Deep within the earth, inside the mountain, in complete darkness, still in time and space, they rest for seven years, acquiring significant longevity.

The aging process of Elena Walch’s “silver wines” is a true elixir of youth. The company, founded by the Walch family in 1869 and led by sisters Julia and Karoline for about a decade, the fifth generation of the historic South Tyrolean winery, daughters of the pioneer and queen of Gewürztraminer Elena Walch, has immersed itself in the argentum bonum SILBERSTOLLEN® project. This project involves small selections of wines, among the most prestigious and award-winning of the company, and the former silver mine Schneeberg in Val Ridanna on the border with Austria. Here, inside the mountain, at an altitude of two thousand meters above sea level, there is a special place, reachable by a train once used by miners and still operational today, where small batches of the Grande Cuvée “Beyond The Clouds” and Gewürztraminer Vigna “Kastelaz” mature and evolve for about seven years in total darkness, at a constant cellar temperature of 11°C and 95% humidity, with extremely low air pressure.

Approximately 1,200 bottles each year venture about 3 kilometers into the mountain, once used by miners. “For generations, our family has had a small mountain house, and being wine producers for as long as we can remember, wine, of course, couldn’t be missing. Right here at 2,000 meters, we experienced what our grandparents already told us, that at higher altitudes, wines age differently and improve in quality and longevity. We deemed it important to explore this possibility,” says Karoline Walch. “As evidenced by the document from the year 1237, signed by the Counts of Tyrol, the silver of Val Ridanna was absolutely the best in Europe, which is why we decided to mature our best wine production in this secluded place. We want to give our flagship wines the finishing touch: to ‘silver’ them, and then send them in their best form to surprise wine lovers and satisfy the most demanding palates.” In this disused mine, which is the highest in Europe, the extremely low air pressure positively influences the aging process of these wines, granting them long-lasting youth. Thanks to this project, the historically rich mine awakens to a new life and thus finds a completely new purpose.

The wines subjected to this magical and fascinating aging process come in two types: the “Beyond The Clouds” from the vintages 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015, and the Gewürztraminer Vigna “Kastelaz” from the vintages 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015.

The “Beyond The Clouds” is one of the most renowned Grande Cuvée from Alto Adige at the international level. It is created through a careful selection of the best grape clusters from the harvest and a choice of very high-quality grapes from different varieties, along with fermentation and maturation exclusively in French barriques for about 10 months. For the rare “Beyond The Clouds” argentum bonum SILBERSTOLLEN®, it undergoes bottle aging for approximately seven years in the former silver mine Schneeberg. The different levels of grape ripeness used in the blend, the special attention given during all stages of winemaking, and, above all, the aging in the former silver mine, are reflected in the predominant and dominant character of the Cuvée. Although nearly 80% is determined by Chardonnay, the other grapes in the blend, which are all harvested and processed on the same day, are very clearly noticeable. “The freshness and complexity of aromas that are discovered are surprising, as if it had absorbed this mystical place in the bottle. The scents are enveloping and reminiscent of exotic fruits like pineapple, apricot, and melon, complex and significant, very attractive, and together they provide harmony, elegance, and complexity,” adds Walch.

The Gewürztraminer Vigna “Kastelaz” is one of the most highly acclaimed wines from Alto Adige, thanks to Elena Walch, who has managed to enhance its grapes starting right from the terroir. Due to its ampelographic and landscape characteristics, this wine represents the ideal combination of exposure, facing entirely south, calcareous soil, steepness with a slope reaching 63% of the terrain, and favorable climatic conditions. Its vinification includes fermentation in stainless steel at a controlled temperature of 18°C. After fermentation, it undergoes a long aging on its own lees. In this case as well, for the argentum bonum collection, it follows bottle aging for about 7 years in the former silver mine Schneeberg. “Even the color, bright yellow with surprising greenish nuances, suggests a wine matured under special conditions. On the nose, it presents a pleasant aromatic freshness that evolves into an intentional minerality on the palate, with deep aromas that blend together nicely, giving the product a strong sense of complexity while expressing a refined elegance,” adds the producer. To identify these precious bottles, there is a special yellow seal in wax bearing the inscription “argentum bonum SILBERSTOLLEN®” and stylized mountains on the label.