Schiava Wine Guide: Explore Schiava Wine Varieties

Schiava (skee-ah-vah) is the Italian name for a group of red grape varietals primarily grown throughout the Alto Adige region of Italy and the Württemberg wine region of Germany. Schiava grapes are among the few varieties almost entirely trained on overhead pergolas, which functions as an awning to shelter the grapes from excessive sunlight and sudden harsh bouts of weather, like hailstorms.

Schiava grapes are known by a handful of other names depending on where they’re found: In Germany, the varietal is known as Trollinger or Vernatsch. Different varieties that fall under this broad umbrella include:

• Schiava Gentile (Klein Vernatsch/Edelvernatsch): This vine’s small, compact fruits produce concentrated, aromatic flavors typical of the variety.
• Schiava Grigia (Grau Vernatsch): These dusky, gray-blue grapes are a clone of Cenerina, an indigenous Trentino grape. Wines made from this variety have a similar character to Schiava gentile.
• Schiava Grossa (Grossvernatsch): This dominant, high-yield variety features the largest berries among the Schiava cultivars and more neutral-flavored wines.

Schiava combines a bright, juicy acidity with low tannins and relatively low alcohol by volume (ABV) percentage, thanks to its thin skins. Wine enthusiasts have hailed the wine for its cotton candy flavor, though it shares more characteristics with pinot noir than wine made from actual cotton candy grapes.

While it might have a reputation as the “cotton candy wine,” Schiava’s flavors are far less sugar-spun than one might expect: Instead, the dominant flavors include fruity red berries like ripe raspberry and strawberry, rose, and a smoky-sweet almond flavor reminiscent of amaretto. Despite their sweetness, most Schiava grapes produce dry wines rather than sweet wines.

As the northern Italian wine region with the most distinct and lasting Austrian influence, the combined autonomous provinces known as South Tyrol produce wine in the southern Alps using grapes more commonly associated with German winemaking, like Müller-Thurgau, Gewürztraminer, Sylvaner, Blatterle, Riesling, Lagrein, and, of course, Schiava/Trollinger.

Schiava is primarily grown in Oltradige/Überetsch and the areas surrounding Bolzano: along the banks of the Lago di Caldaro (also known as “Kalterer See” in German) and the hilltops of Santa Maddalena (St. Magdalener), which is its own subzone within the greater Alto Adige DOC. Winemakers in the Santa Maddalena DOC frequently blend Schiava with local Lagrein; bottles produced in the Lago di Caldaro DOC must be at least 85 percent Schiava.

Schiava is a flexible, year-round varietal: Serve it chilled in the summertime and at room temperature to brighten up rich, cozy winter meals.

1. 1. Fish: Schiava is among the few red wines that won’t overwhelm fish, thanks to its bold but breezy, light-bodied character. Pair it with whole grilled fish or slow-roasted fillets of fatty cod or halibut.
   
2. 2. Game meat: The brightness of Schiava is a good match for the rich (but not overly fatty) flavors of game meat, like venison, pheasant, and boar.
3. 3. Southeast Asian cuisine: Schiava interacts beautifully with strongly scented herbs like lemongrass and basil and sharp aromatics like ginger—the dominant notes in many dishes across Southeast Asia.

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