ROT

Rot — the German word for red — is the red blend of the Mezan Luis Estate: a combination of Schiava and Lagrein from the 5,000 individually tended vines of a Friulian estate whose 100% artisanal philosophy produces wines of genuine individual character. The two varieties bring contrasting but complementary qualities to the blend: Schiava contributing the light, fruity, immediately accessible dimension, and Lagrein providing the particular structure and depth that make the wine more interesting than Schiava in purity would be.

Schiava — the light, versatile red variety of the Alto Adige and Trentino — is known for wines of fresh acidity, light colour, and immediate drinkability. It is the variety that produces the characterful light reds of the Lago di Caldaro and the St. Magdalener appellations: wines of almond, cherry, and a particular softness that makes them among the most pleasurable everyday reds in Italian viticulture. In the Rot blend, Schiava provides exactly this dimension — the accessibility and the fruit-forward character that invites the first sip and rewards the second.

The Lagrein component — that distinctive indigenous Alto Adige variety of dark colour, high tannin, and robust fruit — contributes both structure and the particular aromatic note that makes this blend more serious than Schiava in purity would be. Both the typical almond note of Schiava and aromas of lilac, cherry, and strawberry are present on the nose, developing on the palate into the tannic structure that a small part of Lagrein reliably adds.

Rot is suited to Mediterranean appetisers and second courses of lamb, rabbit, or feathered game — the estate's specific pairing recommendations, reflecting a wine of greater versatility and structural interest than its accessible colour and fruit character might initially suggest.

Available through UniqueWines.