TRES Merlot - Cabernet Riserva 2016 - 15% vol. Cortaccia Winery

Description: 
TRES stands for the number "three" (from the Italian "tre"): three values, symbolised by three cypresses and the best of three grape varieties are united in one wine. 
At the same time, the name TRES is inspired by the "Tresner Horn" or "Corno di Tres", the highest point of the mountain range above Kurtatsch, which is characteristic for this area. 
In the very best vintages, the three oldest and best small plots of the three most important varieties, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, are harvested and vinified under the lowest yields. 
Grown on red, sandy loam soils and gravelly dolomite soils in the Brenntal site, these 3 grape varieties unite to form an inimitable Alpine-Mediterranean cuvée. 
To ensure that TRES reaches wine lovers exactly when the ideal drinking window opens, the wine is given sufficient time in the barrel and in the bottle. 
For the production of TRES, small parcels that have proven to be particularly outstanding over the years (often only a few rows of vines within a vineyard) were selected and vinified separately since 2015. The meticulous selection, the optimal conditions in the vineyard, the age of the vines and the low yield form the basis for the production of a cuvée with alpine character, crisp fruit and pronounced freshness. 
Each of the 2,120 bottles produced is hand-painted with the soil of the vineyard by the young South Tyrolean artist Margit Pittschieler. Each vintage is given its own motif, the 2015 vintage shows the steep slope from the Merlot. 

Grape varierty: 
77% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon - South Tyrol Merlot Cabernet Riserva DOC. 
Cultivation: Merlot: sustainable, Cabernet Franc: bio-dynamic, Cabernet Sauvignon: bio-organic. 

Production area: 
Kurtatsch - Brenntal, 220-300 m a.s.l., south - east, steep slope. Very warm microclimate with large day/night temperature differences, strong sun exposure. Red sandy/loamy soils with clay minerals and oxides as well as gravelly dolomite-limestone soils. 

The grapes for the cuvée grow in the Brenntal vineyard on steep south-eastern slopes below the village of Kurtatsch, at an altitude of 220 to 300 metres. Thanks to the intense sunshine, the vineyards of this steep slope are among the warmest in South Tyrol. At night, cool downdrafts from the mountain slopes above the vineyards cool the grapes. The large day-night temperature differences guarantee fresh, multi-faceted aromas and ideal acidity levels. The loamy-sandy soils with fossil-rich rocks are similar to those of the famous French regions of Pomerol (clay) and Medoc (gravel with clay and limestone substrates) in the Bordeaux region. These soils are ideal for giving structure and finesse to the grape varieties. 

Vinification: 
Fermentation wooden fermentation racks, ageing in French barriques for 15 months, a further 9 months in large oak barrels and 5 years bottle ageing. 

Food pairing: 


Serving temperature: 
16 - 18°C. 

Ageing potential: 
more than 10 years. 

Bottle size: 
750 ml - 75 cl - 0,75 lt. 

Allergens: 
contains sulphites. 

Producer: 
Kurtatsch Winery 
Vineyards on breathtakingly steep slopes from 220-900m a.s.l. - such a large difference in altitude within one municipality is unique in Europe. The low elevations are among the warmest in Alto Adige and are perfect for important red wines. On the high-altitude sites above the main village of Kurtatsch, the white varieties find ideal conditions. The wide array of elevations and soil types dictates the philosophy of the province’s southernmost cooperative: to produce distinctive wines that reflect their growing site, their terroir, in the best way possible. 
A young team, since 2014 led by the winery’s president, Andreas Kofler, has oriented the winery towards sustainable management. Thanks to the 190 small-structured family farms that cultivate 190 hectares of vineyards, the best grape material for each individual location can be selected. This and the precise vinification of the individual vineyard sites create distinctive and unmistakable wines which truly reflect their place of origin. The result: fresh, mineral white wines from high locations and long-lasting red wines from warm locations. 

Cantina Kurtatsch 
Strada del Vino 23 
IT - 39040 - Cortaccia (BZ) 
info@kellerei-kurtatsch.it 
www.kellerei-Kurtatsch.it