Wineries in South Tyrol

Founded in 1960, the Colterenzio winery is one of the youngest winegrowers’ cooperative in Alto Adige. In 1960, 26 winegrowers founded their own winery to be more independent – and named it after the hamlet they came from: Schreckbichl in German, Colterenzio in Italian. These winegrowers can be considered rebels but at the same time pioneers for right after the foundation of their own winery they were setting the course towards quality.

Today, 300 winegrowers together with the people working at Colterenzio continued this path.

The winegrowers grow their grapes on a total of 300 hectares; the vineyards are located in one of the best wine growing areas of Alto Adige, on altitudes from 230 to 650 meters. 14 different varieties are cultivated. 35% of the wines at Colterenzio are red, 65% are white. The Colterenzio winery cares about the environment, not only in the vineyards, but also in the cellar. In the vineyard this means sustainable viticulture and handpicked grapes. In the winery itself most of the electric energy used in the winery is supplied by a photovoltaic installation, 100% of the electric power is certified green and 70% of hot water requirements is provided by solar panels and a heat recovery system.

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.”

In 1907, Josef Hofstätter founded a winery in Termeno which has developed today into the largest family estate winery in all of Alto Adige. Although the designation “Alto Adige” restricts the sphere of activity of J. Hofstätter too much, since the view of the Foradori family that runs it does in fact extend beyond the provincial borders. Far beyond.

Areas of cultivation of 50 hectares in the west and the east of the Bassa Atesina, in the south of Trentino and, as the first winegrower from Italy, even to the Saarland in Germany are tended under the direction of Martin Foradori and the J. Hofstätter brand. But no matter how broad the sphere of activity is, the philosophy always remains the same: “In Alto Adige, Hofstätter has been the forerunner with the idea of location, and thus the orientation that wines should taste like the location in which the grapes mature,” Foradori explains.

Soils, climate, elevation: all of these should be reflected by the wines of J. Hofstätter. “Seven of our wines carry the Vigna designation of origin, a rating that is comparable to the French ‘Grand Cru,’” says Foradori, who traces the idea of location back to a simple piece of wisdom: “When the grape variety and the location interact, a unique wine comes into existence.”

Added to that is a gentle working of the vineyards, which has a long traditions at J. Hofstätter: “Early on, we made use of a gentle kind of vine pruning, minimized the interventions, and let healthy, strong grapevines grow,” the winegrower explains. And there is also an obligation with the selection of varieties. They focus on local grapes: Pinot Blanc, Lagrein, Schiava, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Noir.

In the late 1980s, Franz Pratzner took a risky step. He turned his back on solid fruit growing and transformed his operation to focus completely on wine. He turned an apple farm into the Falkenstein Estate Winery in Naturno.

If Pratzner is asked why he replaced his last apple trees with grapevines in 1989, he make reference to a societal development. “Just like others, I realized at that time that wine had gone from being a routine food accompaniment to a gourmet item and for that reason, other wines were coming into demand than was the case before.” By the age of twenty, he had already made his first own wine and felt the fascination that comes from the profession of being a winegrower. “It has to be more than just a job,” he says. “Only then will challenging wines be successful.”

Today, the Pratzner family of the Falkenstein Estate Winery manages no fewer than 12 hectares of grape growing areas at elevations between 550 and 900 meters which are planted with Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Noir, but first and foremost Riesling. The entire harvest is made into wine in their own winery – according to Pratzner’s own philosophy: “Wines are like children,” he says. “During their development, they both need support until they are mature enough to assert themselves on their own.”

Thus at the Falkenstein Winery, 90,000 bottles are made every year which are now sold all over the globe and also brought to the table at their own Buschenschank farmhouse inn. So the risky step from fruit to wine has proven to be worthwhile. Especially for the guests.

At 1,200 meters above sea level, Arunda is the highest sparkling wine cellar in Europe. The winery was founded in 1979 in Mölten, a mountain village on the Tschögglberg plateau. Since then, the cellar has exclusively produced South Tyrolean sparkling wine using the traditional method, with aging periods ranging from at least three years up to 10 years on the lees. Since 2023, the winery has been led by oenologist Wolfgang Tratter, who is redefining the cellar with clear new accents.

