Structure

Bodyfull
Tanninlow
Acidityhigh
Sweetnessdry
Finishlong
Oaknew oak

Drinking window

Best 5 to 25 years from vintage.
vintage5 yrs25 yrs27 yrs

Critic scores

No critic score is published for this bottle that we can cite with a reviewer, a vintage and a review year, so none is shown. The rating in the header is our own.

In the glass

Full-bodiedLow tanninHigh acidityDryLong finish

Aroma: pineapple, rose petal, blossoms, light toast

Palate: complex tropical fruit, creamy texture, fresh juicy acidity, long taste reverberation

Elena Walch's flagship white cuvee, predominantly Chardonnay with select complementary white varietals. Fermented and aged in new French oak barriques; dense and complex, creamy yet juicy, the wine's name references the alpine altitude of its vineyards.

What it pairs with

  • Lobster with vanilla beurre blanc
    Beyond the Clouds's creamy texture and tropical fruit meet sweet shellfish; vanilla echoes the new oak ageing.
  • Truffle risotto
    Full-bodied white with creamy lees pairs with white truffle; complex texture supports the dish's richness.
  • Aged hard alpine cheese
    Mature alpine cheeses meet the wine's depth, complexity and complementary oak spice.
  • Roast veal with sage butter
    Full body and high acidity suit white meat; sage echoes light toast notes from oak.

History

Elena Walch's signature cuvee, first bottled in the mid-1990s as the cellar's expression of high-altitude alpine Chardonnay-led winemaking. The Argentum Bonum special edition is aged in a former silver mine at altitude, giving an unusual variant of the wine.

  1. 1995: First Beyond the Clouds vintage establishes Elena Walch's prestige cuvee program
  2. 2015: Argentum Bonum special edition (mine-cellared) launched

Facts

Producer
Elena Walch · visiting guide
Grapes
Chardonnay
Classification
DOC Alto Adige Bianco
Oak
Fermentation in new French oak barriques with partial malolactic fermentation, then ten months ageing in barrique with regular lees stirring, followed by at least six months bottle ageing
ABV
14.5%
Price
EUR 80 to 130 at retail
Drinking window
5 to 25 from vintage
First vintage
1995

Frequently asked about Grande Cuvee Beyond the Clouds

What does Beyond the Clouds taste like?

Pineapple, rose petal, blossoms and light toast on the nose; complex tropical fruit, creamy texture, fresh juicy acidity and a long reverberation on the palate. Full-bodied, dry, with high acidity.

When should I drink Beyond the Clouds?

Drink between 5 and 25 years from vintage. Young vintages show vibrant tropical fruit and oak; cellared bottles develop honey, hazelnut and pronounced complexity.

What grapes are in Beyond the Clouds?

Predominantly Chardonnay, blended with a selection of Elena Walch's white grapes from the cellar's high-altitude vineyards. The exact blend varies by vintage.

What is Argentum Bonum Beyond the Clouds?

A special edition aged in a former silver mine at altitude, giving distinctive smoke and saline notes from the mine's microclimate. Released in tiny allocations.

Tags

cellar worthy chardonnay dry full body high acid iconic mood contemplative mood elegant occasion celebration occasion cellar occasion gift occasion special old world pairs with aged cheese pairs with poultry pairs with risotto pairs with shellfish pairs with truffles pairs with white fish price fine still white

Taste it where it is made: tours and tastings in Alto Adige

Bolzano Street Food Tour®

Guided tour2h 30m5.0 from 37 reviewsfrom €109

Discover the unique culinary tradition of Bolzano on a street food tour with a local guide. Visit food stalls and sample street food as you stroll through the historic...

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