Vinařství v Jižním Tyrolsku

The Hof am Keller: the first owner of the estate mentioned in a document was one Nikolaus am Keller, who ran the winegrowing estate as early as in 1431. The estate bears his name to this day. Approximately one hundred years later, the owner at the time was widely known as a wine merchant—that, too, can be looked up in historical documents. His network of customers extended all the way to Vipiteno and from there across the Brenner Pass to Schwaz and Kufstein in what is now Austria.

For more than 200 years now, the March family has owned this inherited estate. They take advantage of the favorable location of the estate to cultivate the right grape varieties: mainly Pinot Noir, followed by Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, and Sauvignon.

Until the late 1990s, wine was not only made from the estate’s own grapes but also from grapes supplied by others. These days, Maike and Christian run the over 700-year-old estate and produce part of the wines themselves. The grapes are meticulously cared for from pruning to harvesting and are then transferred to the centuries-old wine cellar to age and mature into a fine wine.

It goes without saying that tradition is not neglected in all that: more than half a millennium of history obliges, after all.

One farm in Pochi, another in Chiusa, plus grapevines in Termeno and Cortaccia: under the roof of the Haderburg Estate Winery in Salorno, variety reigns, and at the same time a leitmotif: the entire estate is run biodynamically. “That means that we correspondingly follow the rules of life and also take into consideration the forces which are in the materials and have an effect upon them,” explains Alois Ochsenreiter, proprietor of the Haderburg Estate Winery in Salorno.

It is obvious that the biodynamics have their effect first and foremost upon the animals that are kept at and around the estate, but also with the selection of the preparations with which the soil and vines are treated. For instance, medicinal herbs but also dung and silicon are utilized, all of them natural substances, which are put to use on the nearly 13 hectares of grape growing areas.

These are divided between the Hausmannhof in Pochi and the Obermairlhof in Chiusa, as well as vineyards in Termeno and Cortaccia. What emerges is a product line consisting of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Sylvaner, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Müller Thurgau, Pinot Grigio, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
And as if that were not enough special features, the Haderburg Estate Winery serves up another one: for nearly fifty years, sparkling wine has been produced here, and specifically with the classic méthode champenoise bottle fermentation process with maturation periods of two to eight years. “In order to remove the residual yeast, the bottles are turned by hand and disgorged,” explains Ochsenreiter, who adds, “Up to the final topping off and sealing, we pick up each bottle more than forty times.” A great deal of effort for very special enjoyment.

The luck of the Ramoser family is to have vineyards available in the best locations of Santa Maddalena. The luck of their customers is that these locations can also be tasted in the wines from the Untermoserhof Estate Winery in Bolzano.

It is not without reason that Georg Ramoser, who runs the family estate winery with his son Florian, names “sincere”, “unadulterated”, and “shaped by terroir” as attributes for his wine. It ought to be possible to taste the origin in the wines: the location of the vineyards, the work that lies behind the grapes and wine. “Our wines are captivating through their fullness, suppleness, and power, but without losing any juiciness or freshness,” Ramoser says.

All of this does not just appear by chance. After all, the vineyards of the Untermoserhof in Santa Maddalena offer the ideal conditions. But they also demand a lot from the Ramosers: “The steep slopes are associated with a lot of work by hand, but in the autumn, this is rewarded by optimal grape health and maturity,” the senior winegrower says.

In that way, a constantly high level of quality can be maintained – year after year, and for all of the wines in the assortment. “Our customers know to appreciate that,” Ramoser explains, seeing no reason to abandon the path that he has followed, since it involves getting wines into the bottle that are close to nature, genuine, and shaped by terroir in an unadulterated way.

But one thing is clear: that path is bound up with hard work. Including the hard work to always get better.