At Arunda, sparkling wine is made exclusively using the traditional method — known as Metodo Classico. This means the secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle, followed by slow, natural aging on the lees. The sparkling wines mature at a constant cool temperature of around 15°C in the alpine cellar.

The grapes — Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Noir — come from high-quality, carefully selected vineyards, ranging from Salorno to Terlan, Eppan Berg, and even into the Vinschgau valley. After separate fermentation of the base wines in stainless steel tanks and oak barrels, the base wines are blended just before the sparkling wine production, resulting in a wide spectrum of expressive cuvées. The winery produces around 120,000 bottles per year: elegant, complex sparkling wines from the classic Brut to Pas Dosé, Blanc de Blancs, Rosé, and a range of Riserva with even longer aging.

Each bottle is an expression of alpine character and artisanal passion.

“At Arunda, we honor years of experience. My goal is to continuously refine the character while also creating space for new ideas and exciting interpretations,” says Tratter.

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.

When Lake Caldaro is mentioned, those whose ears perk up are not just people who love a beautiful landscape, but above all else wine connoisseurs. At the Rösslhof, both will completely find what they are after: the former thanks to the ideal location of the estate winery right on the lake, and the latter because of the outstanding wines that are made at the winery.

It is Emma Ambach Psenner who has taken over the baton there and leads the estate winery today, which has been run by her family for generations. Building on this tradition, what is found in the product line of the Rösslhof are above all else the classic varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Schiava, and Lagrein. And for these, one clear guiding principle holds true: “It is a priority for us to best reflect the special landscape of Lake Caldaro, the location, and the climate in our wines,” the winegrower says.

Wine connoisseurs can best be convinced that this is successful right on site. After all, the Rösslhof runs its own farmhouse wine bar at which it is possible not only to taste your way through the entire product line, but also enjoy doing so with traditional Tyrolean home cooking. And if the wines from Emma Psenner turn out to be convincing, they can be purchased at the winery shop. And whoever would like to know how they are made will enjoy an excursion through the vineyards. Nothing is left out in terms of what plays a role in the world of winegrowing.

With 50 hectares of grape growing areas, the Manincor Estate Winery in Caldaro is one of the largest in all of Alto Adige. And also one with some of the richest traditions: grapes have been grown here for more than four hundred years, a tradition which Count Michael Goëss-Enzenberg continues – along new paths that are actuality old.

Count Goëss-Enzenberg, who is himself a trained oenologist, has focused on biodynamic cultivation in his estate winery since 2005, and that means: the revitalization of the soil with compost, special sowing of greenery, allowing chickens, sheep, and bees in the vineyard, and last but not least creating herbal teas with which the grapevines are treated. Chamomile helps the plants to overcome situations of stress, stinging nettle tea gives them energy, and horsetail herb supports the healing of injuries.

But as old as the knowledge about cultivation is at the Manincor Estate Winery in Kaltern, that’s how modern the winery is, which was built underground three stories below the vineyards. In the end, the grapes from a half million vines are brought together here, and a total of fifteen different grape varieties are made into wine here. But in spite of the size, the work in the winery is still always work by hand – with a particular attention to small scale: “Also trying and doing our best possible work even down to the smallest detail is our path to the highest natural quality,” says Count Goëss-Enzenberg. Because, “For me, wine is the greatest sensory expression of agricultural culture.”

And at the Manincor Estate Winery in Caldaro, they know their way around with focus on the senses, with passion, with authenticity, and with heart. For more than four hundred years. After all, a free translation of Manincor is “hand on heart. ”

An estate from the thirteenth century and an import from Rhineland Palatinate: the Rielingerhof in Collalbo on the Renon plateau is over eight hundred years old, but only since 2011 has the grape harvest been made into wine at the estate, including Riesling. Winegrower Matthias Messner learned to love it during his years of apprenticeship in Rhineland Palatinate in Germany. And this import from the Rhine has found outstanding conditions here.

As early as the beginning of the thirteenth century, the Rielingerhof in Siffiano, a district of Collalbo on the Renon plateau, was first mentioned in a document. A wine pressing stone from that time is still in the farmhouse – as testimony to the 800 year-old tradition of winegrowing at the estate, which came into the possession of the Messner family in 1956.

