Questo vino
Vineyard and terroir
Vigna Castel Ringberg is a precisely delimited and mapped single vineyard and an Elena Walch monopole. It rises from Lake Caldaro in alternating moderate and steep slopes around the Renaissance castle built by the Habsburgs in 1620. Elevations range from 330 to 400 metres. The higher sites, extending toward the Mendel ridge of the Dolomites, contain approximately 30,000-year-old glacial gravel deposited by the Adige River; the gentler lower zones combine calcareous soils, morainic subsoil and loose limestone. Lake Caldaro moderates the climate, while cool nights and the strong, dry southerly afternoon wind known as the Ora create pronounced ventilation. Yields are kept deliberately low.
Grapes
100% Riesling. The grapes are entirely hand-picked.
Vinification
The grapes undergo soft pressing and static clarification. The 2024 technical sheet specifies temperature-controlled fermentation at 18°C in stainless-steel tanks and large oak casks, with 40% fermented in oak. Extended lees contact follows fermentation, and bottling takes place in the following spring. The product description gives a slightly different protocol: fermentation at about 20°C, mostly in stainless steel with a small portion in 25 hl wooden casks, where that portion matures for ten months before bottle ageing.
Technical data
2024: 12.00% vol alcohol, 5.3 g/L residual sugar and 7.0 g/L total acidity. Available in 0.75 L bottles. Recommended ageing is 5–8 years.
Tasting profile
Brilliant straw yellow. Peach and white-flower aromas are joined by fresh spice, a touch of white pepper and characteristic mineral notes. The palate is fresh and finely drawn, with racy acidity, a mineral structure, delicate elegance and a clean, fresh finish.
Serving and pairing
Serve at 10–12°C with fish, seafood or wild mushrooms, or pour as an aperitif.
Vintage notes
The 2024 growing season began with an unsettled, rainy spring during flowering, followed by cool conditions at the start of summer that demanded additional vineyard work. July and August were dry, sunny and warm, providing favourable ripening conditions. The grapes achieved balanced pH, acidity and sugar levels. The crop was smaller in volume, but quality was excellent.
Label / history
The vineyard takes its name from Castel Ringberg, the Renaissance castle erected by the Habsburgs in 1620.
