Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
out, and so Wildbacher was replanted in the later
half of the nineteenth century by the Conte Otta-
viano Antonio, who also built the cellars at the
Collalto estate that still today makes one of Ita-
ly's best Wildbacher wines. As Italy's version of
wildbacher differs considerably from that made
in Austria, and as the variety has been on Italian
soil for centuries, it is certainly a traditional vari-
ety of Italy, just like Cannonao. The name Wild-
bacher means “wild stream” and derives from
the town of Wildbach in western Styria.
Wildbacher is an authorized variety for the
province of Treviso but grows only in the coun-
tryside around the towns of Pieve di Soligo,
Collalto, Breda di Piave, and Vacil di Piave.
Which Wines to Choose and Why
Wildbacher is used to make such wines as the
Colli Asolani, Colli di Conegliano-Refrontolo
Passito, and Montello. A good wildbacher is
rich and alcoholic, with ripe dark cherry and
plum aromas and fl avors, complicated by a
noticeable forest fl oor and herbal streak. The
tannins are actually smooth and polished.
wines to try:
Conti Collalto*** and Col San-
dago*** (they also make a sparkling Brut Rosé
and a sweet version called Dagoberthus, which
at roughly 130 grams per liter of residual sugar
and more than 7 grams per liter of acidity, is
never a sticky-sweet dessert wine).