The Eberlehof above Bolzano was mentioned in a document for the first time in 1312, and thus more than 700 years ago. It has been in family possession since 1668 and for just as long, the family’s coat of arms has been decorated by a pruning hook. And that is not surprising, as the Eberlehof lies right in the middle of the classic Santa Maddalena winegrowing zone.

And it is also not surprising that the 700 years of estate and family history have left their legacy behind and they are accompanied by an obligation to uphold tradition and family. The latter becomes clear when it is realized that at the Eberlehof, three generations of the Zisser family are involved at the same time in winegrowing. The elder Horst and his wife Lisi bring along their experience. His son Tomas and his wife Margit manage the vineyards and the winery along with their sons Christian and Lukas and also take care of three vacation apartments at the estate winery.

As far as upholding tradition is concerned, at the Eberlehof it is first and foremost indigenous grape varieties that are typical to the zone (Schiava, Lagrein, and Blatterle) which are grown on pergola trellises, added to which Merlot also finds a spot in the product line. “Just because of the steep location on the slopes, the use of larger machines is already impossible, which is why we tend our vines, some of which are very old, almost exclusively by hand,” explains Tomas Zisser. In addition, because maturation takes place in large oak barrels, the red wines from the Eberlehof are full-bodied and strong, and they express their origins. Precisely as tradition would desire.

There is one thing – and only one thing – in which Manni Nössing of the Hoandlhof in Bressanone is a traditionalist: he grows classic white wine varieties such as those that belong to the Valle Isarco.  Otherwise, he is accustomed to pursuing new paths with a small group of like-minded winegrowers, of experimenting with new processes, and of following new ideas.  “We are the wine rebels in the Valle Isarco,” Nössing says with a smile.

In everything that he does, there is one goal on which he sets his sites: making a wine with its very own character.  And what does that mean in concrete terms? “A wine has to taste good,” the winegrower says, “and it has to taste good to me!” On the pathway to this wine, what helps Nössing is his experience but also the insights that he has gained on trips through the most important winegrowing regions of the world.

All of this has flowed since 2003 into the 5.5 hectares of vineyards and the winery of the Hoandlhof, and all of that leads to individual wines which from the very beginning onward have been cause for great attention.  One of Nössing’s first wines, his Kerner, already achieved a distinction from the Italian wine guide Gambero Rosso.  And the Hoandlhof wines that followed the premiere also made quite an impression on the experts: with fresh acidity, a strong mineral-rich quality, and differentiated fruit.

In addition to the Kerner, Nössing’s assortment also includes Sylvaner, Gewürztraminer, Veltliner, and Müller Thurgau.  Nothing else.  As has been stated, with the selection of grape varieties, the rebel is a traditionalist.

Mauracher Sand in Bolzano is (literally) built on the fertile alluvial soils formed by the Talvera river where the Mauracher vines grow. In a more figurative sense, it is also built on the history of this wine-growing region as well as the wine expertise and love of experimentation of Thomas Widmann and Elisabetta Foradori.
For decades, these two have been accumulating experience in wine growing and wine production until they set up the first Mauracher vineyard in 2003 using the autochthonous Lagrein grape variety. In 2011, they introduced the first vintage from their new project to the market: spontaneously fermented, prepared with a minimum of enological intervention, and naturally matured.
The fact that Alexander Widmann joined the team in 2020 goes to show that Mauracher Sand is, indeed, a family project. Alexander Widmann not only brings fresh new ideas to the table but shares the same philosophy which inspired—and keeps inspiring—the two founders. At the heart of that philosophy are respect for and appreciation of nature, which is also made clear by the fact that the project was officially certified as organic in 2022.
The young age of the Mauracher Sand project is also indicative of its scope: it yields a total of approx. 3,000 bottles of wine every year, which will include a Riserva vintage for the first time in 2024. And thus Mauracher Sand keeps growing every year thanks to its fertile foundation—both in a literal and in a figurative sense.

Wine and its production have a great deal to do with values. And Andreas Theiner must have also thought that. Before he took over his family’s historical estate with Plars Castle in Lagundo in 2003, he was a banker.

