The Dolomites are more Austria than Italy, more butter than olive oil, more pretzels than focaccia, and more mountain than plains. I had been anticipating this part of a recent 10 day trip throughout Italy more than any other and by all measures was not disappointed.

I exited the autostrada at NeuMarkt and began the slow crawl up the mountainside through cobblestoned villages, past sheep beginning to graze the first green grass of an early Spring, and onward to the very end of the very last road to the small hamlet of Glena. Here is where I met brothers Filippo and Francesco Motta, at 750 meters above sea level, and in one of the most peaceful places I have ever been.

Nino Motta came to the Alto Adige from Rome in 1990, having decided to uproot his life and go somewhere more tranquill than the chaotic capital city, and never looked back. He purchased an abandoned farm and planted wine grapes, mostly Pinot Noir, on terraced slopes that still to this day appear to hang precariously from the cliffside. Today he still manages most of the farmwork while his two sons and a daughter-in-law run the business, and handle the winemaking.

This 3.5 hectare farm, called Maso Thaler (Mah-zo Toller) is a wonder. The steep grade forces most work to be done by hand, plant by plant, cluster by cluster. It's hard work, but the results are unique and wonderful. Half of the vineyard is planted to Pinot Noir, the other to the following three white grapes, all wonderful and unique.

Sauvignon Blanc 2017 (2500 bottles produced)--A light straw color with intense grapefruit and other citrus on the nose. Mouthwatering from the get-go. In the mouth, pure wonderful-ness. A rival to some of the finest Sancerre I've ever tasted. During the tasting I kept going back and back to this wine. I couldn't get enough!

Among the best white wine I've ever offered from Italy!