Cembra is a small cooperative in the Cembra Valley, a steep, terraced fold of Trentino where the Dolomites begin. Kerner is the grape, and it is a rare one: a crossing of Trollinger and Riesling bred in 1929 in Weinsberg, Germany, and now grown more widely in Alto Adige and Trentino than anywhere it was born.
- Kerner, a Trollinger and Riesling crossing.
- Trentino, northern Italy, alpine foothills.
- 2017 vintage.
- Tropical fruit, mango, sharp acidity.
- White wine, aromatic style.
How it is made
Kerner ripens late and holds its acid, which is why it survives in cold, high places. The Cembra Valley sits well north of the main Trentino growing areas, with vineyards on narrow terraces cut into the hillside. The grape is vinified as a dry white, usually in stainless steel to keep the aromatics intact.
How it tastes
Intensely aromatic, with ripe tropical fruit and mango at the front. The acidity is the defining feature: sharp, alpine, and clean, cutting through the fruit rather than sitting behind it. A dry white with real drive.
Where it comes from
The Cembra Valley runs northeast of Trento, a narrow, steep-sided valley where the Dolomites close in. Trentino is a region of contrasts: Mediterranean warmth in the south around Lake Garda, alpine cold in the north. Kerner belongs to the cold end.
Good to know
Kerner was bred in 1929 by August Herold at the Weinsberg research station in Württemberg. It was named after a poet, Justinus Kerner, and it has since found a more comfortable home in the Italian Alps than in the German vineyards where it was created.
Contains alcohol.