As unusual as the change from the teller’s window to the vineyard may be is how simple the explanation is that Theiner provides. “Wine is my passion”, he says, “and even though I had pursued a completely different professional career, it made my love of wine even stronger.” And that may also have to do with the fact that passion for wine is in the genes of the Theiners. Andreas’ grandfather Franz had already studied at the Winegrowing Technical College in Klosterneuburg near Vienna – back in 1895! In 1911, he returned to South Tyrol, he acquired the Plars Castle estate in Lagundo, produced wines for the rest of his life, and in the end handed the estate down to his son Karl, who expanded it.

Finally, in 2003, Andreas took over the castle and concentrated on the production of quality wines. The conditions for them are ideal: the vineyards in Plars di Mezzo, situated at 450 meters above sea level, benefit from a great deal of sun and a constant breeze. “This climate is ideal for a Sauvignon Blanc that is extremely strong in character, but also for Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Schiava, Lagrein, and Merlot,” Theiner explains.

In the winery, a gentle processing of the grapes and careful handling of the wine are important to him, because, “Only in that way are we successful in having the individuality and essence of the vineyard finding their way into the wines.” And that’s also what passion for wine sounds like.

There is a vineyard in the Passiria Valley. One single one. It belongs to the Unterwirt Winery of the Martinerhof in S. Martino, by which the Fontana and Schweigl families have expanded their universe that previously consisted of a beer experience hotel, pizzeria, and in-house brewery. At the same time, they brought back to life an inn in which Tyrolean freedom fighter Andreas Hofer came and went.

The Unterwirt Winery of the Martinerhof carries two names at once. That of the Martinerhof is used because it is a part of the gastronomy world around the farmhouse, but it is also right at home with Unterwirt. The inn was first mentioned in a document in 1694, and it was renovated in 2012. “Because the vineyard of the neighboring Hianhof is the first one in the valley and also the only one, we set up a winery in the Unterwirt, and also to breathe new life into the establishment,” says Florian Fontana.

A remarkable assortment of wines are produced in the winery today. They range from Schiava and Pinot Noir to Sylvaner and all the way to Kerner and Pinot Blanc. So even though there is only one estate winery in the Passeier Valley, its results can easily be seen. And speaking of being seen: at the Unterwirt Winery of the Martinerhof, experience tours are also offered.

Even if the significance of winegrowing in the Passiria Valley is easy to understand, the importance of the wine there is not. Andreas Hofer, the Tyrolean hero from this valley, was a wine dealer and wine connoisseur. Perhaps it is also for that reason that before his execution by Napoleon’s troops in 1810, he ordered, “For all good friends, there will be soup and meat at the Unterwirt, along with a half bottle of wine.”

Blueberries, apricots, cherries, peaches, plums, pears, apples, chestnuts, but also fruit spreads, juices, syrups, and preserves: there is hardly anything you cannot find at the Runsthof in Lana, situated directly by the hiking trail from Lana to Foiana. So it is hardly surprising that the Lobis family, who has run the Runsthof since 2017, also cultivates vines as well as produces wine in their own cellar—at least in part.

The vineyards which supply the grapes are located above Lana on a steep slope, which means that cultivation depends very much on manual labor. But no matter how strenuous, it guarantees a very special kind of quality control, seeing as the winegrowers are, quite literally, very close to their grapes.

At an altitude of 350–500 meters, a broad range of grape varieties grow on those steep parcels of land, and they are ideally suited to the site. At the Runsthof in Lana, the favored grape varieties are Pinot Noir, Sauvignon, Sauvignon Gris, Bronner, and Chardonnay. “The location and the climate are ideal for very special wines which retain their own special characteristics typical of the variety but whose flavors also bear hints of the terroir,” explains Günther Lobis.

