Wineries in South Tyrol

The Pratenberg Estate Winery in Merano is held firmly in female hands. It is with great passion that winegrower Karoline Sinn has created a small, independent estate that takes advantage of the mild climate and cool katabatic winds, the steep terraces with a southern exposure, and special soils.
“Glacial sediments of porphyry sandstone and secondary metamorphite and granite.” One would almost think that Sinn was a geologist when she describes the foundation of her vineyards. And even if you have not yet completely understood which soils are concerned, the short version is: they are ideal for authentic, individual, unmistakable wines.

“I like to describe my wines as the grape in the glass,” Sinn says. “They are not lush, but on the contrary, they are animating, lively, and at the same time agreeable, with fine acidity and an elegant interplay of aromas.” Originality is something upon which the winegrower from Merano places as much value as reflecting upon one’s own strengths. And upon quality, in any case.

In the end, the signature of Karoline Sinn can be tasted in her wines just as much as the natural conditions with which the Pratenberg Estate Winery in Merano is blessed. And perhaps also the motto according to which she runs the winery: “Have the time to take the time and to give things time.”

Baron Sigmund von Kripp founded the Stachlburg wine estate in 1990. This year the first vineyard was planted with Pinot Noir (Blauburgunder) and Chardonnay. Since 1992, red and white wines are pressed in our basement of Stachlburg. The castle itself is family owned since 1547.

The altitude of 650m demands special grape varieties, which, particularly on the Partschinser soil on the sunny south-facing hillside, produce exceptionally intense wines. With great care, all wines are aged and rested in our cellar in steel tanks or in barrels.
The wines are generally characterized by a particular fruitiness, an elegant acidity and a delicate structure. At times, also the fortunate exposition to the sun position and the careful thinning can produce fairly full-bodied wines. Other locations are found in the low-lying village of Andrian where with an altitude of only 300m, there is a privileged climate for rich and mineral wines.

Noafer in Cologna (San Genesio) is known for miles around as an inn and estate winery. It is located on the southwestern slope of Monzoccolo on a sunny, flat, natural terrace at an elevation of 770 meters [2,530 feet] above sea level and – also because of this unique location – it is a favorite destination for an excursion. Not everyone who stops in for a refreshing drink or a bite to eat realizes that 2.7 hectares (6.7 acres) of vineyards also belong to the estate.

Within that context, the roots of the farmhouse reach far back. As early as the Middle Ages, Noafer was one of the farms supplying the nearby Greifenstein Castle, so at that time, it had to provide the broadest possible palette of products. Today, the farm is run by Andreas Lamprecht, and the inn of the same name by his sister, Maria Lamprecht.

Andreas is responsible for the farm and the winegrowing. He makes use of the ideal location of his vineyard, which profits from both the mild temperatures of the Adige Valley and the high elevation. These ensure that the soils, vines, and grapes can cool down at night, even in the middle of summer. “In the autumn, shortly before the harvest, the temperature differentials between day and night are especially tangible, which lends our wines a lot of aroma and a lively freshness,” Lamprecht explains.

When the Noafer grower speaks of “our wines”, then he means Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Schiava (Vernatsch), Zweigelt, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Grigio – a thoroughly impressive assortment that is grown by Noafer in Cologna (San Genesio) and then makes its way to the wine list of the Noafer inn. Much to the pleasure of the guests.

For an impressive 27 years, Thomas Dorfmann was the winemaker at the Eisacktaler Winery. A dream job in the wine sector, and yet in 2018, he turned his back on it. The reason for the decision was an even bigger dream: that of his own estate winery.

And that dream was fulfilled on one of the warmest spots in the whole Valle Isarco, at which the former lord over the cooperative winery went independent with the Thomas Dorfmann Estate Winery in Velturno. With two hectares of grape growing areas at an elevation from 550 to 650 meters, the estate winery is small. The vineyards, up to 70 percent of which are steep, are surrounded by dry stone walls and tended only by the Dorfmann family.

