Castelfeder 2023 IGT Vingenti Dolomiti Sauvignon ‘Raif’ Alto-Adige

One of the Alto-Adige’s largest estates bucks the trend with this superbly made Sauvignon (no ‘Blanc’ in Italian) from a single-vineyard at near 2000 feet. I met current winemaker/owner Ivan in early 2022 and we tasted though the portfolio in Verona. Having recently taken over operations, he is a man obsessed with individually fermenting multiple plots within a single vineyard and blending for optimal results. He must be doing something right, as the ‘Raif’ is a stand-out wine with a delicate green bouquet, lively acidity and tropical fruit profile.

• WINEMAKER: Ivan Giovanett
• VARIETAL: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
• APPELLATION: IGT Sudtirol
• REGION: Alto-Adige
• VINEYARD: Sustainable viticulture
• WINERY: Modern winemaking, with lots of individually fermented vineyard plots for Ivan to blend before bottling.
• ABV: 13%
• SERVE: cold in a white wine glass