And now it is Matthias Messner who holds the reins here. He learned the art of winemaking both in Alto Adige and in Germany. “From the Rhineland, I brought along my love of Riesling, which brings forth such noteworthy quality on these mineral-rich soils,” Messner says. And what provides this is not only the soils, which are ideal for fruity wines with mineral tones, but also the elevation of the two hectare vineyards (at 750 meters!), the southern exposure of the mountainside, and last but not least their slope. “It reaches up to 75 percent,” Messner explains.

In such extreme locations, work by hand is required, added to which Messner manages his Rielingerhof in Collalbo purely organically. All of the wines that originate here are certified organic: the white Blatterle, Müller Thurgau, and Kerner, and the red Schiava and Zweigelt.

Up until 1932, there were no fewer than five wineries in the winegrowing village of Caldaro. United under the umbrella of the Cantina Kaltern since 2016, the 590 members of the cooperative tend grape growing areas of 440 hectares and now produce around 4 million bottles of wine per year.

“Our cooperative is one big family,” emphasizes Christian Sinn, general manager of the Cantina Kaltern. “It holds together the many small family winegrower structures, guarantees quality and safety, and gives its members the opportunity of participating in something great.” Bringing forth this “greatness” is a complex undertaking. It is necessary to coordinate all of the members from the pruning of the vines to education and training and to commit them to the winery’s quality policy. That, in turn, includes having to establish and inspect the yield goals for around two thousand plots.

All of that in order to create the best conditions for the best wines. Within that context, the production supports above all else five leading varieties. These are – hardly astonishing – Schiava in the form of Lago di Caldaro, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Yellow Muscat for the noble sweet Passito.

But it doesn’t matter which wines are being made or which grape varieties are being grown. For the Cantina Kaltern, the uppermost maxim that is followed both in the vineyard and the winery is sustainability. Thus the winery is the first wine producer in Italy and the first cooperative anywhere to be awarded with the Certification of Sustainability by FAIR ‘N GREEN. And with around 15 hectares that are managed biodynamically, the Cantina Kaltern has also taken on the role of forerunner in this area among cooperative wineries.

A tradition that goes back to 1764, when the Campi estate was built on the site of our current winery. Nals Winery was founded in 1932 and with the merge of Margreid Winery in 1985, Nals Margreid was established. The vineyards are distributed throughout 14 areas with a total of 160 hectares cultivated by 138 wine-growing families between Nalles in the Adige Valley and Magré in the southern part of Alto Adige. Because of this, the Nals Margreid Winery draws from the unique potential of the entire region along the right bank of the Adige. In this very particular strip of land, at elevations between 200 and 900 meters, the grapes mature with multilayered terroirs, each having its own soil composition, microclimate, and sunshine.

The protective arc of the Alps to the north, the Mediterranean influences from the south, the 1,800 hours of sunshine each year, and temperature differentials between day and night of up to 20° C allow the grapes to thrive with unique characters that reflect their terroirs in the flavor spectrum of Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir: from Alpine-fresh to fruity-elegant. The demand for quality and uniqueness is also expressed in the architecture of the winery building at the Nals Margreid Winery. Reddish-brown exposed concrete walls rise up nine meters into the sky. In between is the barrique cellar with the small oak casks, spanned by a colossal, asymmetrically folded roof.

With the careful restoration of the old manor into the headquarters and the “1764” wine bar, the synthesis of the historical buildings with the international prizewinning contemporary architecture has achieved perfection. This is where the wines of the Nals Margreid Winery can be experienced with professional sommelier advice at various levels. These include, for example, Sirmian, which was crowned as the Best White Wine in All of Italy by the renowned Italian wine guide Vini d’Italia from Gambero Rosso.

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.

Wine may not be the drink of the gods, but it is always the drink of the church. And that also becomes clear through the history of the Biedermannhof in Cermes. For centuries, it was in the possession of various convents and monasteries and provided them with their wine for mass. Today, fruity white wines and full-bodied red wines come from its winery.

For more than two hundred years, the Biedermannhof in Cermes has been in the possession of the Innerhofer family, and today it is Hannes Innerhofer who runs the winegrowing operation with its deep roots. The farm was already mentioned in a document as early as the fourteenth century; as property of the convent of the order of St. Clare in Merano. The estate winery then changed owners again and again, although the proprietors always remained convents and monasteries to which the Biedermannhof provided their drinking and mass wine.