“I can bring all of my experience and live out my own wine philosophy in my estate winery,” Dorfmann waxes enthusiastically, “and thus create wines that are specific to the area and the variety: through sustainable working of the vineyards and being extremely protective of quality in the winery.”

Because Dorfmann’s focus lies on typical Valle Isarco varieties, his product line is first and foremost white: Sylvaner, Grüner Veltliner, Gewürztraminer, and Riesling. But Dorfmann also grows and makes Pinot Noir – “a rarity in the Valle Isarco”, as he himself says. And there is another rarity at the Thomas Dorfmann Estate Winery in Velturno: the white wines are delivered with a screw-top. “For me, that is the seal of the future,” the winegrower says.

A statue of Blasius Trogmann stands in the Merano neighborhood of Maia Bassa, where a street is named after him, too. That is not a coincidence: Blasius Trogmann is regarded as Andreas Hofer’s most important ally in the Tyrolean Rebellion of 1809. A native of Merano, Trogmann had another passion apart from the one for his home, however: wine growing and winemaking.

Blasius Trogmann was able to pursue that particular passion at his home, the Finkhof estate in Hagen, a Merano neighborhood with generous sunlight situated between the spa town proper and the Trauttmansdorff Castle Gardens. A contemporary chronicler notes: “(...) in the quiet and tranquil grounds of Hagenach, the vines, turned toward the midday sun, cook a delicious juice.”

People realized very early that Hagen was a suitable area for wine growing: the Finkhof estate was first mentioned in a document in 1213. In the 18th and early 19th century, the aforementioned Blasius Trogmann would be the one to work that land and deliver his wines all the way to the capital of the Austrian empire. Even today, more than 200 years later, the estate is still run by the Trogmann Innerhofer family. And they are still passionate about wine, which they also sell in their very own farm store, the Bottega contadina Merano. All four members of the family work in the business, making a living from wine growing.

Wines produced by the Finkhof winery include a light and fruity Schiava (Vernatsch), an intense Merlot, and a complex Lagrein. In addition, traditional methods are used to process Schiava grapes into sparkling wine, which is sold under the brand name “Hagenach,” named for the area where it grows and matures. Last but not least, the range is rounded off with an elegant white cuvée bearing a name which proves that the people of the Merano Finkhof winery feel an obligation toward their family and estate heritage: it is called “Blasius.” 

 

Everyone knows that all roads lead to Rome, but some people also blaze trails going in the opposite direction. For instance, in 2004 Nino Motta moved with his family from the Eternal City to Gleno above Montagna in order to produce wine there at the Maso Thaler.

Although within that context, the work at the Maso Thaler, which was founded in 1812 and is located at an elevation of more than 600 meters, is anything but a walk in the park. “Our vineyards in Gleno are very steep, many of them are terraced, and just for that reason alone, only work by hand is called for in many locations,” Motta explains. So not only is a lot of sweat necessary to manage the Maso Thaler, heart and passion are also needed.

This passion, the passion for winegrowing, was also what brought Motta here from Rome nearly twenty years ago. Since that time, he and his wife Anna Maria and their sons Filippo, Francesco, and Piergiorgio have tended 3.5 hectares of grape growing areas. Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay grow here, all of them supported by Guyot trellises.

But the focus is on Pinot Noir, because Motta believes that the perfect conditions are found here: porphyry soils, high temperature differentials between day and night especially in August and September, and a constant breeze. “All of that together provides for our wines distinguishing themselves through freshness, spiciness, and being able to last long,” Motta says.

No Facebook, no Twitter, just wine. Peter Dipoli needs only a few words to describe the philosophy of the estate winery in Egna that carries his name. What holds true for him is that wine is not something that can be planned over the years, but rather a natural product that varies. Chasing after the latest trend therefore makes no sense. And also does not do justice to the wine.

Vegetation periods can be hotter or cooler, drier or wetter. It would be miraculous if the grapes tasted the same year after year. Dipoli is convinced that both winegrowers and wine drinkers have to accept this aspect. Winegrowers have to safeguard the natural variation potential of the wine as much as the uniqueness of the terroir. “The producer has the task of working the grapes – as the vineyard and the vines have delivered them – into a product that corresponds with the terroir, habitat, and vintage,” says the winegrower from Egna.

