Wijnhuizen in Zuid-Tirol

“My family’s roots are also the foundation of my wines.” With his winegrowing estate in Cortina sulla Strada del Vino, Manuel Taddei has committed to going back to those roots. He is a third-generation winegrower, and he firmly believes that the character of a wine is always influenced by the people working on the estate. And its development, too: “A mix of patience, endurance, and passion helps us to grow continuously and improve our estate,” says Manuel Taddei.

In 2013, he replanted his grandmother’s vineyards in Val di Cembra, which had been lying fallow for more than 50 years—another testament to his return to his roots.

Because it is not just the reuse of old vineyards that is so special, nor is it the “cross-border” cultivation in Cortina in Alto Adige and Val di Cembra in Trentino. What is really special is the location of those vineyards: The area under vines of newly planted Müller-Thurgau is located at approximately 900 meters above sea level; the area where Taddei has planted Sauvignon vines, at approximately 750 meters. Taddei’s range of varieties is completed by Chardonnay.

2022 saw the first harvest brought in at the Manuel Taddei Winegrowing Estate in Cortina sulla Strada del Vino. “We are striving to create extraordinary and harmonious high-quality wines that are full of character,” says Taddei with regard to his philosophy. That also means that the wine is given all the time it needs to mature and unfold its potential. Accordingly, the Müller-Thurgau and Sauvignon wines go on sale one year after the harvest whereas the Chardonnay even takes two and a half years to mature.

 

Having several hundred years of tradition is not extremely rare with Alto Adige estate wineries, but having roots that date back 1,700 years is. In the vineyards of the Baron Widmann Estate Winery in Cortaccia, winegrowing can be traced back to the Romans. And with proof.

In 1977, during clearing work at the estate, remnants from Roman times were stumbled upon, including wooden parts of a grapevine which, with the help of findings of coins, could be dated back to the period around 300 AD.

The history of the estate winery is therefore a long one, not least because the conditions for a vineyard here are ideal. The vineyards of the Baron Widmann Estate Winery in Cortaccia are located between 220 and 600 meters of elevation on sunny, at times steep slopes which, as a result of the different locations, elevations, and soils, each create their own conditions. “We are careful to select the most suitable location for each of the different varieties on the basis of our long tradition and lengthy experience,” explains Andreas Widmann.

As early as the 1960s, the shift was already made at the Baron Widmann Estate Winery from the pergola to the Guyot trellis. “Only with Schiava did we remain with the pergola trellis,” Widmann says. In addition to the indigenous varieties, the warm locations of Cortaccia are also suitable above all else for the Bordeaux varieties, and thus Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, but the assortment also includes Gewürztraminer, Manzoni, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc.

The wines are made at the family manor in the heart of the village of Cortaccia. The venerable building is not as old as Roman times, but parts of it do date back to the Gothic period. And thus the roots do indeed run deep.

Less is enough: Klaus Schroffenegger only needs three short words to describe the philosophy behind the HochKlaus Estate Winery located in Karneid/Cornedo all’Isarco above the city of Bolzano/Bozen. This does not come as much of a surprise, because Klaus has always been a no-nonsense type of guy. “I let nature speak for itself. In my opinion, a winery has a natural cycle that I want to disturb as little as possible,” he says and adds: “I want the finished product to be authentic, honest, and vibrant.”

His parents, who have been tending to the vineyards for many years, laid the foundations for the HochKlaus Estate Winery. Klaus Schroffenegger is more than grateful for all the work they did: “Taking care of a vineyard means investing a lot of time, energy, and patience,” he says, “and having old, healthy vines makes your life considerably easier.”

Thanks to his parents being in the same business, he not only got healthy, strong vines, but also acquired a profound knowledge of the world of wine growing – and when we say “world,“ we mean it literally: Klaus Schroffenegger gathered experience in Australia, the United States, and France before taking over his parents’ business.

His philosophy of “less is enough” is not only his credo out in the vineyards but also down in the cellar. All wines produced at the HochKlaus Estate Winery are subject to spontaneous fermentation, come without any additives, and are not filtered before bottling.

The young winemaker uses clay amphoras to make sure none of the terroir is lost. “Our wines are absolutely vibrant, which perfectly reflects our passion for typicity and our close connection with nature,” says Schroffenegger.

