Collection: Trentino-Alto Adige: Peter Zemmer

About Peter Zemmer
In 1928, Peter Zemmer, the great uncle of the present winemaker of the same name, established the winery at Cortina s.s.d.v, in the heart of the Bassa Atesina region. This winery is regarded as producing some of the best white wines and Pinot Noir in Italy.

Cortina s.s.d.v stands for Cortina sulla Strada del Vino ("Cortina on the wine route"), this site was first mentioned in a document dating back over 700 years, the name stems from the latin "Curtus Dominica", meaning court of the king. Near to the Adige river, this is the only village in the lowlands of Alto Adige that is situated in the middle of the valley floor.

The land enjoys favourable climatic conditions: long hours of sunshine, high diurnal temperature difference between day and night, good distribution of precipitation, well aerated soil consist of dolomite, limestone and glacial deposits, and last but not least, the influence of the dry and cooling breeze called "Ora" from Lake Garda.

The power of 1%!
Alto Adige only accounts for 1% of wines produced in Italy, but yet for many, it is the home of the best Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc in Italy. Although only being classified as DOC, Alto Adige's power of 1% is regarded by wine critics as Grand Cru of the country.

Where is Alto Adige?
Alto Adige borders Austria and Switzerland, many residents still speak German as the region has only been part of Italy since 1919. High altitudes, fertile soils, sunny weathers are the hallmark of Alto Adige wines. Unlike the rest of Italy which has a Latin / Roman heritage, Alto Adige has a strong Austro-German cultural bonding, so we can see more "German / Austrian" grapes such as Riesling and Pinot Noir in the area.