In that regard, Dipoli has come to grips with the fact that he has to work with grapes from completely different locations. The vineyards of the Peter Dipoli Estate Winery are located in Egna, Magré, Termeno, and Cortaccia, they are located at elevations from 300 to 600 meters, they have southern or eastern exposures, and are planted on sandy dolomite or loamy chalky soils.

What thrives here are Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, with the grape varieties being carefully matched to the locations, the vineyards managed prudently, and the grapes processed respectfully. So no nonsense, just wine.

Mazon, a hamlet located above Neumarkt/Egna in the south of Alto Adige, is known as Alto Adige’s most typical Pinot Noir location. This is where the pioneers first experimented with this variety, where the first renowned Pinot Noirs from Alto Adige originated, and where the best wines of this grape variety are still coming from to this very day.

So it should not come as a surprise that the Praxmarer Estate Winery located on the Fritzenhof estate in Mazon has set itself the goal of “creating our own interpretation of a Mazon Pinot Noir.” And Sebastian Praxmarer, owner of the estate winery of the same name, is well aware of the responsibility that comes with the long tradition that he is following: “Our aim is to create authentic wines that fully represent this special location with its characteristic soil conditions and its unique microclimate,” says Praxmarer.

While the location has a very long tradition, the Praxmarer Estate Winery is still new in the business here in Mazon. In 2020, they first started cultivation on some of the estate lands, which span a total area of 15 hectares. But the history of the estate winery is much longer than that. For more than 220 years, since 1800, grapes have been grown on the Fritzenhof estate. Since 2020, the Praxmarer family has added a new chapter to this wine-making tradition.

When real estate agents say that a home has “potential”, then you usually think that you’re standing in front of ruins. Against this background, the Putzenhof in Laives-S. Giacomo had a heap of potential back in the 1950s. And in actuality, the Schweigkofler-Mottironi family took full advantage of it.

In 1956, Viktoria and Johann Schweigkofler bought the Putzenhof in S. Giacomo, a part of Laives. The vineyards were old, some of them hadn’t been tended for years, the buildings were dilapidated, the approach on the road was arduous. But behind that realtor’s word “potential”, the Schweigkoflers recognized the reality: “The vineyard at the foot of a porphyry wall, the slopes with a southwestern exposure, and the climatic conditions were virtually ideal for winegrowing,” says grandson Roman Mottironi, who runs the estate winery today.

The ideal conditions were exploited by the owners over three generations to turn ruins into a functioning estate winery. Today, it has grape growing areas of 5.5 hectares that are worked in a manner close to nature. For instance, herbicides have been avoided for years.

And thus the raw materials grow for a series of wines: gentle and close to nature. And likewise created gently in the cellars of the Putzenhof in Laives are a white assortment with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Kerner as well as a red line with Lagrein, Pinot Noir, and a Colli di Bolzano cuvée made from Schiava, Lagrein, and Pinot Noir. Some 37,000 bottles are filled every year. So the potential of the Putzenhof has in fact proven itself with numbers.

In the 1990s, Rainer Zierock was something of a rock star among oenologists. He was an agronomist, a university professor, and a winegrowing consultant in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and France. But Zierock created what for him was the ideal, perfect estate winery in Alto Adige. In a manor from the fourteenth century, he founded the Dolomytos Estate Winery in Auna di Sotto on the Renon plateau.

Along with Margret Hubmann, in the late 1990s he redid the entire estate, planting 150 different grape varieties and allowing himself to be guided with everything by Greek mythology. Thus the pentagon plays a prominent role for Zierock, his wines are produced according to the pentagram principle, and he also developed a tasting system on the basis of this geometric form.

In addition, panta rhei is regarded as the leitmotif of the Dolomytos Estate winery in Auna di Sotto: everything is flowing, and specifically in the winery, as well, which is set up according to the principle of gravitation. “All work steps can be carried out using natural slopes without outside influences – all the way to bottling,” explains Norbert Marginter, who has continued to run the Dolomytos Estate Winery as the new proprietor following the ideas of the professor, who passed away in 2009.