 

Nestled between mountains and orchards, flanked by olive trees and ancient cypresses in the sun-drenched south of South Tyrol, the H. Lentsch winery is located in Branzoll.

About half of the 20-hectare cultivation area of the old estate is vineyards, thriving under optimal conditions due to their location on a large alluvial cone. Porous porphyry soil, which stores warmth during the day and releases it at night, along with natural ice holes, create a unique, natural microclimate.

Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and the classic Lagrein find ideal growing conditions on the warm, sandy-stony soils. In harmony with natural conditions, for generations, the vines have been carefully tended and cultivated through meticulous manual labor.

The distinctive, fruity wines offer the highest enjoyment for discerning palates. The longevity of these wines has inspired the H. Lentsch winery to also fill large formats.

Only grapes from their own vineyards, grown under optimal climatic conditions, are processed for the wines. Full-bodied and powerful, elegant and fresh, they stand out for their longevity.

The name of the Villscheiderhof in Bressanone is derived from the Ladin language and refers to cutting hay with a sickle. Although that continues to grace the coat of arms of the farm, it is not used so often with winegrowing. At the Villscheiderhof, they focus on the white wine tradition of the Valle Isarco.

Since 1997, Florian Hilpold has run the Villscheiderhof in Bressanone, which he took over from his father, with its steep vineyards with southern and eastern exposures. “The soils here at an elevation of 700 meters are rocky, low in lime, not fertile, and water-permeable, and they produce very interesting wines,” says the winegrower.

The wines to which Florian and also his son Meinrad refer are first and foremost white, primarily Sylvaner, Kerner, and Riesling, which are typical varieties for the Valle Isarco. Some 25,000 bottles leave the winery each year, with part of the production being served up in the family’s own inn which was set up in 2004 in the Villscheiderhof’s former barn. Anyone who tastes the estate’s own wine there will notice that it is a fresh, fruity, elegant white wine with a good sugar to acidity balance. Winegrower Hilpold’s particular pride, though, is the late harvest passito from the Villscheiderhof. “It tastes like honey and candied fruits, an unending reverberation in the nose, an extraordinary combination of roasting aromas and the perfect sugar-acidity relationship,” says Hilpold, describing this particular wine.

When winegrowers go into raptures...

Are you a wine connoisseur? Then we have a game for you! We’ll give you the address of an estate winery and you tell us the grape varieties that are planted there. Impossible, you think? Well, then let’s start with the Steidlerhof in Bolzano. It can be found at via Santa Maddalena di Sopra, 1. Now you’ve got it, right?

We thought so! In Santa Maddalena above Bolzano, it’s easy to pick up two points with the types of grape varieties. After all, the wine which has made the name of the village renowned far beyond the borders of the province consists of around nine tenths Schiava and a small component of Lagrein.

And in its assortment on offer, it goes without saying that the Steidlerhof – located at via Santa Maddalena di Sopra, 1, you will recall – has a classic Santa Maddalena. But the Gasser family also brings other wines to the market. “We make a typical Sauvignon Blanc, for example, a dry Yellow Muscat, a full-bodied Muscaris, and a velvety Lagrein,” explains Rudi Gasser, who runs the Steidlerhof today.

The Gasser family has provided the historical farmhouse with a broad foundation. Growing grapes and making wine are not the only activity. Rather, the Gassers also operate a Buschenschank farmhouse inn and rent out vacation apartments. Both are able to take advantage of the location of the Steidlerhof high above Bolzano and from the view that can be enjoyed here: of the Dolomites, of the sea of houses of the provincial capital, and last but not least of the vineyards of Santa Maddalena.

And you know what’s growing there, right?

“Working with nature means making compromises, compromises between acting and letting go. This balancing act is our daily challenge.” Since 2011, Marlies and Martin Abraham have been walking along this narrow tightrope. Since that time, they have been growing grapes themselves in the vineyards of the Abraham Estate Winery in San Michele-Appiano, saying, “If we are successful with the balancing act, then great wines emerge.”

For these “great wines”, we can also thank the variety of locations that the Abraham Estate Winery has. Their vineyards are scattered between San Paolo, San Michele, and Cornaiano at elevations from 450 to 700 meters. And because every vineyard has its own special features, the Abrahams have seen to it that only the most suited grape varieties grow in each one.

