Why Sommeliers Can't Stop Pouring This Underdog Italian Wine

Renowned for its bold red wines like Barolo and Brunello, it might come as a surprise that drinkers are now turning to Northern Italy for light, bright, chillable reds like Frappatto and Dolcetto. The latest fridge mainstay? Schiava.

Schiava is a versatile, light- to medium-bodied dry red wine with juicy fruit, fine tannins, and an acidic backbone that’s experiencing a renaissance both in its native province of Alto Adige as well as in the U.S. 

“I think curious American wine consumers are ready to move beyond the first words they associate with ‘Italian red wine’ and explore the next ‘new to them’  great thing there,” says Chris Struck, a hospitality and restaurant consultant based in Brooklyn, New York.

With a relatively low alcohol level (on average 12% ABV) as well as its light, fruity, and fresh flavor profile, Schiava fulfills many preferences of modern wine drinkers. Generally made in an unoaked style and exceptionally food-friendly, it has “a great price-performance ratio that’s appealing to the younger generation,” says Christoph Fischer, sales director for Cantina Kaltern, a cooperative winery in Alto Adige.

Since the 16th century, Schiava has been the leading indigenous red variety of Alto Adige, also known as South Tyrol. In addition to Northern Italy, the grape flourishes on the steep slopes of Württemberg, Germany where it is referred to as Trollinger or Vernatsch. 

“Despite Schiava being grown in multiple European countries, it is consistent with the area surrounding the German and Italian border,” says Todd Johnston, sommelier at Marsh House in Nashville, Tennessee. “This is mostly a cool climate grape that thrives in high elevation.”

Schiava throughout the years

Though Schiava is an ancient grape, its modern history is fascinating. As told by the Alto Adige Wine Consortium, between 1978 and the early 2000s some 10,500 acres — or about 70% of total planted acres in Alto Adige — were Schiava. This was when Alto Adige was celebrated for producing predominantly red wine.

This figure began to rapidly decline in the late 1990s when producers began to replace Schiava vines with non-native varieties like Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Gewürztraminer, and Chardonnay in an effort to keep up with shifting demand on the international stage. Alto Adige quickly became reframed as a land of white wine, and today, of Alto Adige’s 14,332 planted acres, only 8% is planted to Schiava. 

“The variety is now only found in vineyards where it produces truly outstanding quality,” say Florian Gojer of Franz Gojer, a small, family winery in the Maddalena wine-growing area of Alto Adige, which specializes in Schiava. After two decades of preserving old vines and diligently evaluating the best sites for the grape, Gojer says increased interest from the press, and subsequently from consumers, showcases how winemaker efforts and commitment to the variety have paid off.

“It is an integral part of our history and we cherish it as such,” says Karoline Walch, from Elena Walch winery, another family-run winery in Alto Adige. 

This makes the variety’s current momentum particularly significant. “This renaissance is an opportunity for Alto Adige and its producers to assert themselves globally, not as an inexperienced debutante, but with a command of mastery and expertise of something that no one else has,” says Struck. 

The best way to drink Schiava

Generally, considered a light- to medium-bodied red wine, the style of Schiava can vary across producers and appellations. For example, in the Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) of Santa Maddalena, Schiava is traditionally blended with a maximum of 15% Lagrein, an ancient native grape that adds structure to the wine (this wine is often labeled simply as S. Maddalena, much how Chianti denotes Sangiovese-dominant wines produced in the designated region). Lago di Caldaro DOC is another sub-appellation within Alto Adige. 

“Usually, the color is very telling of the structure and body; the darker it is, the more time it has spent on its skins and therefore the more tannic structure it has,” says Carlin Karr, wine director for Denver-based Frasca Hospitality Group.

In Alto Adige, the lighter styles are often chilled and sipped during aperitivo hour with speck, a regional smoked ham. “The chill brings out the fruit aromas and flavors,” says Johnston. For this reason, Colin Tuska, wine director and beverage manager at Chicago’s Monteverde says that “it’s a wine that I’d love to enjoy by itself at the bar.” 

Tuska recounts that a diner at Monteverde recently ordered Schiava with their blackened Texas redfish a la plancha. “With the dish’s spicy elements, the Schiava calmed the heat down,” he says. 

Johnston also agrees with the variety’s adaptability to warm-weather fare. “I think a lovely fish dish highlighting summer produce including blistered tomatoes would be a wonderful option,” he says. 

For Struck, seasonality is less a factor but emphasizes the wine’s versatility across an array of hearty foods. “Seared venison, with its subtle gameness that is not dissimilar to a classic pairing in the region with speck, is a real winner for me,” he says, adding that the ultimate pairing is with Thanksgiving dinner. “Schiava is the perfect wine for when many different dishes are served,” agrees Gojer.

While chillable red wines have previously been bolstered in the warmer months, Schiava’s compatibility with an array of different styles of cuisine solidifies the wine’s versatility, not only as a meal starter or multi-course complement, but as a year-round wine.