Three hectares of vineyards are tended as close to nature as possible, the grapes are harvested with a strict selection process, they are fermented with their own natural yeast, and they spend 10 to 14 days on the skins. After that, they mature for at least 24 months in cylinders made from French oak. “All of our wines are blends of Italian and Greek grape varieties,” Marginter explains. So it is not only with mythology that the Greeks made their mark at the Dolomytos Estate Winery.

Merano is not just a health resort city with a tradition dating back centuries, but also one of the classic Alto Adige winegrowing areas. Above all else on the more or less steep slopes around the cities, grapes have been grown since time immemorial, finding their optimal conditions here. In the district of Maia Alta, for instance, the scree cone from the Rio Val di Nova provides fertile soils with a rich skeleton, added to which the climate here seems almost Mediterranean. And the Riedingerhof in Merano thrives from all of this.

So it is no wonder that as with so many farms in the Burgraviate, the roots of the Riedingerhof are to be sought in fruitgrowing and winegrowing, even if the farmhouse has developed more and more over the years into a hospitality establishment. But with this development, the Verdorfer family has not sacrificed their passion for winegrowing and wine. Quite the contrary: It is the young winegrower Hansi Verdorfer who continues to live with it today, not just growing grapes on his own vines, but also making his own top-quality estate-grown wines at the Riedingerhof in Merano.

And when asked about his passion for winegrowing and winemaking, he also says, “For me, the care of our vineyards, the grape harvest in the autumn, the work in the winery, and the weekly wine tasting with our guests are very special moments.” And that is hardly astonishing. In the end, he can not only live out his great passion, but also share it.

So when in Alto Adige, do like the locals! In the vineyards of the Happacherhof in Ora, the students of the Agricultural High School learn how a vineyard is managed and how the grapes that are obtained are turned into wine. Really good wine.

The Happacherhof Estate Winery thus stands out and represents something special in the landscape of Alto Adige winegrowing. It is managed not by a committed winegrowing family, but rather by just as committed teachers and their students who can learn the techniques of winemaking right from the very bottom up.

In order to make it possible for the students to have the broadest possible and also most detailed view of winegrowing, different varieties were planted on the approximately four hectares that belong to the Happacherhof (as well as those in the immediate vicinity), specifically with different trellis systems and according to different criteria. The palette of varieties comprises Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Lagrein, whereby the latter occupies a special position. It is produced along organic guidelines so that the students can also gain experience with this method of management that is becoming more and more important.

Regardless of the variety, trellis system, or method of cultivation, the grapes that are produced at the Happacherhof are then made into wine at the school’s own winery. “The preparation of wine is an important part of the practical lessons of our students, who have decided upon winegrowing and oenology as the direction of their main focus,” explains school director Christian Gallmetzer.

For more than twenty years, Karl Kasseroller has run the Strickerhof in Frangarto in the community of Appiano organically. The broad reaching effects which that has on the environment have been proven by a study from the University of Innsbruck. It shows that in none of the estate wineries that were studied were so many soil organisms found as in the soils of the Strickerhof.

The estate winery in Frangarto has been in the possession of the Kasseroller family since 1834, but in the beginning it still carried the name Schlafferhof. Only when a new farmhouse was built next to the old one in 1907 did it get the name Strickerhof, as well as its own winery. Josef Paul Kasseroller was responsible for both of them at that time, and today the selected Strickerhof wines carry his initials JPK .

While the foundation was laid in 1907 for a flourishing operation, a decisive step for development followed nearly a hundred years later, taken by today’s proprietor Karl Kasseroller. In 1998, he converted the entire operation to organic cultivation. “It was a decision based upon conviction, and I am proud that since that time, we have been able to offer our customers organic products at the highest level,” Kasseroller says.

The assortment from the Strickerhof includes such classic varieties as Chardonnay, Schiava, and Lagrein, but also Yellow Muscat and the fungus-resistant variety Bronner. And they all feel right at home on the warm, humus-rich, sandy loam soils of the Strickerhof. As much at home as the numerous soil organisms, apparently.

