St. Michael-Eppan unveils limited-edition APPIUS 2022 at Merano WineFestival
The 13th release of the South Tyrolean white cuvée is led by 57% Chardonnay and reflects a sunny, dry growing season that brought an early harvest.
The 13th APPIUS release
St. Michael-Eppan Winery introduced APPIUS 2022 on Friday, November 6, at the 35th Merano WineFestival. It is the 13th release of the Appiano-Eppan producer’s South Tyrolean white cuvée, made from four varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc.1
Chardonnay represents 57% of the blend, with Pinot Blanc at 22%, Pinot Grigio at 11% and Sauvignon Blanc at 10%. The winery said the composition was selected to express the 2022 growing season, characterized by sunny weather and an extended dry period during summer.1
According to the producer, those conditions influenced ripening and brought the start of harvest forward to the end of August. The winery attributes ripe fruit, body and balance to the season, alongside freshness and minerality associated with South Tyrol’s Alpine climate.1
A vintage-led white cuvée
San Michele Appiano presents APPIUS as its flagship bottling, designed to interpret each vintage through selected top-quality fruit from the estate’s white grape varieties. The project began with the 2010 vintage, released for the first time in November 2014, and has continued with one edition annually as both a reflection of the harvest and a collector-oriented wine.1
In its launch notes, the winery describes APPIUS 2022 as deep yellow with golden and green reflections. The stated aromas include pineapple, papaya, gooseberry, sage, apple and vanilla, together with floral, mint and spice notes. The palate is described as markedly spicy, broad in texture and driven by lively acidity, with a long finish.1
The producer connects the wine’s structure and minerality to vineyards on the slopes of the Mendel massif, where the vines grow in calcareous, gravelly and morainic soils. It also identifies APPIUS 2022 as suitable for aging and proposes pairings ranging from scampi risotto to crema catalana.1
Annual design and limited availability
As with previous editions, APPIUS 2022 has a label created specifically for the vintage. The winery says the APPIUS name refers to the Roman origins of Appiano and that the packaging changes every year to convey the identity of the individual harvest. Frontier designed the 2022 label around the theme of harmony, drawing visually on Pythagorean proportions and musical intervals.1
The winery will sell APPIUS 2022 as a limited edition. San Michele Appiano had not disclosed the price in the launch material distributed on Friday, November 6.1
Sources
Written by the Dionysus editors from the sources above.
