Wine and architecture

Lageder Winery is located in the center of the wine village Magrè/Margreid and next to the historical Löwengang Manor. The design concept focused on the optimal integration of the building, the sustainable use of nature as well as biological architectural, ecological, and artistic criteria. Plastered masonry, wood and glass under a protective roof with solar panels, a thermally regulated glass hall and cooling through the moist rock wall were all made into building elements. The circular cellar tower is the building’s center, and its vertical curve represents the gentle “vertical principle” of vinification: the grapes are delivered and de-stemmed under the freestanding roof; then they are pressed and fermented one floor below; the steel barrels and bottling plant, meanwhile, are located at the lowest level. The oak barrels are situated in the adjacent old building. At the level of the delivery, there are offices around an interior glass hall.

This wine bar is located on the ground floor of the Wipptaler Hof bed-and-breakfast, directly at the entrance to Sterzing’s New Town, just behind the Zwölferturm Tower. Here a spatial trisection can be found: The wine bar occupies the largest space, just behind the front door. It is characterized by an enormous table made of solid copper oak and seemingly endless shelves of the same material, which are filled with countless bottles of wine from a wide array of different places. Opposite there is a black steel fireplace, surrounded by cozy booths. All of the furniture is made of copper oak. A smaller room follows, with an old Stube parlor paneled in pine; then there is the kitchen, into which the guest can see. Snacks are prepared here to accompany the wine, which can be enjoyed at the outdoor tables in summer. A somewhat different, modern version of a traditional Weinstube.

Strictly speaking, Kaltern Winery was built for 420 clients: winemakers, usually with very small acreage, who joined in a cooperative. In order to strengthen the mobile perception of the winery, a striking building was built in front of the village center, between the old winery building and the South Tyrolean Wine Road. The angular complex around the quiet inner courtyard forms a memorable landmark, together with the tower-like corner building. Large, flush glass areas are set into the bronzed façade cladding, in which the environment appears as in a distorting mirror. As you cross the courtyard you walk into an open interior structure that affords fascinating views from several levels. The materials are limited to glass, white wall surfaces and dark acacia wood. Wine is the star of the show here, accompanied by a sophisticated yet simple art concept.

This winery, rich of traditions, has seen many alterations over the years and the cellar area in particular was extended and reorganized in 2011. An underground concrete construction was built to form a new fermentation cellar with a pressing chamber, over which a curved roof was built in order to protect the delivery. A concrete structure was also chosen for the new storage room, the west-facing wall, which gives out onto the orchard and was covered in wire baskets filled with excavated stones. These gabions were also used along the border and, as a design feature of the building extension, are reminiscent of the terroir of the vineyards. A beautiful reception courtyard is situated between the old and new buildings, displaying a fountain sculpture and planted tree, forming the new central point in the structure of the building.

The sedate building on the village square, next to the church, is the headquarters of the winery, the barrel storage and technical rooms were extended into the space between the Gothic church tower and the old building. In order to save space, they decided on a wood-planked tower. Its wide, overhanging flat roof incorporates the first cornice of the church tower, just a few meters away, and the height of the old building’s eaves. The winery tower is thus well integrated. Because wood was chosen as the material and it has a similarly warm tone to the sandstone of the church tower, the two towers do not compete with one another. The strip of windows in the meeting space under the roof of the tower makes reference to the Gothic truss frame of the church tower. The barrel cellar is a structure with concrete supports, fitted with exposed bricks. Both the cellar and the stairwell are pervaded with artistically defined color schemes.

The building consists of lightweight walls, which are lined with rough chestnut wood slats and girded by retaining walls and ceilings made of exposed concrete. The concrete slabs, formed using coarse plywood formwork, were skilfully embedded into the terrain so that the building is harmoniously nestled into the steep slope. The rooms for filling, packaging and maturation are located completely underground, which has an added advantageous cooling effect. The tasting and sales room is glazed floor to ceiling and the chestnut wood battens in front of the window provide a visible filter. Natural materials, such as clay plaster, black plate, slate floor and oiled wood, characterise the room. The sparse furnishings with bar tables and a service line help to keep the focus on the essentials - the wines. Light shines diffusely from above, yet into the room in a targeted manner. From the tasting room, small peepholes offer an insight into the "holy of holies," the vintage cellar. Here the best wines are matured and skilfully presented. The considerate care for the landscape and the selected natural materials also reflect Garlider's philosophy in the production of organic wines.