Innovation yes, tricks no. When what is concerned is the further development of wines that are typical for the region, a clear line is followed at the Obermoser Estate Winery in Bolzano-Santa Maddalena. A line that was already prescribed by the forefathers of Thomas Rottensteiner more than a century ago.

Since 1890, the Obermoser Estate Winery has been in the possession of the Rottensteiner family, and since that time, the family has distinguished itself by not being so inclined to follow the well-trodden path. As early as 1929, Franz J.C. Rottensteiner had already launched the idea for an irrigation system that would provide water not only to his own vineyards, but to all of those surrounding them. The idea caught on, and Rottensteiner became the father of the first large-scale winegrowing irrigation system in all of Europe.

So being open to new ideas is in the blood of Thomas Rottensteiner, generation number five at the Obermoser Estate Winery. “For generations, we have been concentrating on the care, further development, and intensification of wines that are typical to the region – without tricks, but rather through innovation,” he says. Within that context, all of the innovations serve the promotion of the quality and individuality of the wines. And thus also of the grapes.

The latter grow in two areas that are far apart from each other. The larger of the two lies predominantly within the classic Santa Maddalena zone in Bolzano, while the smaller is in the core zone of the Lake Caldaro cultivation zone. Together, the two of them provide the raw material every year for around 34,000 bottles: from the classic Santa Maddalena to Lagrein and Cabernet all the way to Sauvignon Blanc.

The family history of the Carlottos reads like a novel, with the dust cover blurb saying, “In three generations from sharecroppers to an estate winery dynasty.” Ferruccio Carlotto takes responsibility for this today in Ora – right in the heart of the Alto Adige Pinot Noir cultivation zone.

The cornerstone for the family’s success story was already laid by Umberto Carlotto as early as 1940 when he signed up as a sharecropper at the Schlosshof in Mazzon. As such, he did in fact work the estate under his own responsibility, but the financial risk lay with the proprietors – as did the profits. In spite of that, Umberto carried out his tasks with passion for fifty years, flanked at first by his brother and then by his son Ferruccio.

And the latter was also the one who ventured to make the leap into independence in 2000 – new millennium, new luck – along with his daughter Michela and on the basis of six hectares of winegrowing area in Ora. The two of them devote 70 percent of this area to Pinot Noir – and not by chance. “The north-south alignment of the vineyards and the soil with its clay content are good preconditions for a round, spicy Pinot Noir with pleasant tannin and fine tones of fruit,” Ferruccio Carlotto explains.

Aside from the Pinot Noir, Lagrein makes up a quarter of the annual production of the Ferruccio Carlotto Estate Winery. His grapes grow on the rocky alluvial soils of the Rio Nero, while the winery’s Schiava is raised in a small vineyard, also in Ora, that was planted in 2013. As a bow to tradition.

The tradition of winegrowing at the Tschötscherhof in Castelrotto has both a museum side and one that is most definitely still living. Thus not only is old agricultural equipment exhibited here, but their own wine is made, as well – both then and now with success.

For over a century, grapes have demonstrably been grown at the Tschötscherhof in the Castelrotto district of San Osvaldo, with just the venerable grapevine in front of the farmhouse being over a hundred years old and thus living proof of the winegrowing tradition. Within that context, the farmhouse with its grape growing areas is situated at an elevation of 750 meters. “Thanks to the southwestern exposure of the slope and the especially mild climatic conditions, though, it is in fact possible to achieve outstanding grape quality,” explains the young grower Andreas Jaider.

He is a trained winegrower and bears the responsibility for the wine pillar of the Tschötscherhof in Castelrotto. Under his aegis, their own wines are made at the estate for which Jaider has also won awards, including the white wines (Müller Thurgau, Sylvaner, Kerner, and Gewürztraminer) and the reds (Blauer Zweigelt and Pinot Noir).

