Schulthauser 40th anniversary

The celebrated Schulthauser Pinot Blanc from Kellerei St. Michael in Eppan is celebrating its 40th birthday in better shape than ever.

The renowned "Schulthauser" Pinot Blanc from St. Michael in Eppan, founded in 1907 and one of South Tyrol’s leading wineries, will celebrate its 40^th anniversary this year. In 1982, one of the first white wine Selections was made in South Tyrol with the "Schulthauser". It is also the year in which the cellar master Hans Terzer, together with other oenologists, began the qualitative renaissance of South Tyrolean wines. With the "Schulthauser" he took one of the first steps and it continues to play an indispensable role for the winery. Even with last year’s decision to rename Selection wines as the “Fallwind” line, the Schulthauser still retains the Rhenish bottle shape, its original label and, above all, the name.

When quality viticulture was first gaining a toehold in the land of the Dolomite mountains Pinot Blanc dominated the few white grape varieties.  At that time, Hans Terzer chose a highland area in the Eppan-Berg district, at the foot of the Mendel massif, surrounding the Schloss Moos-Schulthaus. "After experimenting a few times with Pinot Blanc, which was vinified in steel tanks from over-productive vines, I came up with the idea of creating a more structured and possibly longer-lasting white wine," recalls Terzer. With this wine, Hans Terzer introduced a new, personal viticulture model to get the best out of the winemaker's selection, vinifying 70 percent of the grapes in steel tanks and the remaining 30 percent in large oak casks, so introducing a new technique, hitherto unknown in South Tyrol (Alto Adige).  This malolactic fermentation for part of the grape enhances its softness and elegance. The immediate result was a fresh and fruity Pinot Blanc, with an appealing minerality and a "silky" structure allowing the "Schulthauser" to conquer not only the local South Tyrolean market but also gain international appeal and become a recognized brand.

Of the Schulthauser vineyard, 26 hectares are devoted to Pinot Blanc (Pinot Bianco / Weißburgunder). The harvest, which used to start towards the end of September, is now usually carried out in the middle of the month, yielding around 60 hl/ha and a maximum production of 80 to 90 quintals, for a total annual production of approximately 200 thousand bottles.

The organoleptic (sensory) characteristics vary from vintage to vintage, but the basic characteristics have remained consistent: opening with scents of apple and pear, giving way to light notes of apricot and plum, as well as floral nuances suggestive of hawthorn and orange blossom. The "Schulthauser" surprises on the palate with its rich exuberance, elegance and balance – a perfect combination of refreshing acidity, minerality and hints of spice. The Schulthauser is a perfect reflection of its terroir: the soils of the vineyards have a dolomite-calcareous composition, ensuring the minerality; the downdrafts ("fallwinds") of the Mendel Stock provide a cool and airy microclimate, guaranteeing freshness and aroma. All of this has a positive effect on the longevity of the "Schulthauser" Pinot Blanc, as demonstrated by the tasting notes of the older vintages.

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