And with the selection of them, they also go back to tradition. Thus the vineyard above San Paolo has been planted for more than sixty years with Pinot Blanc. The grapevines in Appiano also have deep roots. In the hamlet of Weißhaus, the grandfather of today’s operator had already planted Pinot Blanc as early as 1955. And the small-berried Schiava grapes also grow between Appiano and Cornaiano on vines that are more than fifty years old.

So time seems to play a particular role at the Abraham Estate Winery. Because they take their time not only in the vineyards, but also inside the winery. Particular attention is paid to time: that, too, is part of the balancing act between acting and letting go.

If the search is for three terms that most accurately describe the Unterhofer Estate Winery in Pianizza di Sopra, they would indeed be: tied to nature, determined, and family-run.

Let’s start with the term “family-run”: the Unterhofer Estate Winery is a family operation, and thus one in which not only has the operating family given its name by bearing the brunt of the work on their own shoulders, the wines that come into existence here are also imprinted with their very own stamp. At the same time, the term “family-run” describes a second aspect: the manageability, that “good things come in small packages”.

The term “tied to nature” fits the Unterhofer Estate Winery because the entire philosophy is oriented toward this. “We work our largely very steep, airy slopes as close to nature as possible,” explains winegrower Thomas Unterhofer, “and we also view ourselves as caretakers of the landscape.”

Landscape caretakers who in any case also produce wine with passion. And, in so doing, have clear goals in focus – so “determined”. Thus the motto applies in the winery to also bring the high grape quality that was achieved in the vineyards into the bottles. The results are expressive wines which, with the exception of Schiava, are for the most part white: Kerner, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Blanc. “Our wines are character wines,” Unterhofer adds, “unique, reflective of their vintage, and with a very personal signature.”

Eight hectares, eight grape varieties. Well, this correspondence may well be purely coincidental, but otherwise Andreas Huber at the Pacherhof in Novacella near Bressanone leaves little up to chance. Rather, what reigns here are competence, commitment, passion, and the heritage of wine pioneers.

One of them was Josef Huber, the grandfather of Andreas who runs the estate today. Both have wine in their blood, as the Hubers’ Pacherhof in Novacella has existed since 1142. For his part, Grandpa Josef undertook quite a number of voyages of discovery on which he came across the knowledge that for the soils and steep slopes of the Valle Isarco, Sylvaner, Pinot Grigio, and Gewürztraminer would be the most suitable grape varieties. He was the first one to focus on Kerner, and today the assortment of wines from the Valle Isarco cannot be imagined without it.

But Andreas Huber does not follow in these admittedly big footsteps without preparation. He went and got educated at the Veitshöchheim winemaking school near Würzburg, Germany and today, with his competence and know-how, he sets the tone in the vineyard and winery.

Under Huber’s leadership, dry wines are created today at the Pacherhof in Novacella with a prominent fruit and a definite mineral quality. “In order for the characteristics of the vines and the earth to be maintained, we focus on gentle processing and intentionally avoid maturation in small oak casks,” explains the winegrower-slash-winemaker.

The legacy of his grandfather is therefore still alive today, even in the selection of varieties. So what grows at the Pacherhof in addition to Müller Thurgau, Grüner Veltliner, and Pinot Grigio are also Riesling and Sylvaner. And, of course, Kerner. In Grandpa’s name.

The fact that the vacation apartments at the Santlhof in Cortaccia carry the names for “Sauvignon Blanc”, “Chardonnay”, and “Pinot Blanc” is in no way a coincidence. Not only does the Santlhof lie in the middle of vineyards on a sunny terrace high above the valley, wine is also produced here which can be tasted, among other locations, in the estate’s own Buschenschank farmhouse inn.

The history of the Santlhof in Cortaccia goes way back. It already appeared in documents as early as 1547, and specifically in a purchase document. At that time, a certain Matheus Trientner purchased the farmhouse, which was then to have numerous owners in the course of the centuries. Since 1994, it has been in the possession of Georg Mayr, who renovated it from the ground up in 1996 and also runs it today as a winegrowing estate, farmhouse inn, and farm holiday operation.

With his total of 1.5 hectares of vineyards, Mayr focuses on management that is as close to nature as possible, and specifically not just at the estate that is located at an elevation of 585 meters, but also at three other locations which Mayr works. With Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, the vineyards around the farmhouse are the white wine cultivation area of the Santlhof. The red palette, on the other hand, grows with Cabernet and Schiava in the vineyards around Cortaccia and Lake Caldaro.