The fact that he is standing on the shoulders of his forefathers with what he does is made clear not least by the Agricultural Museum which the elder boss Michael Jaider set up around 15 years ago in the estate’s barn. Old equipment tells of the early life on the farms in and around Castelrotto. And thus of the winegrowing tradition of this landscape which is otherwise characterized by the Alps.

Producing mineral-rich, fruity, elegant mountain wines with their own character: the credo of the Cantina Valle Isarco is as clear as it is simple. This is the youngest of Alto Adige’s cooperative wineries and, with 135 members, also the smallest, as well as the northernmost in all of Italy. And its credo is followed without compromise.

The grapes grow on steep terraces at elevations from 250 to 1,000 meters. The work in the vineyards is hard and in many cases done by hand. Specifically right here, it is necessary to work in harmony with nature, to take the infertile resources into consideration, and for that reason to produce as close to nature as possible. But in any case, it is actually the elevation that also has a series of advantages. For instance, the harvest period is relatively late in the year, which is why the grapes also take along a whole series of sunny and warm autumn days and cool nights with them into the approximately 950,000 bottles that are produced annually.

“The particular climate of the Valle Isarco, its mineral-rich soils, and the late harvest are the optimal conditions for fresh, fruity, and mineral-rich white wines,” explains Stefan Donà, who has been winemaker of the Valle Isarco Winery since 2023. The calling cards of his winery are therefore the outstanding Sylvaner, Kerner, Müller Thurgau, and Grüne Veltliner, which make up no less than 98 percent of the assortment. They score a hit with their unmistakable stylistic direction and acidity structure, and they present themselves as extremely typical of the variety. As they know all too well at the Cantina Valle Isarco, quality in fact knows no compromise.

A Lagrein from Roverè della Luna, which was supposed to be better than those of the surrounding villages, was mentioned by the travel writer Max Sittich von Wolkenstein as early as the seventeenth century. So the bar for the Cantina Sociale Roverè della Luna, the northernmost in Trentino, was therefore set high. For the 270 members of today, that is more of a motivation than a burden.

Roverè della Luna is situated just south of the Chiusa di Salorno cleft on a limestone cone. Even though the Adige Valley has been predestined for winegrowing, the conditions here are rather rough. “Gravel and limestone don’t hold water very well,” says Carlo Alberto Gasperi, winemaker at the Cantina Roverè della Luna, “so the vines only grow here with difficulty.” But what is a challenge for grapevines and winegrowers is for him a stroke of luck: “Because of the slow growth, an especially fruity wine comes into existence,” the winemaker says.

The Cantina Sociale Roverè della Luna was already founded as early as 1919, at that time with 24 winegrowers with great foresight. Today, the cooperative has 270 members who tend no fewer than 420 hectares of grape growing areas and, aside from the aforementioned literarily immortalized Roverè della Luna Lagrein, they also grow Teroldego, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Schiava, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, and Müller Thurgau.

In all of the still and sparkling wines from the Cantina Roverè della Luna, the terroir and its properties can be tasted, having been finished in a modern, rational winery. With a view forward, but also back to the roots of the cooperative. As is fitting for wines for which a literary monument was already put up four hundred years ago.

The Rametz Castle Estate Winery in Merano has one of the richest traditions in the province. There is documentary evidence of wine grapes having been grown here since 1227, and Pinot Noir since 1860. Why is that worthy of mention? It’s quite simple: those at Rametz Castle were the first Pinot Noir vines in all of Alto Adige.

The fact that wine grapes have been grown here for almost 800 years is not by chance: the climate in Merano is ideal, and the soils on the moraine hill upon which the manor stands are water-permeable. These conditions are also still made use of today, with the 10 hectares of grape growing areas around Maretz Castle being planted with Pinot Noir, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapevines are supported for the most part with Guyot trellises, although with a special feature: “We use only posts made from weather-resistant chestnut wood, and in the castle vineyard, we avoid the use of concrete posts that are broadly utilized elsewhere today,” explains general manager Stanislaus Schmid.