Today, the ecclesiastical sales channel has run dry, and the Biedermannhof in Cermes has turned into a normal private estate winery. One in which great value is placed upon maintaining the biological balance in the vineyard. “Planting greenery between the rows of grapevines helps, for instance, to regulate the air and water balance in the soil, to promote the formation of humus, and to protect against erosion, and it is a welcome habitat for beneficial insects,” Hannes Innerhofer explains.

This method of management, along with the sedimentary soils, the southeastern exposure of the vineyards, and the relatively low elevation (350 meters), leaves its traces in the wines of the Biedermannhof. Thus the white wines are fruity and mineral-rich, while the red wines present themselves as deep and full-bodied.
Are the centuries of divine presence to be thanked for that? God only knows...

In the heart of Santa Maddalena lies the Waldgries manor in Bolzano. It was mentioned in a document for the first time in 1242, and is therefore one of the oldest estate wineries in and around Bolzano.

Winegrowing has been carried out here for around 700 years. In the sundrenched vineyards that lie directly at Waldgries Manor, the grape varieties of Schiava, Lagrein, and Red Muscat find the best terroir thanks to the Mediterranean climate. Among the total of 7.2 hectares which Christian Plattner tends are also grape growing areas in Ora and Appiano-Monte, in the latter of which are planted Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Blanc. The results are multilayered wines, not least of which is Santa Maddalena which is given particular attention here and which is in fact among the wines of Alto Adige with the richest tradition and the most significant history.

A piece of new old history is written by the Antheos Santa Maddalena classico, a mixed vinestock that had nearly died out which was newly planted here around ten years ago and allows us to experience a voyage into the past in a bottle. On the artistically arranged wine path that leads directly from the parking lot through the estate, visitors can experience everything that is interesting and worth knowing about Waldgries Manor.

Sometimes it’s best to let figures speak for themselves. With the Cornaiano Winery, for instance, which was founded in 1923 as a cooperative, today two hundred winegrowing families cultivate 230 hectares of grape growing area and concentrate on five varieties. Figures that are impressive but do not tell the whole story.
They don’t say everything, for example, about the Oltradige and Bassa Atesina, those zones in which the vineyards of the Cornaiano Cooperative Winery are located. Protected to the north and open to the south, a mild climate dominates here. “The high temperature differentials between day and night, above all else in the autumn, lend the wines a fine, prominent aroma and the capability to last long,” explains winemaker Gerhard Kofler. Infertile gravel as well as loamy soils and vineyards with a good airflow make their contribution.

“Starting out from these characteristics of our area of cultivation, our focus is on five leading varieties,” says Kofler: with the white wines, these are Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay, and with the reds Schiava and Pinot Noir. It is above all the latter which has bestowed great international attention upon the Cornaiano Winery, winning praise year after year from leading wine critics.

This recognition, along with the mineral-rich freshness, fruity structure, and prominent authenticity have led to the wines of the Cornaiano Winery having acquired a worldwide market, being sold in no fewer than thirty countries in the world. What are esteemed are wines with character or, as Kofler puts it, down-to-earth top wines.

The name of the farm originates from the Middle Ages, but Hännsl am Ort in Lana has only been an estate winery since 2003. At that time, the Kerschbamer family decided to give winegrowing a chance – and to bring their own wines to the market by themselves.

With winegrowing, the family decided to provide their farm with an even broader economic foundation. Earlier on, this already consisted of apple and asparagus growing, and grapes were added shortly after the start of the new millennium, with the desire, however, not deliver them to one of the large cooperative wineries, but rather to work with them themselves. “Since that time, we have been growing grapes and making our own wines: whites, reds, rosés, and cuvées,” says Norbert Kerschbamer, winegrower at the Hännsl am Ort Estate Winery in Lana.

With regard to grape varieties, Kerschbamer follows the path that is rich in tradition. He thus focuses on the classic varieties with Schiava and Pinot Noir, Lagrein and Merlot, Pinot Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc. They are made into varietal wines, for instance a fresh Chardonnay, an aromatic Sauvignon Blanc, or a fruity Schiava, which is absolutely the Alto Adige classic.