Thus at the Santlhof in Cortaccia, virtually the entire palette of locations is exploited which the Bassa Atesina has to offer. It’s best to just taste your way through them.

Interested can see at the show destillery very closely as fine noble fires originate. They get to know like aromas from very best fruit into the fires are integrated and of course(naturally) the fuel process is explained(declared) to you in detail. And you will learn the different smells.

Less is more – at least sometimes. For that reason, the Gojer family restrict themselves with their estate winery Glögglhof in Santa Maddalena above Bolzano to doing only what is necessary and otherwise giving their wines peace. Peace and enough time to be able to develop.

The Glögglhof Estate Winery is a small, family-run operation that is located right in the heart of the Santa Maddalena winegrowing zone which is blessed with a long tradition. Here, just a bit above the provincial capital of Bolzano, every detail counts, Franz Gojer is convinced: “Every single step of the work, be it in the vineyard or in the cellar, makes it possible for us to have an influence upon the results. In the end, the bottled wine is nothing other than the sum of all of these steps.”

And with all of the steps that the Gojers take, the consideration of nature and care are in the topmost position. “We act according to the principle that quality originates in the vineyard,” says the winegrower of the Glögglhof Estate Winery in Bolzano.

His minimalistic approach then comes to fruition in the winery. “We restrict ourselves to the most necessary of interventions and give the wine time to develop,” Gojer explains. In that way, authentic wines that are typical to the location are created at the Glögglhof, at the same time elegant and harmonious. “We are constantly trying to safeguard the character of the origin and the differences between the vintages,” Gojer says, “and thus with their unadulterated character, our wines distinguish themselves from industrial wines or wines that are only good at the tasting bar.”

The Kreithof below the ruins of Leuchtenburg Castle is the heart of the Nicolussi-Leck Estate Winery in Caldaro. The estate itself originated in the thirteenth century, but the winery, with several floors and perfectly built right into the hillside, is highly modern. At the Kreithof, the symbiosis between old and new has thus been successful.

The Kreithof is around 800 years old, and for somewhat more than a century, it has been in the possession of the Nicolussi-Leck family which originally came from the village of Luserna in Trentino. During the First World War, they moved to Lake Caldaro, where they made use of the perfect conditions for winegrowing to build the family’s own estate winery. Today, Jakob Nicolussi-Leck and his family tend six hectares of vineyards at an elevation of 350 meters. “Our locations are extremely varied,” says Nicolussi-Leck. “We can choose from slopes facing east, south, or west for the ideal orientation for each grape variety.”

Added to the ideal exposure are a mild climate, a constant breeze from the south, warm, loamy sandy soils, and last but not least the family’s know-how. That led in the 2010s to the decision to make wine themselves from the estate’s own grapes. To do so, a highly modern winery was integrated into the hillside – with all of the advantages that location and technology can offer. The 2017 vintage was the first one to be made into wine at the Kreithof. “The processing of the grapes takes place only with the help of gravity,” explains the winegrower at the Nicolussi-Leck Estate Winery in Caldaro. But the wine is aged not in the modern winery, but in the historical cellar of the Kreithof. The traditional and the modern: at the Nicolussi-Leck Estate Winery, they meld together into perfection.

In 2005 Andreas Sölva takes over the parental vineyard in “Kaltern/Caldaro”; Since 2007 he vinifies his own wines, as “Garage vintner and individualist”  he´s aspiring to demonstrate the uniqueness and variety of the region around the lake Caldaro. He follows the evolution of the grapes, supporting the natural processes and focuses his work exclusively on quality. His goal is to
harvest them at their best state or ripeness. The vineyards are located in and around “Kaltern/Caldaro”. The “Riegel Pulvernoa” (around 300m. a.s.l.) is planted with 80 to 100 year-old vine grape varieties of “Großand Mittervernatsch” and part of it is planted with Cabernet Franc and Tannat. On the “Riegel Barleit” (around 400m. a.s.l.) I am cultivating exclusively “Weissburgunder”
(pinot Blanc). The third site (around 420m. a.s.l.) lies in the district of “Oberplanitzing” and since 2008 it is planted with “Riesling”.