What is also special are the cellars in which the harvest from the castle’s own vineyards are made into wine. The large cellar originated in the eighteenth century, is made entirely of stone blocks, and without a doubt is among the most beautiful cellars in the entire province. “This is where we keep the large oak barrels, while in the small cellar from the twelfth century, the valuable barrique wines in small oak casks are matured.” So at the Rametz Castle Estate Winery in Merano, history and tradition meet the visitor at every turn. And also at the level of a museum, since for decades now, tools and equipment from winegrowing and winemaking have been collected here. Just the Winemaking Museum alone is worth a visit.

The Angergut farm is located in Castelbello. Its grape growing areas are spread out along the sunny slope of the Val Venosta between Castelbello and Sluderno and range up to 900 meters (3,000 feet) above sea level. They are thus among the highest situated vineyards in all of Alto Adige. Within that context, although the elevation is in fact a prominent feature, it is by far not the only one that distinguishes the estate winery in the Val Venosta. “Our vineyards are typical for the Val Venosta: sunny, dry, and windy,” explains winegrower Tobias Mitterer.

The interplay of sun, location, soils, and wind form the natural foundation for outstanding wines. But with sustainable and gentle management that is close to nature, the Mitterer family does their part for their well-organized, practical, and carefully arranged vineyards. In that way, classic Alto Adige wines – first and foremost the reds Schiava and Pinot Noir primarily in the higher situated vineyards, but also Zweigelt, and then also the white wines such as Kerner and Riesling – are made in the old family tradition and served up in their own farmhouse inn. And in addition to the wine, it goes without saying that other products from their own farm also show up on the table there.

The Angergut is therefore far more than “just“ an estate winery. It is a classic Alto Adige mountain farm, a farmhouse inn that is popularly frequented, but first and foremost a deeply rooted family operation.  
 

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.

The Föranerhof estate is located at 800 meters above sea level in the village of Unterinn/Auna di Sotto on the Ritten/Renon plateau. At this altitude, you would not typically expect to find any vineyards, but the Föranerhof has been a wine-growing business (among other things) for several generations. “Our estate is located close to the altitudinal limit up to which wine growing is still possible, which means that not all varieties can be grown here successfully,” explain Verena Plattner and Toni Mittelberger, who run the farm together with their daughter Cecilia and her family.

The area under vine of their business amounts to 8,000 square meters, and they grow four carefully selected grape varieties – two red and two white – which are adapted to the special conditions present at the Föranerhof estate. In terms of white wine, the Sylvaner is particularly resilient, just like the Müller Thurgau, which by no means only barely survives here: “At these altitudes, the wine develops especially pronounced flavors,” says Cecilia, who, together with her partner, is responsible for turning the family’s grapes into wine. Wine growing has been her passion ever since she was little.

The red varieties grown here are Schiava (Vernatsch), a grape absolutely typical for Alto Adige, and Zweigelt. “This grape variety from Austria is one of only very few strong red wines that can be grown at 800 meters above sea level,” says Toni Mittelberger.

But wine is not the only line of business at the Föranerhof. For more than 30 years now, the farm has had its own little nursery growing garden and balcony plants. The family also grows fruit, which is then either dried or used to prepare syrups, fruit spreads and jams.

 

Thomas Pichler knows wine in all of its facets and, in fact, in greater detail than most others. And that is not just because he comes from a family of Caldaro winegrowers and therefore himself grew up with wine cultivation. Rather, it is because he has worked for nearly three decades in different wine laboratories. But since wine under laboratory conditions obviously was not sufficient for him, he also now produces wine himself – at the Thomas Pichler Estate Winery in Caldaro.

The question that immediately comes to mind with such a career is: how does the know-how from the laboratory get transferred into practice? And the answer from Pichler is surprising: “With winemaking, I do not depend very much upon theory,” he says, “but rather with all of my decisions, I rely upon feeling, upon my nose and mouth.” In the end, it is not about bottling some trendy wine with all sorts of aids, but rather producing independent wines that are characteristic for the variety, area, and grower.
 The winegrower places correspondingly great value upon the selection of variety, whereby his heart lies above all else with indigenous grapes and classic wines.