In contrast, “Ogethn” is Kerschbamer’s name for his cuvée of Merlot and Cabernet grapes with which he has expanded his product line by a deep red wine. The name of the farm may therefore be medieval, but the wines that are produced at the Hännsl am Ort Estate Winery in Lana most definitely are not.

Somewhat below the Marlengo Waalweg path along the irrigation ditch lies the Gruberhof organic estate winery.  This is where Jakob Gamper wields the baton.  The fact that this is the case is anything but by chance, and rather is very much a matter of genes.
When I grow up, I want to be...  Everyone knows the old game, as well as the typical answers: cowboy or astronaut, for example.  With Jakob Gamper, though, it was different.  “When I grow up, I want to be a winemaker,” he already declared to everyone who wanted to hear it as an eight year-old, and then added, “just like my Uncle Leo.”

But in contrast to the self-proclaimed cowboys and astronauts, Jakob actually pursued his desire for his profession in a disciplined way: diploma from the High School of Agriculture, studies in oenology and winemaking, internships in wineries in Tuscany and Germany.  What followed was his return to home at Gruberhof, which he took over in 2015.

Already at that time, and in fact even as early as 1995, the operation had been certified by Bioland and was being operated under organic guidelines, and the young grower Jakob gratefully took up these specifications.  He set his sights on a broad spectrum of varieties, which also contained two fungus-resistant varieties.  “We have them to thank for our mineral-rich and fruity wines Bronner and Mitterberg Rosè,” says Gamper.

On the moraine soils of the Gruberhof at an elevation of 300 to 470 meters, however, the indigenous Alto Adige grape varieties also flourish, along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, from which Gamper makes first-class wines.  Just like Uncle Leo, in fact.

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 term “member” is avoided at the Cantina Tramin, with “co-owner” being preferable when it comes to the 300 winegrowers who form the cooperative. After all, the entire foundation of the winery that was founded in 1998 is based upon its winegrowers, their families, and the 260 hectares of vineyards that they tend.

The vineyards of the inhabitants of Termeno lie at elevations from 250 to 850 meters, and therefore a broad palette of locations, soils, and microclimates can be drawn upon. For the work in the vineyards, there are strict specifications, and at the Cantina Tramin, great value is placed above all else upon the precise timing of the harvest. “Our specifications form the basis for the constantly high quality of our wines, for their extraordinary aroma tones, and the flavor with prominent fruit,” explains winemaker Willi Stürz.

And precisely the prominent fruit also has natural causes, first and foremost the large temperature differentials between day and night. “During the day, the warm, dry Ora wind from Lake Garda blows over our vineyards and prevents the occurrence of rot,” Stürz says. And at night, the temperatures sink to 10 degrees C. and below. The mix of, on one hand, nature being especially gracious and, on the other hand, the care, diligence, and consistency of the co-owners is therefore the Cantina Tramin’s recipe for success, from which the winery’s calling card profits: Gewürztraminer. Thus the Epokale is the first white wine from Italy to score 100 out of 100 points from the Wine Advocate of Robert Parker.

The fact that winegrowing has a great deal to do with tradition becomes clear with the Peter Sölva & Söhne Estate Winery in Caldaro. Since 1731, and thus for ten generations now, wine has been produced here – and it is done so today with the same passion in both the vineyard and the winery. Wines come into existence with an edge – “No mainstream wines,” as Stephan Sölva puts it, who runs the estate winery today.

Twelve hectares of grape growing areas make up the traditional estate winery encompasses, which Sölva describes looking both forward and back equally, “Having a centuries-old history in the wine industry, respecting it, and running it authentically in the present and the future,” this is the hallmark of his estate.
Tradition and authenticity are therefore the keywords according to which the work is done at Sölva, and consistency could be added as a third. Thus Peter Sölva follows his own path that is characterized by consciousness of quality and a broad palette of grape varieties, some of which are unusual for the area: Lagrein, Gewürztraminer, Teroldego, Petit Verdot, Tannat, and Grenache.