For three generations, the Andergassen family has been making wine in the wine cellar of the Steflhof estate in Caldaro, and two of them are still at the helm even today: the senior with a watchful eye on tradition, and the junior with one on innovation. But it doesn’t matter whether it is father or son: the credo at the Steflhof is that a vintage already has its beginning in the vineyard. “That is where the bouquet and the individuality of the wine are decided,” explains Georg Andergassen.

So it is certainly no wonder how much value the Andergassens place upon the leaf trimming, but above all else on a strict reduction of harvest quantities and the correct harvest time. “Hitting these is a challenge every year,” says Georg. And this challenge is only to be met with a great deal of knowledge and experience, just as a great deal of experience and knowledge about the taste of the customers is needed in order to find the right time for pumping, blending, and bottling.

The fact that the Andergassens have the right knack for this is proven by their wines, first and foremost a fruity Chardonnay, a Lake Caldaro superiore with fine tones of almond, and a full-bodied Merlot that is aged in oak barrels. Anyone wishing to be convinced of the constantly high quality of the wines at the Steflhof would do best with a winery tour. And that concludes traditionally – how could it be any different? – with a tasting.

With an area of six hectares, the Jöchler famliy at the Tschiedererhof in Varna grows apples, grapes, and vegetables. The grapes are for the most part processed through a cooperative winery, but they make their own interesting wine from a small portion of them. And what is unusual for the Valle Isarco: they are red.

The community of Varna lies on a south-facing glacial moraine in the Valle Isarco which is known in the wine world for its white wines. Sylvaner, Kerner, Müller-Thurgau, Gewürztraminer: they all find the best conditions here and see to it that the northernmost cultivation zone of Alto Adige has established itself on the winegrowing map.

But at the Tschiedererhof, they swim against the stream. Located for more than 200 years on the western side of the Varna glacial moraine, the estate has been in the possession of the Jöchler family for seven generations. They take care of not only the apple plantation and vegetable beds, but also the vineyard that is located at an elevation of around 600 meters. Within that context, “take care of” does not mean “only” a lot of work. It also means having passion in winegrowing. “On our estate, we tend everything ourselves with heart and soul and offer our products for sale in our farm shop,” the family says.

Processing their own raw materials into quality products runs through all of the agricultural areas that are covered by the Tschiedererhof in Varna. And the grapes are no exception – much to the joy of their red wine friends in the Valle Isarco. Or friends of Valle Isarco red wine.

“My interest is aimed at wines that are not subject to conventions, but rather are proud, or even bold, to display their own character.” Hartmann Donà, head of the estate winery in Cornaiano that bears his name, doesn’t do things halfway. And that can first and foremost be tasted in his wines.

The foundation for a good wine is formed by a thorough understanding, and an interpretation built upon that, of soil, grape varieties, climate, and their interaction. Donà makes reference to that when he says, “Only in that way can unique originals come into existence – with the fine differences from year to year that characterize only unadulterated natural products.”

For Donà, what was therefore necessary first of all was to understand his sunny, airy vineyard at 450 meters above sea level in Cornaiano, the glacial moraine soil that is its base, and the gnarled, 40 to 50 year-old vines. To understand how through careful nurturing that is close to nature, a low number of small-berried, flavorful grapes are produced. And how from them, 35,000 to 40,000 bottles of wine can be created “with elegance and harmony, with Alpine freshness and a mineral-rich quality,” as Donà himself describes his wine.

The winegrower has very obviously understood all of that, and even understood it very well. His wines – Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, and an elegant Lagrein –are regarded as exciting, as wines with depth and breadth, as those for the serious connoisseur. Or, as Donà himself puts it, “Wines that do you good.”

The Pitsch am Bach Estate Winery in Bolzano lies between Santa Giustina and Santa Maddalena, and therefore right where the Santa Maddalena wine originated. And apropos of origins: the farmhouse itself dates back to the fourteenth century, and its first owner was neither a farmer nor the clergy, and not even someone from South Tyrol.

The farm was first mentioned in a document from 1350, and specifically as the property of a banker from Florence named Boccia. Over the course of the centuries, the Italian name that was unusual for South Tyrolean tongues was gradually adapted to the local language usage until “Boccia” turned into “Pitsch”.

