Unbottled – Pranzegg Caroline

Our visit to South Tyrol really spiked my interest in the natural wine scene there. One of the vineyards, if not the most renown natural wine vineyard there is Pranzegg. In this case, I tried their Caroline bottling

First, let me say that I am always curious to try wines from mixed lots. This historic way of planting different varieties in the same plot is nearly extinct. In the case of the Caroline, Martin Gojer and Marion Untersulzner grow Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, and Manzoni Bianco on vineyards at an altitude of 300 m to 375 m.

After manual harvest and spontaneous fermentation, the must macerates for around two weeks on the grapes, 60 % in oak and stainless steel and 40 % only in oak barrels. Next, the wine ages for 10 months in large oak casks and another 11 months in concrete casks. The wine is neither fined nor filtered and the bottles are aged for another 10 months.

A ‘light’ orange wine, but very complex

For me the Pranzegg Caroline manages to strike a balance between tannins as well as ‘drinkability’. It is not the most extreme orange wine out there, but at the same time the Caroline is also very complex. The aroma starts with fruit cup, pineapples and gooseberries and finishes with a touch of golden raisins. Furthermore, the taste fully delivers what the nose promises. Additionally, I did also get a whiff of vanilla. Just one note on the glass, the Lobmeyr Ballerina White Wine Tasting glass has just the right size for such a complex orange wine.

*The fact that I received a product reviewed in this article for free, did not – in any way – influence the rating of said product. I received a discount by Weinkombinat Hugel.