The results of this combination are two lines with a very unique signature: the designation “Amitar” is carried by Sölva’s late-harvest wines, while “Desilva” designates terroir wines from old vines. “What is important is that the origin from our vineyards can be noticed in the character of the wine, and that our wines carry the signature of our estate,” Sölva tells us.

As can be seen with this estate winery in Caldaro, that which is new can thus best be combined with tradition. And the results can clearly be seen each time.

With 224 members and 350 hectares of cultivation area in Gries, San Maurizio, Settequerce, S. Giorgio, Cologna, Santa Maddalena, Coste, S. Giustina, and Renon: the great strengths of the Bolzano Winery is its diversity. So in the higher locations that range up to 1,000 meters, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürztraminer dominate, while at the medium elevations, it is Schiava. Further down, Cabernet and Merlot are planted, with Lagrein in the valley areas. The wines are made in the winery building with its futuristic appearance.

In narrowest terms, the Bolzano Winery is relatively young. It was launched in 2001 but is actually the result of a merger between the much older, established Bolzano wineries of Gries and Santa Maddalena. For that reason, tradition holds a major emphasis from the members, as does managing their often steep vineyards in a sustainable manner that is close to nature. “Working the soils and grapevines in a gentle manner is an important matter to our winegrowers,” says President Philipp Plattner.

In the meantime, the caution and prudence does not stop in the vineyard, but continues on in the winery. It is the first one in all of Italy to have been awarded the “KlimaHaus Wine” quality seal for energy efficiency and sustainability. Even in the winery, the focus is on slowing things down. That is where winemaker Stephan Filippi wields the baton and explains, “Because the processing takes place according to the principle of gravitation, the grapes are transformed in the most gentle way.” The result is unique, unmistakable quality wines. And great variety which in and of itself is worth a closer look.

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.

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.”

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.

A winery has existed in Novacella since 1142, and thus the monastery winery is one of the oldest active wineries in the world. In addition, it is one of the most important in the Valle Isarco and the representative of an outstanding white wine area.

Within that context, the assortment on offer by the monastery winery is in fact primarily white but not exclusively so.

“Some 70 percent of our production is white wines: Sylvaner, Müller Thurgau, Kerner, and Riesling that grow from the Bressanone valley basin up to 900 meters,” says winemaker Celestino Lucin. The care and prudence that he practices hold true not just in the winery, but through a large number of additional circles. Thus the winegrowers work their vineyards in a sustainable manner, and the entire winery works in a CO2-neutral way.

Even if the Novacella Monastery Winery is renowned above all else for its white wines, the red varieties do indeed also play a role. They make up 30 percent of the production, whereby the grapes do indeed grow in vineyards belonging to the monastery, but not in and around Bressanone. “The climate would be too harsh for them,” Lucin is convinced. His Schiava, Pinot Noir, and Red Muscat thus have their origins in Bolzano and Cornaiano.

But it doesn’t matter whether it is red or white: the calling card of the monastery winery has been and remains the Praepositus line. And because that is the case, it is at the same time also an homage to the leader. Praepositus is the Latin word for the provost, and thus the abbot of the monastery.

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.

Creating long-lasting, multilayered wines with character: that is the goal that is pursued in the Cantina Terlano. Its roots as a cooperative winery date back to 1893. Tradition therefore plays just as central of a role in the grape and wine production as new knowledge and modern technology do.

Some 143 members belong to the Terlano cooperative winery today. They tend no fewer than 190 hectares of vineyards that profit from a very particular soil. “The Petersbach stream created a mud and scree cone in Terlano which distinguishes itself by a high coarse portion of stones and sand and which therefore warms up very easily,” explains winemaker Rudi Kofler.

As head oenologist at the Cantina Terlano, he is responsible for the total number of 1.5 million bottles per year, all of which carry the DOC designation. “White wines represent 70 percent of our production, so the reds don’t even make up a third,” Kofler says. In the white assortment, the Cantina Terlano has above all else Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Grigio, while the reds consist of Lagrein, Pinot Noir, and Merlot.

In order for the white and red wines to be able to mature into long-lasting, multilayered wines with character, which winemaker Kofler has set for himself as a goal, technological upgrades have been enlisted in recent years. Thus the storeroom at the Cantina Terlano has been expanded over time to 18,000 cubic meters. Because great wines need both time and space.

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.