By the way: winegrowing, like all other work at the Runsthof, is a family affair, as the estate is run by Günther Lobis, his wife Helga, and his daughters Johanna and Lisa. Diversity is very important, after all.

 

There are a total of eleven wineries from Trentino that find room under the roof of the Cavit consortium, which was founded in 1950. The area covered by Cavit extends over no less than 6,350 hectares of grape growing areas, of which 5,250 are managed by winegrowing families. But one thing is clear: the palette is extremely broad, but a couple of pearls nevertheless stand out – first and foremost Vino Santo and Spumante.

There were first of all a few cooperative wineries that launched a consortium in 1950 in which forces were to be bundled together and synergies exploited. It became a model of success which additional wineries joined little by little. Today, Cavit guides winegrowing in broad sections of Trentino.

The oenologist who takes responsibility for this is Anselmo Martini, who is especially proud of the Cavit line “Maso”: “We developed this line with the researchers at the San Michele Institute,” Martini says. “They represent our top product – genuine crus that are tied to clearly defined terroirs.”

Cavit has over a dozen varieties in the line, and it thus reflects the entire breadth of the wine that is grown in Trentino. To be emphasized as a particularity within that context is the dessert wine Vino Santo Trentino DOC. The harvest for it takes place for the most part late in October. In addition, the Cavit consortium is renowned for its sparkling wines. The basis for this is provided by the countless grape varieties that are classically fermented in the bottle.

The Trogerhof in Bolzano is among the oldest estates in the classic Santa Maddalena zone. And winegrower Josef “Pepi” Staffler is among those who uphold the Santa Maddalena tradition. “Santa Maddalena is a light, fruity Alto Adige red wine that is typical to the region,” he says. And it should remain so – that, too, can be read from this sentence.

The overwhelmingly largest component of Santa Maddalena is the Schiava grape. “Because of the hot climate in the Bolzano basin and the small portion of powerful Lagrein, the Santa Maddalena is fuller and more intense than other Schiava variants,” says Staffler, explaining the secrets of the wine, to which he has dedicated his winegrowing life.

The Schiava and Lagrein grapes of the Trogerhof grow on the moraine detritus soils in Maddalena di Sotto, and thus on slopes that run up to the Renon plateau. Both of the varieties are harvested at the same time and they are also fermented together. Staffler matures his Santa Maddalena in classic large oak barrels in the historical vaulted cellar of the Trogerhof. That is due less to a nod to tradition than to the conditions which the ancient cellar offers. “Our cellar was built from natural stone, it has natural stone floors, and a pleasant indoor climate,” the winegrower says.

Staffler’s goal is to make the Santa Maddalena from the Trogerhof a “good everyday wine” with which price and quality match. Nothing more. But also nothing less.

Since its inception, Franz Haas winery has tirelessly worked to express the quality of the grapes at their finest. Founded in 1880, the winery has been handed down for eight generations to the firstborn son, to whom has always been given the same name, Franz.

In the 1980s most of the vineyards were renewed, leaving space to new varieties more suitable for the type of “terroir”. The grapes are sourced from 60 hectares of vineyards, divided between estate-owned properties, rentals and contract farmers. The vineyards start at an altitude of 220 meters, ascending to 1,150 meters with a great variety of microclimates and soils, from porphyry to clay and limestone.

In the year 2000, due to climate change, several hectares were rented at altitudes that reach up to 1,150 meters above sea level; these are among the highest vineyards in Alto Adige today. Now, more than twenty years later, the choice of planting vines at these altitudes has proven to be optimal to produce long-lasting, aromatic wines with a strong acidity. This is supported by the wide thermal excursions between day and night and the four additional hours of sunshine per day. The vineyards are all located in the municipalities of Montagna, Egna, Trodena and Aldino.

