Elena Walch : Pinot Grigio "Castel Ringberg" 2024

Tasting characteristics and advice for the 2024 Pinot Grigio "Castel Ringberg" from Elena Walch

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays a pale straw-yellow hue with greenish highlights.

Nose

The bouquet reveals fine aromatic complexity, with notes of ripe pears and linden blossom, complemented by spicy nuances of sage. Hints of citrus and pineapple complete this aromatic palette.

Palate

On the palate, the wine stands out for its elegant, powerful structure. Its creamy, dense texture is paired with mineral-saline richness and vibrant, fresh acidity, bringing balance and harmony to the whole.

Food and wine pairings

This Pinot Grigio pairs ideally with premium fish, seafood, creamy risottos, or poultry in a light sauce.

Serving and cellaring

The 2024 Pinot Grigio "Castel Ringberg" is best enjoyed at a temperature between 10 and 12°C. This wine can be enjoyed now but will continue to evolve through around 2029.

An exceptional Alto Adige Pinot Grigio from a single-estate Italian vineyard

The estate

This family estate in Trentino-Alto Adige has belonged to the Walch family for several generations. A Milanese architect who became a pioneering winegrower in the region, Elena Walch has profoundly shaped the vineyard’s history by championing noble grape varieties through a rigorous quality-driven approach and a strong environmental commitment. Today, her daughters Julia and Karoline carry on this philosophy focused on single-vineyard expression and sustainability, drawing on outstanding terroirs such as Castel Ringberg in Caldaro and Kastelaz in Tramin.

The vineyard

The Castel Ringberg vineyard is an exceptional monopole, located on the slopes overlooking Lake Caldaro and rising along the Mendel ridge. Planted between 330 and 400 meters above sea level, it benefits from a unique terroir made up of Adige glacial gravels in the upper areas and limestone soils with moraine substrates and friable limestone in the lower areas. The microclimate is influenced by the lake’s moderating presence and by the southern “Ora” wind that blows in the afternoon, creating optimal conditions for growing Pinot Grigio in Alto Adige.

The vintage

The 2024 vintage saw an unsettled spring with rain during flowering, followed by a cool start to summer. July and August were dry and hot. These conditions resulted in a smaller crop in quantity but of excellent quality, with grapes perfectly balanced in terms of pH, acidity, and sugars.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for the 2024 Pinot Grigio "Castel Ringberg" are entirely hand-harvested. After gentle pressing, the must undergoes static clarification. Fermentation takes place partly in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 20°C, while about 40% of the volume ferments in large oak casks and Allier barriques. Partial malolactic fermentation is carried out. Final blending takes place shortly before bottling in the spring following the harvest.

Grape variety

100% Pinot Grigio