Thus Lago di Caldaro and Lagrein make up nearly half of the production, followed by Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. And with sales, as well, Pichler follows the long-established routes. His wines are sold at the winery, at select wine bars, and to dining establishments.

The Laimburg Provincial Winery in Vadena is the estate winery of the Province of Alto Adige. It has a whole series of vineyards in every winegrowing region in the province, and it is affiliated with the Laimburg Research Center for agriculture and forestry. So its task is not just to produce outstanding wines, but also to test new paths for Alto Adige winegrowing.

In total, the Laimburg Provincial Winery manages around 20 hectares of grape growing areas at elevations from 200 to 750 meters. “For us, the main focus of our work is maintaining and improving the quality of grapes and wine,” explains winemaker Urban Piccolruaz, “and, in so doing, it is necessary to test simple methods of management that save time and costs.”

From the grapes that are grown that way, around 90,000 bottles of wine are made every year. A portion of them, the estate wines, are traditional vintage wines that are typical of the grape variety. “The Burgselektion wines, on the other hand, are individual and aged primarily in large oak barrels or else they are select wines,” Piccoluraz says.

Since the early 1990s, barrels and bottles have been stored in a special cellar. “The opportunity basically presented itself to create the cellar in the porphyry rock of the Monte di Mezzo,” the winemaker reminisces. In retrospect, this unconventional decision proved itself to be doubly advantageous: on one hand, a cellar was built in which the naturally constant room temperature prevails, while on the other hand, a huge amount of money could be saved in comparison to the classic new construction of a cellar. And because the Laimburg Provincial Winery is in fact just that, the winery of the province, the taxpayers were grateful.

Creating a typical wine: it sounds simple, but it’s actually highly complex. Because “Typical wines have to reflect the uniqueness of the grapevine, the soil, the microclimate, the people, the location, and the specific vintage,” says Hansjörg Donà, who is responsible for his family’s Donà Estate Winery in San Paolo.

Therefore, anyone who wants to create typical wines has to not only be familiar with the location, soil, and climate down to the last detail, but also know which grape variety feels especially at home where. At the Donà Estate Winery in San Paolo (in the community of Appiano), the decision was made for Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Blanc, and the indigenous varieties of Schiava and Lagrein. “The foundation of our wines is formed by the traditional grape varieties,” Donà explains.

The harvest also takes place traditionally. The grapes of the Donà Estate Winery are harvested by hand – with a great deal of commitment, help from the family, and particular attention to quality. “We focus on top-quality grapes, gentle and modern winemaking technology, and long-term, sustainable planning,” explains the winegrower, who brings his many years of experience and all of his wine know-how into the winery. The goal of the efforts is authentic wines with an independent character which, both with white wines and red wines, are aged in 500 liter medium-sized oak barrels.

The aging is also a part of creating an authentic, typical wine. Which sounds simple, as was said, but is actually highly complex.

Two friends, three locations, one project: with the Pföstl Estate Winery in Scena, Stefan Pföstl and Georg Weger have fulfilled a common childhood dream. Weger takes care of the vineyards and the winery, while Pföstl handles sales – including in the Schenna Resort that he runs. In addition to the fact that the foundation of the Pföstl Estate Winery is based upon a sandbox friendship, there are above all else three thoroughly different locations that distinguish the estate winery. Thus there are grape growing areas in Merano, Scena, Lana, and Pochi that are managed, all of which take advantage of a great deal of sun and heat.

Each of these locations has a different climate and different soils and exposures and is therefore ideal for different grape varieties. “The fact that the whole is more than the sum of its parts also holds true for wine,” says Pföstl. “It is the interplay of soil, variety, weather, and human labor.”

A large part of this work takes place in the vineyard and in the winery, “With passion and honesty,” as both Pföstl and Weger emphasize. It is thanks to the variety in locations that such a conceivably wide product line of wines has been established at the Pföstl Estate Winery. It ranges from Merlot, Cabernet, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Grigio to Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Noir and all the way to the special Merano spa treatment grape, Schiava Grossa. Also in the range of the winery are two sparkling wines produced according to the classic method: A Blanc de Blancs and a Rosé sparkling wine.