We have always given immense attention to our vineyards; we grow them exclusively with organic substances to enhance the natural process of cultivation and fertilization. Our vineyards do not always look like impeccably manicured gardens and often the grass among the rows grows high, but by doing so we bring forth the biological magic of nature, the pollination, the reproduction of flowers and insects that were otherwise absent, and, above all, we continue to make possible the opportunity for our children to see the beauty of blossomed fields.

Franz Haas has always been recognized as a leading enthusiast and an expert of the most arduous, sensitive, and most satisfying grape variety of all: Pinot Nero. Despite all the attention, commitment and hard work, the product is not always up to its original standards and therefore our selection, the "Schweizer", does not always get to the market. Various varieties belonging to the whole range of Alto Adige’s wines are vinified with the same attention.

Another detail that distinguishes Franz Haas is the connection with the brilliant artist Riccardo Schweizer who designed the winery’s labels. During his career, he collaborated with well-known artists such as Picasso, Chagall, Cocteau, Paul Éluard and Le Corbusier.

The Innerleiterhof in Scena is a small, fine, broadly structured operation. In addition to the winegrowing operation, it also includes its own winery and a hotel. And as one can imagine about a small, fine operation, everything lies in the hands of a family: that of the Egger-Pichler family.

While Karin Egger-Pichler holds the scepter at the hotel, her husband Karl Pichler and her father Franz Egger are responsible for the estate winery at the Innerleiterhof. Its name is derived from “Leite”, an expression in South Tyrolean dialect meaning a steep slope.

So at least in the vineyard, the name says it all. On 1.6 hectares at 450 meters above sea level in sun-drenched Scena up above Merano, Pinot Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Schiava, Lagrein and Merlot are all grown here. “For ten years, we have been working with our grapes in our own winery, and that, in turn, is in combination with our hotel,” explains Karl Pichler.

Guests are offered such a unique experience and given that good feeling to be able to enjoy a wine whose transport path is measured not in kilometers, but rather in meters. From the vineyard to their own winery to the adjacent hotel.
What grows together goes together. Always in a small, fine, broadly structured family operation.

Lorenz San Nicolò was actually successful as an entrepreneur in Milan. But because his passion from wine never left him, since 2012, along with his wife Sissi, he has been running the Corahof in San Paolo – “as a politically motivated criminal” as he himself says.

And yet, the San Nicolò family did not leave the urbane completely behind them. Thus the main room of their small winery is dominated by a sparkling Art Nouveau chandelier that originated from what was left behind from the venerable Hotel Bristol in Merano and is completely out of place with the rest of the furnishings, machinery, and tractors. “The chandelier is a symbol for our love of elegance, to what is festive and exhilarating in life,” San Nicolò explains. And it is also for that reason that the chandelier was chosen as the logo for the Corahof in San Paolo.

So it decorates the labels of the wines, that basis of which is half a hectare of grape growing areas. And their basis, in turn, is formed by very particular Ice Age sediments. “‘Battle soil’ is what we call it in our dialect,” says the winegrower. “Hard and difficult to work, but fertile. And with the southeastern exposure of our vineyard and the intense sunshine in the early morning hours, they form the ideal conditions for our wine.”

The wine from Corahof is made in their own winery, where the harvest of Merlot and Yellow Muscat is processed cleanly and gently thanks to the most modern technology. Moreover, the minimalist approach of the San Nicolòs is also applied to the vinification, since, “Only in that way can we bring the precious aromas of the grapes into the bottle in as unadulterated manner as possible.”

The Radoin 1560 winery is situated between the deep canyon of the Bletterbach, a Unesco World Heritage Site, and the enchanting Trudner Horn Nature Park in Radein in the south of South Tyrol. Of course, the conditions for growing grapes at 1560 metres above sea level would be too harsh, despite the many hours of sunshine - but the grapes from which the noble wine Radoin 1560 is made come from estates of the Perwanger family in the municipality of Montan. The village on the South Tyrolean Wine Road with the settlements of Pinzon and Glen lies in the broad and bright Adige Valley.

