Muri Gries Pinot Grigio Alto Adige DOC 2023

Muri-Gries was built in the late 11th century as a fortress, strategically located just south of the Brenner Pass in Südtirol. In the 14th century the fortress was donated to local monks and today it remains a working Benedictine monastery, thanks to the arrival in 1845 of the Brothers of Benedictine order from just over the border in Switzerland. The Benedictines began introducing more advanced winegrowing techniques and in 1947 Muri-Gries began producing DOC wines. The trajectory has only continued upwards ever since and now with the secular Werth family helming the winemaking activities (allowing the Brothers to focus on purely spiritual matters) Muri-Gries is internationally recognized as a producer of esteemed wines made with traditional grapes of the region. This pinot grigio is a shining example of everything that the often scorned grape can actually become! Hand harvested grapes come from the Bozen and Kaiserau vineyards on the gravelly-alluvial soils found at the convergence of the Eisack and Etsch Rivers. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, and the wine is aged on its lees for 5 months, with 25% in large barrels. Vibrant and generous on the palate, this bursts with character - a far cry from the insipid offerings so often associated with that grape. Richly textured, with refreshing acidity that cuts through a long finish, this is a pinot grigio of distinction.