Engadiner
Wines, located in Gleno in the municipality of Montagna, is a fairly young wine
estate—in more than just one way: Under the brand “Engadiner Wines,” the Zelger
family started to produce wines, each of them imbued with a distinctly unique
character, from their own grapes as recently as in 2021. And the Zelgers
themselves are still young both in age and spirit and turned their hobbies – nature,
agriculture, and wine – into a family business.
The
Engadiner Wines wine estate has two locations. One of them is the family estate
in Gleno, a location most famous for its Pinot Noir. Located in the south
of Alto Adige at an altitude of 650 meters, their vineyards benefit
from intense sunshine during the day and cooler temperatures at night. These
fluctuations in temperature produce fresh, elegant wines.
The
estate’s second location is their wine gardens in Ora, located at the valley
floor, where Lukas Zelger mainly grows Lagrein, as the soils rich in porphyry
and the comparably high temperatures are especially beneficial for this
variety.
In
addition to their varietal Pinot Noir and Lagrein, the Engadiner Wines
estate also offers a Kerner characteristic for the variety. “It is our
philosophy to produce wines typical of the terroir and true to our standard,”
explains Lukas Zelger.