Taste the Brisk Alpine Air With Alto Adige Wines; Cool Down With Elegant and Aromatic Whites From Northern Italy

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Jul 18, 2012) - As temperatures rise, tastes shift. During the hottest months of the year, we yearn for a wine that quenches thirst and cools us down -- the quintessential summer wine. Contrary to popular belief, "summer wines" don't have to be one-dimensional or boring. Crisp, clean and refreshing whites can still be complex and elegant. This summer, look for white wines from a region that captures the best of both worlds: Italy's Alto Adige.

Between Austria and Switzerland on Italian soil, Alto Adige is Italy's northernmost winegrowing area. With snow-capped mountains framing palm trees, the region is nature's blend of Alpine and Mediterranean. The Dolomite Mountains provide steep slopes for high elevation vineyards, exposed to cool Alpine breezes and 300 days of sunshine per year. This geography and climate, with wide day to night temperature swings, result in perfectly-balanced, fully ripened grapes which produce wines with aromatic intensity and elegance as well as lively acidity.

From fuller-bodied, fleshy whites to enjoy on cool summer nights, to lighter, refreshing wines for outdoor barbeques, the white wines of Alto Adige never disappoint. An exceptional climate and varying elevations allows for a wide range of varieties to flourish. International varieties like Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc are grown throughout Alto Adige, while Austrian grapes like Kerner, Sylvaner, and Veltliner are found mostly in the northern Isarco Valley.

Ample acidity makes the white wines of Alto Adige a perfect match for classic summer dishes from pasta salads to fresh shellfish. So this summer season, don't sacrifice taste for the sake of refreshment -- enjoy both! Look for the white wines of Alto Adige and taste the brisk, Alpine air.

ALTO ADIGE / SÜDTIROL WINE MARKETING BOARD
The Alto Adige Wine Board was formed in 1975 by a group of winemaking companies to promote and strengthen the image of the wines from Alto Adige. The promotion fund is administered by the Export Organization South Tyrol (EOS) of the Chamber of Commerce Bolzano together with the Consortium of Alto Adige Wines. The Alto Adige Wine Board is active in Italy, Germany, Austria, England, Benelux, Switzerland and in the United States.

ALTO ADIGE WINES PROVINUS US MARKETING CAMPAIGN
The objectives of the PROVINUS campaign, co-financed by the Italian State and the European Union, are to increase overall awareness of the DOC wines from Alto Adige, demonstrate their versatility with a wide range of foods, and showcase the diverse palette of wines that emanate from such a unique winegrowing region.