SCHIAVA 

Spending more time in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Sudtirol region of northern Italy, we will discuss two other varietals that are not widely known but are quite delicious and worthy of exploring.

Trentino-Alto Adige/Sudtirol is situated between Lombardia and Veneto regions.  This region is the farthest north of all Italian regions and lies at the foot of the Alps.  This area is also the home of the picturesque Dolomites.

Schiava (ski-ah-va) is one of the primary grapes grown in this region.  It is the only red grape considered a primary grape. 

Schiava is also known as Vernatsch in Austria and Trollinger in German.  For simplification, we will use the Italian word, Schiava.

Schiava is mostly grown in Trentino-Alto Adige region but about a quarter of the entire production in Italy is in Puglia, the heel of Italy.  This grape was quite popular in the 1980’s and was over produced to almost a bulk status which led to a decrease in quality.

The appeal here is it is lower in alcohol, lighter bodied, and little to no tannins.  Not sweet, just a fruity, low acid, easy drinking wine.  Quite a bit of this wine is sent to the Switzerland where it is popular now. 

SCHIAVA- 

The grape can be difficult to grow.  There is a bit of a renaissance of Schiava with more vines being planted and stricter quality requirements.

My experience with Schiava is very positive.  For me there were similarities to young Nebbiolo.  Perhaps a bit lighter and more fruit than the young Nebbiolo but very pleasing.  In some ways it was similar to Blaufrankisch wines from Austria too.

Remember not to classify all Schieva to be the same style, even in Italy. 

Santa Maddelena is a subzone of Alto Adige DOC and that particular area produces a more full-bodied wine. The Schiava around the spa town of Merano tends to be spicy.  The soils and climate in certain areas create certain nuances to the wine.

Generally, Schieva is a lighter bodied wine with great red berry fruit flavors, some floral aromatics, hints of smoky sweet almonds and smooth finish.

This wine is meant to be consumed now and doesn’t require aging to get to its full potential.  They do not make riservas or have any aging requirements.

Food Pairing:

Due to its lighter body, this is a good wine with fish as it won’t overwhelm the flavors of the fish.

Try it with pheasant or venison.  Very compatible with many of the flavors in Asian dishes.  If you only drink red wine, this would be great with a wide range of appetizers. Don’t be afraid to put a slight chill on the bottle, but not cold, cold.

Lagrein

Lagrein (la-gryn) first came to my attention as a rose, and what a rose it was.  It was full-flavored, savory, and refreshing.  It made me investigate further the wonders of this red grape as a red wine.

Lagrein seems to have some of the qualities I enjoy of Syrah & Cabernet Franc.

Lagrein is fuller bodied and has more black fruit nuances than Schiava.

Some say the wine can have a little more acidity to the average wine drinker.  I haven’t tasted a lot of Lagrein but of the ones I have tasted, I didn’t notice any high acidity.  Again, not everyone’s tastes are the same.

Lagrein is a hearty robust wine that would be a great alternative to Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc. 

I don’t feel Lagrein is as tannic a wine as the Cabs but does blend nicely with Cab & Merlot.  These blends are often labeled as “Rosso” and given the IGT or IGP designation.

Most of all the Lagrein grown in Italy (97%) comes from Trentino-Alto Adige. This region is also the origin of the grape.  Lagrein is 10% of the production of wines in Alto Adige. It is allowed in 8 different DOC in the area and is grape that is easily blended.

Rosato- Rosato is the Italian word for Rose’ and Legrein Rosato is an excellent dry rose’. 

There is enough body to hold up to many foods.  The savoriness is so delightful and the cherry fruit so refreshing and delicious.

Though often thought of as summer only wines, these dry roses’ are food friendly and can be consumed all year long.  They also seem to be more available then too!

One of the reasons I write this content and talk about some grapes that are not widely known or available, is to expose you to some delicious wines.

Schiava & Legrien are two great examples of wines that are overlooked.  Our shelves and wine lists are full of the popular, mass-produced wines we associate to Italy, but rarely do we see much of these wines.

That is really the good and the bad of exported wines from Italy.  

Large production generates big sales & profits.  Small or limited production is less profitable and generally handles the demand in Italy first and then exports the rest.  Smaller production also provides limited availability. 

The good news for smaller production is the great handle on quality, the bad news is there isn’t always enough to go around. 

Schiava & Lagrein are small enough to provide quality wine without breaking the bank, and yet big enough to export this wine to us. 

They might be a little hard to find but worth it when you do!

Food Pairing:

Best served with more robust flavors when eating and drinking. 

Beef, game, aged cheeses are just some of the places to start, even with rosato wines.  Pizza, hamburgers, pastas, are just some of the numerous options. 

I would not suggest it with light, or white fish.  It would work with salmon or tuna, if you don’t drench in lemon juice.

The more flavorful the food the better the match with Lagrein.