Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/391612
126 / the tasting panel / october 2014 The Lago di Caldaro (also known as Lake Kaltern) in Italy's Alto Adige. T he free-thinking SM Wine Group is wholly committed to keeping exploration and discovery of historical Italian wines new and exciting. While sommeliers and wine aficionados may already be familiar with carefully crafted Tuscan wines from Lamole di Lamole in Chianti Classico and Sassoregale in the Maremma, there's now even more to fall in love with as the company introduces new wines from its Kettmeir portfolio from Alto Adige. While the Tuscan portfolio represents the best of that region's terroir and food-friendliness, the Austrian influence of the Kettmeir wines promises to add even more interest to the com- pany's tradition-rich lineup. The Hills Are Alive in Alto Adige Although proximity to the Alps has been one of Alto Adige's most appealing attributes for travelers, its varied soils have historically made it a rich destination for winemakers like Giuseppe Kettmeir, who founded Kettmeir in 1919. Today, master enologist Josef Romen oversees the property, located in the hills overlooking Lake Caldaro. The area is rich in soil types and micro-climates, which offer ideal conditions for the cultivation of varieties ranging from delicate early-harvest whites to bold later-ripening grapes. by Elyse Glickman Where Italian Wine History Comes Alive PHOTO COURTESY OF SM WINE GROUP RESPECTING AND RETHINKING ITALY'S WINEMAKING TRADITION GIVES SM WINE GROUP'S PORTFOLIO AN EDGE IN THE U.S. MARKET TERROIRS