Nusserhof Elda Schiava 2017
90% Schiava and 10% ‘other,’ ‘Elda’ is named for proprietress Elda Mayr, from whose family this plot came, a one-and-a-half-hectare vineyard of primarily 100-year-old Schiava vines and a mix Lagrein, Merlot, Blatterle, and other, unidentified native varieties. Known locally as Vernatsch, Schiava is a thin-skinned grape native to the Alto Adige but down to only about 200 hectares in the region. The vineyard here is on a very steep hillside, the farming is certified-organic, and all work including harvest is strictly – really only possibly – done by hand. Bunches are co-fermented with natural yeasts in stainless steel tanks, and the wine is aged in 20-hectoliter French oak botti for 2 years and then for another 2 years in bottle. The 2017 ‘Elda’ wafts up like an herbal tea deserving of meditation, dried roses (stems and all), incense, cinnamon, and red plums forming its alluring bouquet. It's soothingly soft and round while simultaneously stimulating thanks to bright acidity and sour citrus notes. Finishes classically dry and salty through a remarkably fresh finale.
Heinrich Mayr’s Nusserhof estate is located high in the South Tyrolean mountains of the Alto Adige, nestled amidst the rapidly expanding outer limits of the country’s northernmost regional hub, the city of Bolzano. Stewarded by Heinrich, his wife Elda, and daughter Gloria, the Mayrs’ family land existed for almost two centuries well beyond the outskirts of this previously quaint mountain town, though the explosion of growth that proceeded WWII has now seen the estate’s vineyards all but engulfed by ever encroaching development. And while this has no doubt impacted the family’s way of life (not to mention their stunning vistas of the nearby Alps), the Mayrs have continued to stand tall in the face of urban and industrial sprawl to produce pure, singular, and unmistakable alpine-inflected wines. Organic farming and a decidedly low-tech, traditionalist approach in the cantina only further amplify their singular focus on championing the Alto Adige’s native varieties. As of very recently, Gloria is now fully in charge of her family's historical winery; but Nusserhof fans need not to worry about this change of guard, as she is incredibly open-minded and was raised in these vineyards and cellars. What’s more, the only transformations spoken of are ones that will bring back more traditional approaches to their processes – that combination means we will see many more great vintages from Gloria Mayr in the future.
Shipping Policy
Due to the restrictions of many state laws, we only ship wine to those states where direct shipment from a retailer is permitted by law; currently we ship to AK, CA, DC, ID, LA, MO, NE, NV, NH, NM, ND, OR, VA, WV and WY. This list is subject to change without notice. In addition, each state imposes limitations on the amount of wine any particular resident may receive by direct shipment. To ensure that you are able to order wine for direct shipment from our website, please consult the specific state requirements for your state.
Please note that all orders must be placed by persons who are at least 21 years old, and that age verification will be required upon receipt of your wine. No wine will be delivered to obviously intoxicated persons and any person unable to provide age verification will forfeit their right to receive the shipment until identification is produced. In such circumstances, the order may either be held in storage at a local depot of the shipping company until appropriate identification is produced, or shipped back to the winery. All associated costs will be the responsibility of and be charged to the customer.
Title to, and ownership of, all wine passes from Biondivino to the purchaser in the State of California and the purchaser takes all responsibility for shipping it from California to his/her home state. By arranging for transportation of the wine, Biondivino is providing a service to, and acting on behalf of the purchaser. By utilizing this service from Biondivino, purchaser is representing that he/she is acting in compliance with his/her local and state laws regarding the purchase, transportation and delivery of wine. The purchaser represents that he/she has obtained any required permission, paid any required fees, is working through properly licensed intermediaries where required, is legally entitled to take possession of wine and is legally entitled to take quantities ordered.
You will be charged the applicable sales tax, if any, assessed by your state for any shipment that Biondivino makes; otherwise California sales tax will be assessed on the sale. Shipping and handling costs are not included in the cost and will appear in the shopping cart before you complete your transaction. The carrier and service speed may vary by state and time of year, and Biondivino cannot take responsibility for the condition of any wine shipped by Ground.
Some of our products are sold on a "pre-arrival" or "futures" basis. These products are explicitly indicated as "pre-arrivals" or "futures" on our Website and newsletter. Biondivino will notify you by email when your "pre-arrivals" or "futures" have arrived and are ready to be shipped. You will be given the opportunity to coordinate the proper shipping address and method (we won't automatically ship out pre-arrival wines when they arrive).
Shipping Policy
Due to the restrictions of many state laws, we only ship wine to those states where direct shipment from a retailer is permitted by law; currently we ship to AK, CA, DC, ID, LA, MO, NE, NV, NH, NM, ND, OR, VA, WV and WY. This list is subject to change without notice. In addition, each state imposes limitations on the amount of wine any particular resident may receive by direct shipment. To ensure that you are able to order wine for direct shipment from our website, please consult the specific state requirements for your state.
Please note that all orders must be placed by persons who are at least 21 years old, and that age verification will be required upon receipt of your wine. No wine will be delivered to obviously intoxicated persons and any person unable to provide age verification will forfeit their right to receive the shipment until identification is produced. In such circumstances, the order may either be held in storage at a local depot of the shipping company until appropriate identification is produced, or shipped back to the winery. All associated costs will be the responsibility of and be charged to the customer.
Title to, and ownership of, all wine passes from Biondivino to the purchaser in the State of California and the purchaser takes all responsibility for shipping it from California to his/her home state. By arranging for transportation of the wine, Biondivino is providing a service to, and acting on behalf of the purchaser. By utilizing this service from Biondivino, purchaser is representing that he/she is acting in compliance with his/her local and state laws regarding the purchase, transportation and delivery of wine. The purchaser represents that he/she has obtained any required permission, paid any required fees, is working through properly licensed intermediaries where required, is legally entitled to take possession of wine and is legally entitled to take quantities ordered.
You will be charged the applicable sales tax, if any, assessed by your state for any shipment that Biondivino makes; otherwise California sales tax will be assessed on the sale. Shipping and handling costs are not included in the cost and will appear in the shopping cart before you complete your transaction. The carrier and service speed may vary by state and time of year, and Biondivino cannot take responsibility for the condition of any wine shipped by Ground.
Some of our products are sold on a "pre-arrival" or "futures" basis. These products are explicitly indicated as "pre-arrivals" or "futures" on our Website and newsletter. Biondivino will notify you by email when your "pre-arrivals" or "futures" have arrived and are ready to be shipped. You will be given the opportunity to coordinate the proper shipping address and method (we won't automatically ship out pre-arrival wines when they arrive).