanc as a commune includes some 16 villages. The town proper is a mecca for skiers and mountain climbers. Being at the foot of Mont Blanc gives it a special drop off place for these sports lovers which can include ice climbers, rock climbers, extreme skiing, paragliding, rafting and canyoning. The varied history of this area includes the first Winter Olympics in 1924. Megreve is another resort which is just west of Chamonix but has a lovely view of Mont Blanc. The town is exceptionally beautiful with wooden chalets, cobbled streets, boutique hotels. The cultural events are many and other activities include: dog sledding, flights over Mont Blanc, spas, antique dealers and horse drawn carriages. The place actually became a tourist hit when the Rothschild family (relatives of the great wine making family in Bordeaux) decided to change their resort location. They opened a hotel at Megreve in 1921 (Ironically just before Philippe de Rothschild took over Chateau Mouton in 1922). An international polo tournament played on snow is held here (Megreve Polo Masters) and a unique golf tournament (Snow Golf Cup) is played here also.
Wines of Savoie
Some of the oldest vineyards in France can be found in the somewhat steep (sometimes over 500 metres) slopes. The terrain is definitely alpine though the temperature can be warm enough not to see snow. I imagine the microclimates are many.
The wines of Savoie are generally consumed by the tourists and sports people who come to the resorts. The wines are mainly white and made from indigenous species that are quite rare mixed with some of the more well known varieties.
Because of its somewhat isolation from other vineyard regions, and the fact that most of the wine is consumed in the same area, the wines are rather unknown and difficult to find anywhere else.
Grape Varieties
(White) Jacquere, Altesse also known as Rousette, Rousanne also known as Bergeron, Chardonnay. (Red) Mondeuse, Gamay, Pinot Noir.
Germany
Well known for its great though very underrated wines, Germany also has vines hugging the alpine resort mountains. Bavaria brings up exotic ideas of legend, power and history. It also exudes heartiness in both life and culinary attributes. Then there is the wines of Franconia!
This is where we find Garmisch Partenkirchen. Located at the foot of Mount Zugspitze with its natural boldness of beauty and the lovely decorated homes as well as the very friendly hosts give this resort town a special place in the heart of all those who visit it. Special sights to visit would be The Partnach Gorge where the Partnach River through a narrow gap between limestone cliffs; the castle of Ludwig 2nd of Bavaria and of course the Zugspitze which is the tallest mountain in Germany. Near by Garmisch is Mittenwald and Oberammergau where the Passion Play is produced and the monastery at Ettal.
Wines Of Franconia
Franconia (and Garmisch Partenkirchen) is in Bavaria and whose wine region is centred around the Main River in the central part of this region. Wurzburg is the centre of wine production in the region though there are two other smaller areas of production around Steigerwald and Bamberg.
The wines of Franconia are said to be quite masculine of Germany's wines. This is due to the cool climate of the area with cold winters and warm summers. As with many of the areas that are either not known very well or service resorts, the Franconian wines are consumed largely at home though they present a high quality presence in resort country.
Grape Varieties
White vines consist of almost 80% of the production with the red wines fulfilling the remaining 20 %. The main grapes are as follows: (white) Muller Thurgau, Silvaner, Baccus, Riesling, Kerner, Scheurebe, Pinot Blanc (Red) Domina, Pinot Noir, Dornfelder, Regent (American hybrid), Meunier, Blauer Portugeiser.
Italy
Italian culture goes as far back as the mist of time! Italian wine goes almost as far and Italian hospitality goes back the farthest of all! The Italian Alps is the last but not least feature of this "Best of the Alps" presentation.
The Six Regions that hug the Alps are: Piedmont with the misty fog that is closely associated with it as well as the great wines of Barolo and Barbaresco made from Nebiolo grapes. In fact, Piedmont literally means "foot of the mountain"; Acosta Valley with its huge glaciers and many sporting events; Lombardy with its forests, mountain villages, vineyards, and pretty meadows; Trentino provides unique cultural and historical perspective in a place of unusual and dynamic beauty; Aldo Ridge offers a chance to look at pristine and very protected nature at its best and also take in the character of this most northerly part of Italy; Friuli-Venezia Giulia offers the best in mountain holidays and both summer and winter sports.
Veneto
For the purpose of this presentation, the major area of concentration is Veneto and the resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo in the Dolomites located within the district. Cortina d'Ampezzo has long been associated with world class skiing events and other Olympic winter sports. Culturally it has been well represented in feature films: For Your Eyes Only (James Bond), The Pink Panther, Cliff Hanger, Trull. Summer activities rival winter ones with hiking and climbing as well as a new bike resort. One claim to fame for Cortina is that it also was the favourite place of actress Audry Hepburn. Another striking feature of this resort is that it is only about two and a half hours away from the vineyards of Veneto and the city of culture called Verona.
Wine Regions
Of the wine regions closest to Cortina d'Ampezzo, Valpolicella (Bordered by Bardolino, Soave and the Po River) is most handily available as its vines "hug" the higher hills known as the Pre-Alps. Its wines are famous world over and often underrated. Here the king of grapes is Amarone made by drying specific grapes for ninety days prior to pressing and fermenting. Regular Valpolicella is made from the same grapes but without the drying process. There are different levels of Valpolicella with Amarone being the highest and most expensive. One form of Valpolicella is called "Ripasso" meaning that Valpolicella wine is refermented over the left over skins of Amarone wine thus adding much in the form of smoothness, power and complexity. Thus it is a form of "re-passing" or "re-doing" the wine making process in order to "improve" an already wonderful product. Some of the greatest wines I have ever tasted come from the vineyards of wineries such as Tommasi, Tedeschi, Zenato, Tenuta San Antonio, Bolla, Guerrieri Rizzardi, Cantina di Negrar, Pasqua, Sartori.
One thing that is going on is that the area is becoming very prominent in the retracing of its heritage. Many wineries in Valpolicella (and Italy for that matter) are returning to their ancient origins by seeking out and redeveloping the ancient and almost extinct/forgotten varieties of the past that were indigenous to the region.
Grape Varieties
The main grapes are Rodinella, Corvina, Molinara (now deregulated). Oseleta is a grape variety that is being revived and used more and more especially in the Tommasi vineyards. Regulations permit the following grapes to be used in certain percentages in the making of Valpolicella: Corvinone, Rossignola, Negara, Barbera, Sangiovese.
Other indigenous and ancient grapes being revived and experimented with are: Turchetta, Corbina, Bressa, Castelrotto, Spigmonte.
Final Say
Those that profit the most at having the very best in the world at your feet---literally---are those who journey to the resorts mentioned here in this article and take advantage of the many activities available to them. "The Best Of The Alps" is actually that and only the best have the greatest to offer.
Where else can one go to Austria and say----"Think that tomorrow I'll hop over to Italy and try some of their wines---or Switzerland; or Germany; or France!!!!! ENJOY!!!!
posted by Chuck Byers - Wine Consultant | 6:44 AM
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