Our take
Kurtatsch SONNTALER Alto Adige Schiava DOC Alte Reben Italian Red Wine
- Style
- Red wine
- Size
- 750 ml
- Region
- Italy
- Shelf barcode
- 8000861250509
Our take
What we make of this bottle
An Italian wine can begin in an Alpine area or come from a Mediterranean island, so calling something Italian narrows almost nothing. The label on this one narrows more: the name carries Alto Adige and DOC, and our region guides note that a DOC marks a smaller place, with its own rules, than the country as a whole. The origin we have verified, though, stops at Italy. The name also carries Schiava, but the evidence we hold includes no grape research for it, so the name gives us no taste to describe.
The price is concrete: across the two stores we checked in September 2026, it ranged from $34.99 to $38.49.
As for how it has landed with shoppers, we do not have a shopper rating for this wine.
The maker's own claim reaches back furthest: Kurtatsch says the Alto Adige cooperative behind the wine was founded in 1900.
The Sonntaler name describes what the record above could not: Kurtatsch's own product page identifies Schiava by its German synonym, Vernatsch, and states that the fruit for this bottling comes from vines between 60 and 90 years old, the fact the Alte Reben, or old vines, on the label already promised. The producer's tasting note describes aromas of raspberry, wild strawberry, cherry and redcurrant, a light, elegant body, and fine-grained tannin on a long finish, the maker's words. The technical sheet lists 12.5 percent alcohol and 2 grams per litre of residual sugar, a dry red, made with a controlled fermentation in steel followed by aging in concrete rather than oak. Regional competitions have repeatedly named the wine Vernatsch of the Year, most recently for the 2023 vintage from a local wine journal, and Decanter's World Wine Awards gave the 2025 vintage a gold medal at 95 points.
Our call: this suits a shopper chasing a red with real terroir behind it, old vines between 60 and 90 years, a named cooperative that dates to 1900, and a run of regional awards, including repeat Vernatsch of the Year honors and a 95-point gold from Decanter's 2025 World Wine Awards. Pass if you need the crowd's word before you trust the cellar's; no shopper rating has reached our record, and a producer that names its vines and its critics still has not been checked by a single buyer here.
The Grocery Store Wine Desk · written Sep 16, 2026 from our research file for this wine. Numbers reflect our latest checks.
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Read our take →The prices we checked
Dated store checks, not a promise about your store.
- Kroger, Atlanta suburbs, GA$38.49
- Kroger, Cincinnati, OH$34.99
The regular price can vary by store and date.
From the producer
Winery history
Kurtatsch says its Alto Adige cooperative was founded in 1900.
Research status
What we are still checking
Our overview above draws on the dated store feed, shopper ratings, our region and grape research, and any sourced producer facts. We are still working to confirm the current release, the full producer record, and the bottle itself, and we update this page as we learn more.
Getting to know Italy.
An Italian origin covers a long country with many grapes and regional traditions. A DOC, DOCG, IGT or producer source is needed before the page can describe a particular landscape or production rule.
What the name means
Italy is a country of origin, not one protected wine designation. DOC and DOCG names on the official ministry list carry narrower places and rules.
How grapes grow here
Italian vineyards run from Alpine areas through inland hills to Mediterranean islands. Elevation, latitude and distance from the sea prevent one climate description from fitting the whole country.
What lies under the vines
Volcanic, limestone, clay, sand, gravel and mountain-derived soils all occur in Italian wine regions. The word Italy does not identify which one is under the vines.
How large the region is
- Geographic reach
- Protected wine origins are found across Italy's regions, from the north through the islands.
- Record scope
- This guide covers a country mapping and makes no claim about one appellation or vineyard.
Places within the region
- Protected names
- The ministry maintains the official list of Italian DOC and DOCG wines, each with its own production specification.
- What to check next
- Use the exact designation or a producer record before attaching regional details to a bottle.
Where this information comes from
- Store listing
- Price, package, product identifier. Checked Aug 10, 2026.
- Barcode
- The shelf barcode shown here is computed from the store product identifier. It has not been checked against a bottle.
- Method
- Every price, rating and fact here is a dated observation. How we check.