In the 15th century, the name Radoin stood for the mountain on which Sepp Perwanger's winery is run with high standards. He followed in the footsteps of his grandfather, Josef Perwanger, who pressed his grapes on the farm in two barrels for decades. The grandfather's vineyard still belongs to the family - despite the massive political and economic upheavals and despite the wars of the past century. Today, Gewürztraminer and Chardonnay are grown in the Kühmösl estate, as the one site is called. Sepp Perwanger has acquired two more vineyards in the nearby Glen. This is where the Pinot Noir Riserva, the signature wine, and the flagship of the young winery, grows.

At the end of the fifteenth century, an artist from Nuremberg hiked from Salorno to the Val di Cembra. His name was Albrecht Dürer. As an homage to the artist and his cross-border journey, it is not only the path which Dürer covered at the time which today bears his name, but also the Dürer Weg Estate Winery in Salorno. A project that truly crosses boundaries.

The Dürer Weg Estate Winery may in fact be located in Salorno, at the extreme south of Alto Adige, but it is a part of the LaVis Winery which, in turn, has its headquarters in the town of the same name, Lavis, in Trentino. So this is where two historical parts of old Tyrol grow together. The winery itself is a cooperative that is broadly structured: with vineyards that cover elevations from 200 to 800 meters and an assortment that ranges from Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Müller Thurgau through Merlot and Pinot Noir to Schiava and Lagrein.

The Dürer Weg Estate Winery in Salorno plays a special role in this portfolio – not least because of its particular climate. “This is the place where the mild Mediterranean climate meets its harsh counterpart from the Alps,” explains Pietro Patton, president of the LaVis Winery. “Along with the special composition of the soils, this forms the basis for a mineral-rich flavor tone through which the wines from this region stand out.”

The mountainous area thus puts its stamp on the wines from the Dürer Weg Estate Winery, just as it also influences the way of doing business. For instance, it is necessary to be thrifty with resources. “Our wines reflect a tradition of winemaking in which nature and technology are united,” says Patton. So here, as well, boundaries are crossed.

In the middle of the nineteenth century, when Franz Morandell built a farmhouse, he at the same time also immortalized his wife. Her name was Elisabeth, which in its loving nickname becomes “Lisele”. Today, the Lieselehof Estate Winery in Caldaro is an imposing estate in which the winegrowing knowledge of three generations meets together and where Werner Morandell has the say. He is the great-grandson of “Lisele”.

The fact that with this story, the Morandells inherited their passion for wine right from the cradle may sound like a platitude. Except that it is true. Werner’s grandfather was a winegrower, while his father Gottlieb-Amadeus attended to the grafting of young grapevines and produced rootstock for surrounding vineyard nurseries.

Werner Morandell also thoroughly devoted himself to winegrowing. He even wrote a book about it and along with his vineyard, he is a contractual partner of the Freiburg in Breisgau State Viticultural Institute in Germany. Within that context, the main attention lies with fungus-resistant varieties, on the organic cultivation of traditional grape varieties (such as Schiava and Cabernet), and on wines that are made in an ecologically friendly manner. “That means that during the vinification, only a few natural treatment agents are permitted, and we completely do without synthetic materials,” Morandell says.

The particular pride of the Morandells is wines that are made from exclusively fungus-resistant grapes for which no chemical herbicides are used in the vineyard and for which strict conditions are met for grape yields per vine. A separate brand name has even been developed for them: Green Mountain Wine.

Edmund Pomella could have chosen an easier path: As a third-generation winegrower, he had the opportunity to take over a thriving winery in Cortaccia in 2016. The vineyards boasted old grapevines of classic varieties, so it seemed a no-brainer to just continue as it was. Yet what he wanted was something more natural. Pomella is passionate: passionate about nature, passionate about protecting our environment. And, as a consequence: passionate about natural, digestible wines.