Business carried on as usual during the building and conversion work, which succeeded in transforming the high expectations placed on wine production into an architectural form. A symbol of urban development was simultaneously designed as part of the entranceway. Sections of the pre-existing building were flanked by the wings of the new buildings, making for an impressive welcome at the winery. This means that the delivery area and customer reception are completely separated by a story. The architecture of the new buildings seems to have grown out of the vineyard landscape − the design of the facade, with its steel construction and glass surfaces takes the form of the vineyards in a symbolic connection between the sloping vineyards and the winery. Inside is a light, spacious area constructed from wood and glass, while in the cellar bright colors have been employed.

Wine has been made for nearly four centuries at the Unterganzner-Hof on the eastern edge of Bolzano. So it is no wonder that wine has become the great passion of the Mayr family. But in addition to that, there is a second one: “We all love music, and each one of us plays an instrument or sings,” says Josephus Mayr.

He runs the Mayr-Unterganzner Estate Winery in the tenth generation and also makes no secret of the fact that he profits from the preparatory work of his ancestors. Or, in more precise terms, from the selection of grapevines that was carried out with experience and a great deal of instinctive feeling. “Added to that is our precise work in the vineyard from pruning the vines to the late harvest and the gentle vinification in our own winery,” says Mayr.

And the ideal location, one is inclined to add. After all, the Mayr-Unterganzner Estate Winery is located in the classic Santa Maddalena zone and benefits from an outstanding red wine climate, good aeration, many hours of sunshine, and alluvial soils that warm easily. “The high plant density, the advanced age of the vines, and the pergola training also make their contribution,” the winegrower explains.

Thus what is created is Santa Maddalena as well as Lagrein that is rigorously matured in oak barrels that can age in the bottle for many years, classic wines that are still tirelessly honed. For example, making the cultivation more ecological is continuously pushed forward, and fungus-resistant vines are increasingly being planted. And where does Josephus Mayr see his estate winery in ten years? “In ten years, my son Josef will be running the estate. At that point, we will have been managing it for 401 years – hopefully with even better wines.”

Never stand still – that, too, is family tradition.

The mansion called ‚Wassererhof‘ is located on the foot of the Schlern close to a nearby wellspring. The homestead dates back to the year 1366. In 1996, the father of the twins Andreas and Christoph Mock bought the run-down homestead. After a renovation, the homestead has become an amazing ensemble of buildings emitting a sense of gentleness supported by an expressive architecture. Now the Wassererhof is a winery and a ‘Buschenschank’ (a traditional seasonal farm inn) with familiar management. The two brothers cooperate, helping each other with solidarity and this is the guarantee of their success. Andreas is the cook. The traditional cuisine is his top priority: fresh, homemade and surprisingly refined. The twin Christoph is the farmer and the winemaker of the Wassererhof. For generations they have broadened their knowledge in wine culture both in the vineyards and in the winery with the objective to press a wine of outstanding quality and taste.

The Cantina Valle Isarco was founded in 1961. The simple production hall originally built in 1978 was restructured in 2005 in order to separate the operational functions and to give the building an appropriate new appearance. The new part of the building made of concrete and the remaining structure were brought together by a unifying grey-red plaster shell, which symbolizes the connection to the terroir. Many steel components were given an oxide red shading, a color chosen to make the building look like a stone that has risen up amongst the vineyards. A brick ceiling now covers the barrique cellar, and the walls are covered in clay plaster. The offices and meeting rooms were renovated and refurnished; bright colors now accentuate the rooms. To round this all off, the tasting and sales room was redesigned in 2014, and an educational exhibit on wine was added as well.

This cooperative winery was founded in 1960, and today its 290 members work more than 300 hectares of vineyards. The industrial buildings in which the winery was located on the outskirts of Cornaiano/Girlan, no longer matched the quality of the wines and its associated image. So the first step of remodeling the commercial building was to give it an attractive wood façade, with vertical oak floorboards and deep reveals with steel sheets for the necessary openings. A second construction phase implemented a visually light, steel structure as a roof for the delivery area, under which all-new winemaking equipment was installed. In addition, the tasting room was refurbished. Since the hillside winery is visible from afar, a steel trellis was placed on the street level of the buildings as an entryway, and the road was planted with cypresses to create an avenue.

Wine and mountains have a lot in common. They can be exciting, challenging, fulfilling. Pressing a good wine is like scaling a peak. It requires hard work, determination, expertise, and routine.

