Pojer e Sandri Pinot Nero 2024

Pojer e Sandri Pinot Nero 2024 is a light-bodied red from Trentino's Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT, a pure varietal expression grown at altitude that shows just how much finesse this notoriously fussy grape can find in the Dolomites.

The wine comes from the Faedo estate founded in 1975 by Mario Pojer and Fiorentino Sandri, two friends who set out with little more than two hectares, few resources, and plenty of conviction to prove that the hillsides between the Adige and Cembra valleys, long considered unsuited to serious viticulture, could yield world-class wine. The Pinot Nero fruit is sourced from two sites near Faedo, in Rocol at roughly 300 meters and in Palai at around 700 meters, both south-facing and planted on largely limestone-clay soils. True to the estate's close-to-nature, experimental approach, the grapes are worked in hyper-reduction, fermented without oxygen exposure in stainless steel, before the wine moves to small oak barrels for about a year of aging, a method that preserves freshness while still building complexity.

In the glass, the 2024 shows a light, transparent ruby moving toward garnet. The nose is persistent and inviting, built around wild berries, raspberry, and strawberry. On the palate the fruit carries straight through, generous and lively, with a light berry character, zesty acidity, and mild, well-integrated tannins that keep the wine easy-drinking rather than austere.

It's a Pinot Nero built for pleasure rather than power: fresh, fruit-forward, and versatile enough to move from roasted poultry to a plate of smoked salmon without missing a beat.