The abbey at Novacella has been producing wine in and around the city of Bolzano for eight hundred and fifty years. The Augustinian monks who live there are rare among monastic orders in that they support themselves economically. In this case, they do so by making some of the finest wine in Alto Adige! Thanks to the cool, alpine climate and the raw granite hillsides in the region’s long, narrow valleys, Novacella’s wines are clear as bell, fresh, and bright – both to the eye and on the palate. Winemaker Celestino Lucin and the crew have been in the habit of organic farming without certification for generations. This easy-to-love Schiava is their everyday red, intended to be bright and refreshing with a nose of strawberry and cranberry, violets, fresh sage and rosemary. The palate is clean and crunchy, full of juicy red berries and citrus zest. The finish is snappy and mouthwatering, a perfect foil for charcuterie, raclette, and other appetizers.