In Bolzano (Alto Adige region, north of Italy) there is a cellar in a convent where they produce excellent wines . Maybe thanks to the Benedictine phylosophy “ora et labora” or the production area, but these wines can compete with the better known brands in the area.

There are not many articles or commercial promotions devoted to these wines maybe because of the austere approach related to their religious nature but the wines are very good in my opinion.

Muri-Gries was born in 1845 when the Benedictine monks expelled from the Swiss monastero of Muri, took accommodation in the monastery of the Gries producing wine too. But only in the XX century the cellar, ops, the convent-cellar, opened starting to sell wine also to German-speaking countries. With these markets, in fact, there has always been a close link so that – in South Tyrol, this region – German is the second language.

With 30 hectares of vineyards today Muri-Gries is a classic manufacturing company where the Abbot Mr. Benno Malfèr is surrounded by valuable collaborators: the person in charge of the vineyards and Walter Bernard the winemaker, Christian Werth, head of the cellar since the eighties, exceptional performer and humble at the same time.

About 85% of the production is made of red wines (the indigenous “Lagrein” above all, and then the typical “La Schiava“, Pinot Noir, Moscato Rosa, etc.); Then there are the whites (especially Pinot Bianco, but also the well-known Gewurztraminer, etc.).

Their Pinot Bianco, locally known as “Weissburgunder”, impressed me a lot.
A very pleasant wine, with no complications, fruity and balanced, I drank as aperitif every day during my trip in this region I took last summer.

It has a nice aroma on the nose with hints of yellow fruit and apple in particular, and also notes of white flowers. Its taste is round and balanced, clean and with a pretty long finish.