Erste+Neue have broken new ground time and again for over a century, combining Alto Adige wine culture and tradition with innovation. Always on the lookout for new paths to take, we have ventured to undertake many a first ascent and made history in the Alto Adige wine scene. We were founded in 1986 following the merger of two wineries, Erste Kellerei (1900) and Neue Kellerei (1925), and entered into yet another trendsetting union in 2016 with Cantina Kaltern.

Today, Erste+Neue stands for premium Alpine wines pressed in harmony with nature and using state-of-the-art technology, complemented by a generational legacy of expertise and love of experimentation.

Down-to-earth and cosmopolitan: the fact that someone can be both is proven by Markus Prackwieser. Although he runs the Gump Hof Estate Winery at Fiè allo Sciliar, which is nearly half a millennium old, with a great deal of respect for tradition, he also gets his inspiration from abroad: from Wachau, Austria, from Burgundy, or from the Loire Valley. “Those are the exemplary regions,” Prackwieser says.

Since 2000, he has been responsible for the Gump Hof Estate winery in Fiè, and since that time, he has sought exchanges which do not always have to cross borders. Thus along with Günther Kerschbaumer of the Köfererhof and Christian Plattner of the Ansitz Waldgries, Prackwieser forms a wine trio that exchanges information, consults with each other, and makes use of synergies.

So new paths are not a strange thing to the winegrower, nor are deep roots in history. After all, the Gump Hof dates back to the sixteenth century. “That characterizes the estate, it has an effect with respectful dealings with the environment, with typical grape varieties being grown, with classic cultivation methods, and with laborious work by hand,” Prackwieser says. Within that context, the winegrower can fall back on vineyards from 400 to 550 meters in elevation, up to 70 percent of which are steep, in which Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, and Schiava grow.

In the wines of the Gump Hof Estate Winery in Fiè, being down-to-earth and cosmopolitan flow together. Or, as Prackwieser says, “The knowledge that has been acquired, our own experience, time, and patience; and the honing of an independent flavor profile all lead to the character of the landscape being reflected in our wines. And that of the winegrower.”

The vineyards that belong to the winery stretch from Margreid to Nals, covering 150 hectares, are farmed by 140 wine farmers. Both existing wineries were brought together in Nals in a new building in order to raise both capacity and quality. An entrance was added onto the old build with a tower and cellar areas with the latest cellar technology. The new building, made of a brown-red concrete, echoes the porphyritic cliffs nearby and the existing adjoining cellar. The new building is covered by a structurally interesting concrete roof with a large overhang, which blends into the landscape with its greenery. Beneath the freely suspended roof slab is a barrique cellar constructed from wood, like an oversized wine box, and marks the passageway to the inner courtyard. The structure blends harmoniously into the landscape.

The estate tavern with the panoramic view from its large terrace is worth a trip. Enjoy the wide range of Elena Walch wines while gazing at the scenic view of Lake Caldaro. The wines can be accompanied by cold regional delicacies – chosen specialties from Alto Adige to pair with your wine choice. After a guided vineyard tour, it is the ideal place to experience, in a glass, the vineyards you just visited. Open from April to November, 11.00 am – 6.30 pm, closed Tuesday.

There are four panelled Stuben in Hotel Pacher-Hof, one of which is the oldest in South Tyrol, that invite you to have pleasant parties or family celebrations. Whether it is for weddings, christenings, first communions, confirmations, mother’s day, birthdays or a cosy meal, Restaurant Pacherhof is waiting for you with its first-class, high-quality Tyrolean cuisine adapted to modern tastes. We choose the ingredients for our dishes with care; refine them with herbs and spices along with seasonal vegetables from our own garden. Pay a visit to our Restaurant Pacherhof in Neustift near Brixen and sample our culinary delights!

After the Burggräfler Winery merged with Meran's winery, it gave up its base, the former building of the Burggräfler Winery on the outskirts of Marling was converted and extended. The facade of the old winery building became a solid wall with remnants of the previous design left on it, behind which the cellar rooms stretched back deep into the mountainside. The cellar rooms are practically separated by the wall from the management's rooms fronted by glass paneling and the tasting room for customers. The cellar rooms can be accessed at ground level on the highest side of the sloping property near the car park. The huge concrete construction of the cellars bear the weight of the pavilion made of light steel and decorated solely in dark wood furnishing. These slightly tinted and offset glass elements provide a splendid view of the Etsch Valley.

Steep locations require a lot of work, sweat, and devotion, but they certainly also have their advantages. Thus 190 hectares of cultivation area are divided among the same number of members of the Cantina Kurtatsch at elevations from 220 to 900 meters – and all of that in just one community.

