Cantina San Michele Appiano presents the 12th edition of Appius, the signature cuvée of its winemaking excellence. Created from a selection of the finest Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Blanc and Sauvignon grapes, Appius 2021 encapsulates the strength and freshness of the Alto Adige mountains in the glass.
At San Michele Appiano WineryAppius 2021, the twelfth edition of the Cuvée of four white grape varieties, was presented. It stems from the desire to interpret each vintage through the selection of the best grapes at harvest and blending. This latest edition is characterized by the predominance of Chardonnay (73 percent), flanked by Pinot Grigio (12 percent), Pinot Blanc (10 percent) and a small but valuable share of Sauvignon (5 percent). The result is a wine with an unmistakable style, the result of meticulous selection work that blends structure, aromatic finesse and flavor tension. A wine that speaks of balance and depth, of light and time.
A vintage not easy but with great potential
The 2021 vintage recounts a complex vintage, capable of expressing a harmonious and refined balance. After a long, snowy winter and an unusually cool spring; the vine’s growing cycle began about two weeks late. The summer, marked by frequent rainfall, put viticulturists to the test. The season then redeemed itself with the dry, sunny months of September and October, with large temperature ranges, ideal for the rich aromatic ripening of the grapes.
A vintage that required patience, sensitivity and vision. Thus was born a Cuvée with a crisp and vertical character, an expression of mountain freshness, an emblem of a territory capable of transforming difficulties into beauty and telling the story of Alto Adige viticulture with authenticity.
Appius 2021, the tasting notes
Pastel yellow color , clear and bright, with pronounced lime-green reflections, indicative of a wine still young in evolution and endowed with an important acid structure. Appius 2021 has an impact of surprising finesse on the nose: notes of gooseberry and white currant intertwine with hints of alpine herbs such as arnica, mint, juniper, for a decidedly mountainous and woody olfactory profile, to which floral notes of acacia and hawthorn are added. A decidedly complex and personal scent, rarely encountered with such evidence in previous editions.
On the palate, it immediately expresses its character: fine, vibrant texture defined by a lively but perfectly integrated freshness that facilitates drinking. Substantial, round and persistent sip, with an almond streak that bestows structure and depth. The wine proceeds with elegance and firmness, enriching itself with citrus notes of lemon zest, enveloping nuances of hazelnut and peanut butter from the aging in wood.
Appius 2021 expresses the winery’s characteristic style: the punctilious search for quality and harmony, for a wine capable of defying time and evolving while keeping its Alpine elegance intact. It is perfect with oysters, shellfish and fish main courses, impeccable with porcini mushroom risotto or white meats. It is also excellent with Japanese grilled cuisine and with a fresh sashimi of amberjack or tuna with a hint of wasabi.
Collectible design
The name Appius comes from the historical Roman root of the name Appiano. The project, which started with the 2010 vintage, aims to create a wine from year to year that reflects the vintage and expresses the values of Cantina San Michele Appiano.
With this in mind, the label design is also reinterpreted each year, resulting in a wine collection capable of enthralling wine lovers around the world.
The label of the twelfth edition of Appius, designed by LifeCircus, depicts the 2021 vintage with a golden swirl reminiscent of the sinuous movement of the wine’s rotation in the goblet.
Appius 2021 is available in a limited edition.