But Edmund Pomella also values old treasures, so he decided to graft the vines in his vineyards, some of which are up to 100 years old. The old rootstocks formed the basis for modern PIWI varieties: Bronner, Johanniter, Muscaris, Souvignier Gris, Prior, Cabernet Cortis. These varieties can be cultivated without using chemical pesticides. And Pomella did not only keep the rootstocks, he also continues to use the old pergola training system, which offers significant benefits in locations exposed to intense sunlight and scarce in water.

Cultivating natural wines helps accomplish two goals simultaneously: Promoting human well-being without harming nature. And it doubles the quality: “This is not just about the quality of our wines but also about quality of life, respect for nature, our vines, our soils, and all life on our planet,” says Pomella, who also offers farm tours and runs his own farm store, where consumers can buy his wines and other natural products.

 

For wine to mature underground in the cellar is not especially impressive. But the fact that this wine cellar was created by hand is, in fact, extremely impressive. To that extent, the wine cellar of the Dominikus Estate Winery in Caldaro is something special. And the wines that come into existence there are, as well, not least of which is the Dominikus Lago di Caldaro superiore, which was also named “Schiava of the Year. ”

Georg Morandell is responsible for the wines of the Dominikus Estate Winery in Caldaro, but the infrastructure in San Giuseppe al Lago is the work of his father. “His life’s work,” as Morandell puts it. With only a pick and shovel, the elder Morandell spent over thirty years digging out a wine cellar under his vineyard. “An unbelievable human accomplishment,” Georg Morandell finds it to be.

He inherited from his father not just a unique winery, but also a passion for wine. “For decades, we have been making wine ourselves from the grapes from our vineyards, and we sell our wine exclusively from the estate,” the winegrower says. All of the work is carried out by the family – with a great deal of experience and a healthy portion of know-how.

Thus what is created are top-quality wines filled with character: Pinot Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Schiava, Lagrein – and the Dominikus sparkling wine, for which Morandell is again and again traversing new paths. “In 2017, I tried for the first time to age a portion of our grapes in clay amphorae,” the winegrower recalls. He place the amphorae in a niche in his cellar labyrinth and awaited the result with excitement. His conclusion: “In the clay caves, the wine can mature at a constant temperature and ideal humidity – just like centuries ago.”

The winegrowing tradition of a family being older than that of the estate winery itself is rare, but that is the case with the Waldner family. The family has been growing grapes in Marlengo for 350 years, but it was only in 2007 that Josef Waldner built the Eichenstein Estate Winery in Merano, to which its own winery, a wine bar, and a guest chalet were added step by step.

The vineyards of the Eichenstein Estate Winery lie in Montefranco above Merano at an elevation of 550 to 600 meters. “The interplay between microclimate, terrain, geology, and soil composition is extraordinary at Eichenstein,” Waldner explains. In concrete terms, that means that the estate winery’s grapevines grow on porphyry-quartzite and granite soils, in a Mediterranean climate, and on an Alpine landscape.

Added to these natural conditions is the know-how of the experienced winegrower, who focuses on a consistent quality policy, harvesting by hand, and vinification that is adapted to each grape variety. Thus the white wine grapes are pressed gently, fermented in stainless steel or wood, and the new wine is kept on the yeast for several months. The red wine grapes, on the other hand, are kept in maceration vats for around three weeks in contact with the skins, and only after the completion of the alcoholic fermentation are the red wines placed in small oak casks for biological malolactic fermentation, where they are aged for an additional twelve months. “Our selections age for up to two years in the winery before they are put up for sale,” Waldner explains.

The results are authentic wines filled with character which, as the winegrower says, “remain in the memory”. “The soul of our wines,” Waldner says, “has to move the drinker.”

Standing out through continuity and quality is the goal which the Cornaiano Winery pursues with its H. Lun brand. It took over the traditional winery of the same name and continues the brand in the same way as the founder.