That is unique in all of Europe. And this winery also holds another record: Andreas Kofler is responsible for the young and dynamic team, and he took the helm in Cortaccia at the age of just 32 as the youngest president in the history of Alto Adige cooperative wineries. “In our vineyards, every grape variety finds its optimal location, its ideal terroir,” Kofler says.

The lower locations are among the warmest in Alto Adige and are ideal for Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. “The soil composition between Cortaccia and Termeno is completely similar to that of Pomerol in France,” the president explains. But up to 900 meters, on the other hand, grow varieties that prefer to have things cooler and airier and thrive best on calcareous dolomite soils – following the strictest guidelines for sustainability.

With a firm commitment and great respect for nature and resources, that is how unmistakable terroir wines that are strong in character are created at the Cantina Kurtatsch. “They each reflect their location without embellishment,” Kofler says, as he also tips his hand on the simple recipe as to why that is so: “In the winery, we just let the wine reveal itself.”

A family-run wine producing business in quite position, where the own grapes are cellared with particular care and passion. The result are elegant and top quality wines. Comfortable holiday apartments for rent. Wine selling. Guided visits upon request.

The vintner took over his father's 1980s estate, and built a modern tasting space in the stolid old building. The simple insertion is a piece pulled out of the facade, a covered terrace, and can be opened with a retractable glass wall. The refined and ingenious design, perfect down to the last groove, is revealed only when one comes closer. It is completely white, uncompromising paired with the wine, which plays the starring role here. The white tasting table can be adjusted upwards, so that the wine can be tasted while standing, as if at a bar. The entire back wall area is used for projections. A specially designed lighting concept completes the presentation of wines to great effect. All of the service components required for the tastings are stored in a bar niche.

The Walch Winery is housed in a former Jesuit monastery, with neighboring buildings. For the reception and tasting areas, a garden pavilion was planned at what was likely the most difficult spot in the park: it was built at the top of the junction in the village street that runs down from the town hall square. From there, one can see only the drywall of the boundary, and a curved white roof as an “extension” of the wall covering. Through three slots in the masonry, one can see the park with its huge trees. But one also sees the floor-to-ceiling glass facade of the elegant pavilions under the overhanging roof edge in the garden courtyard, contained by the wall. In the narrow interior space, wooden fixtures with a breakfast bar and a curtain wall are located in front of the side rooms. On it, the bottles are exhibited horizontally. An inviting ensemble with service in the park.

Tasting and sale of wines from Tenutae Lageder, grow using biodynamic methods, and from Alois Lageder, as well as from selected native wineries of Italy, France and other countries. Also: spirits, oils and culinary specialities.

The old building of the Cantina Terlano is situated in the middle of the village. It managed to cautiously expand, mainly underground, as the plot of land it sits upon is quite small. Visible above ground are the large delivery yard and the terrace above it, with the transparent tasting room. The underlying outer wall of the new cellar rooms is clad in dry stone work made from the typical porphyritic rock found in the Terlano vineyards, and the remaining underground construction is planted over with vines in order to help the new sections of building blend into the landscape. The heart of the new cellar rooms is the barrel cellar, decorated in porphyritic rock panels, which create an almost sacred atmosphere. The original parts of the building were carefully restored and a landmark tower, clad in Corten steel, and lift were added.

With the founding of the Cantina Produttori San Michele Appiano in 1907, an eventful success story began, and today the name stands for great wines and extraordinary quality. The 320 members of the cooperative winery work their vineyards in harmony with nature, and the secret to their success is the combination of decades of experience and constantly striving for perfection. The unique terroir, the respectful dealing with the grapes, and careful processing guarantee unique wines filled with character. In particular, the vineyards in and around Appiano offer the ideal conditions for varieties such as Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Yellow Muscat, and Pinot Noir.

But for well-structures red wines, outstanding small vineyards are found at lower elevations and along the Wine Route. The mild and sunny climate forms the basis for the unique quality of the wines. Today, San Michele-Appiano is one of the most renowned wineries in Alto Adige and Italy, with wines winning prizes both within the country and abroad. Experts attribute finesse, elegance, depth, and longevity to the wines from the Cantina Produttori San Michele Appiano.

These qualities are just as valid for both the winery’s larger productions, such as the “Sanct Valentin” line, and for the super selections, such as APPIUS and “The Wine Collection”. With them, San Michele-Appiano has made a name for itself around the globe.