In 1840, Alois H. Lun launched a wine product line for the first time that bore his name and combined exquisite wines from the best locations. Since that time, H. Lun has been regarded as a brand that has to meet the highest standards. Thus the grapes are carefully selected by winemaker Gerhard Kofler by location and quality in order to fully express the multifaceted terroir. “Both earlier on and today, the art has lain in growing each variety at the right location in order to reinforce the independent character of H. Lun wines,” Kofler says.

Thus a broad product line has been created: Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Müller Thurgau, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Yellow Muscat, Lagrein, and Schiava – a cross section of the great variety found in Alto Adige wine. And not only do they find the ideal climatic conditions, the variety of soils also provides the best preconditions: “The spectrum ranges from volcanic porphyry to weathered primitive rock soils to sandy marl,” winemaker Kofler explains, “and thus every grape variety finds the most suitable substrate.”

All of this flows into the H. Lun wines, all of which still pushes the top line of the brand all the way to the pinnacle. It bears the name “Sandbichler” and stands for white wines that are intense in aroma and refined, and red wines with “comfortably lengthy aging”. But for all of them, the words of Gerhard Kofler ring true: “They are the result of a tradition that goes back many years.”

The Castel Sallegg winery certainly boasts excellent conditions for producing grand wines. The grapes are cultivated in three historic vineyards, each with its own distinctive terroir.
Seehof by Lake Caldaro, for example, lies just 230 to 280 meters above sea level, creating an ideal climate for grape varieties that prefer warmer temperatures such as Merlot, Lagrein, Cabernet Sauvignon and Moscato Rosa. The VIGNA Bischofsleiten is the origin of the multiple award-winning Lago di Caldaro, named after that very lake.

A bit higher up at 500 meters above sea level and beyond lie the Leisenhof and Preyhof vineyards. Located in the heart of Caldaro, Leisenhof is where mainly white grape varieties are cultivated, while Preyhof features mostly Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir.

In addition to the conditions set by Mother Nature, the taste and quality of the Castel Sallegg wines depend in great part on the care and skill the grapes receive from the cellarer, of course. Descending the three stories and eleven meters down into the 1000-year-old wine cellar takes you on a journey into the past. In this solemn and quiescent atmosphere, the wines ferment all year round under controlled temperature. This wine estate was founded on tradition and history, and the work ethic is infused by curiosity and a passion for innovation. That is why Castel Sallegg is the first winery in Alto Adige to fill their wines into innovative and exclusive lightweight bottles that are made from 100% recycled glass and feature details such as the s ommelier’s top.

And at the Castel Sallegg winery, the grand and elegant wines make for a truly special drinking experience.

The Moser winegrowing estate in Pianizza di Sotto (Caldaro) was inaugurated in 2018. That makes it one of the youngest in Alto Adige, but it is also among the largest and, without a doubt, the most ambitious. The vines, for example, are grown on two different locations on 10 hectares of land. The red varieties thrive on the heat and the Mediterranean climate of Lago Caldaro whereas the whites find optimum conditions on the glacial moraine in Monticolo. They all are then matured in different wooden barrels.

Everyone at the Moser winegrowing estate is striving for perfection, and it shows—for example, in the new, fully equipped cellar and the identity of the cellarer: none other than Gerhard Sarin is in charge here, the man who already achieved international renown as the cellarer of ERSTE + NEUE.

Approximately 55,000 bottles a year are produced at the Moser winegrowing estate under his aegis. The varieties on offer range from the fungus-resistant (PIWI) Souvignier Gris and the classics Ruländer, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon to Lagrein Rosé, Kalterersee, and Lagrein Riserva as well as the Toscarosso and Merlot Cabernet cuvées.

Those who have always wanted to be a fly on the wall in the cellar can take one of the weekly tours (tasting included). And those who love not only wine but beer, too, will be delighted to learn that the Moser wine estate is home to the only brewery-in-a-winery in Europe.