Today, Paul Schweigkofler and his family are now the eighth generation to run the Pitsch am Bach Estate Winery. The 3.4 hectares of vineyards lie on slopes with a southwestern exposure at an elevation of around 300 meters on dry alluvial gravel deposits with a high degree of sand and a medium humus content. The best conditions above all else for Lagrein and Schiava from which – it goes without saying! – a classic Santa Maddalena is also made at Pitsch am Bach. In addition to that, Gewürztraminer and Yellow Muscat are also grown.

“We take care of our vines as naturally as possible and with the vinification, as well, we pay attention to traditional techniques,” Schweigkofler adds. So it can be seen that the long history of the farmhouse, the family tradition, and the Santa Maddalena background have all deeply left their mark at Pitsch am Bach in Bolzano. And they reach all the way into the daily work.

OK, we’ll admit it: if someone reads the name of the Vinzig Estate Winery in Bolzano-Cologna, then a German-speaker will immediately begin thinking of a play on words. For example, the name also sounds like a word for “tiny.” But there is nothing tiny about their product line. Let’s just stick with the fact that the sunny slopes above what is today the Guncina Promenade in Bolzano was already called as early as 1333 the “vineyard of paradise”.

And that is precisely the location of the Vinzig Estate Winery of Stefan Veit, who knows to appreciate this privilege. “We live and work in a location that can demonstrate a centuries-long tradition of winegrowing,” says Veit, emphasizing that his estate already appeared for the first time in documents from the thirteenth century. “As a part of this rich history, we want to bring the enthusiasm for wine into today,” says Veit.

This “today” distinguishes itself with no fewer than nine different wines that are created under the Vinzig brand. As single varietal wines, these include a Yellow Muscat, a Lagrein, and a collection of Schiavas: one matured in stainless steel tanks, one in glass carboys, one in small oak casks, and one in large oak barrels (the latter, tellingly enough, carries the name “Paradis”).

Vinzig also has a rosé in their assortment. It is a blend of Vernatsch, Lagrein, and Red Muscat. Like all of the other wines, the rosé at Vinzig is only coarsely filtered before it is bottled. That also holds true for the other cuvées in the product line: a red made from Lagrein, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, and a white with Pinot Blanc, Gewürztraminer, and Sauvignon Blanc. It seems that there are a lot of choices in paradise.

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.

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.

At unusual locations, the focus has to be on unusual varieties. Or, to express it better, on extraordinary varieties. Konrad Delazer and his family do precisely that. At the Häuslerhof in Naz-Sciaves, and thus at the northernmost end of Alto Adige’s winegrowing zone, the Delazers work with Portugieser.

This grape is an old variety, the origins of which have to be sought in what is now Slovenia. It came into existence there as a cross between Blaue Zimmettraube and Green Sylvaner, and today it is a popular grape variety above all else in Southeastern Europe. In Central Europe, on the other hand, its area of cultivation is dwindling more and more. The decision by the Delazer family to work with precisely this variety at their Häuslerhof therefore means: swimming upstream.

Konrad Delazer does this with his wife, Karin – as the former Queen of the Apple Festival, “Her Majesty” – and their children Sabrina and Philipp on at least a part of their area of cultivation, which is situated at an impressive 820 meters above sea level. “We place great emphasis on Portugieser, but we also work with classic white wine varieties such as Müller Thurgau,” Konrad Delazer explains. “In the end, the Valle Isarco is an ideal white wine zone.”

Keeping his manageable vineyard area running matches perfectly with the lifestyle of Konrad Delazer. He may be a passionate winegrower, but for many years, he earned his daily bread as a cook. And in addition to that, Delazer is also something else that is not so frequently thought of with the traditional image of cook and winegrower: a certified mountain bike guide.

The Santerhof is located in Rio Molino, at the entrance to the Val Pusteria, which is better known for its potatoes than for its wine grapes. And yet, The vineyards of the Santerhof are the northernmost in Alto Adige, and the Santerhof itself is the northernmost winery in all of Italy. Resistance is therefore in demand here, including against fungal diseases.

For that reason, the Santerhof focuses on fungus-resistant varieties, and thus on vines that defend themselves with their own power against diseases such as mildew and therefore in normal years don’t need to be treated at all. Even in exceptional years, only organic aids are put to use at the Santerhof, since it has been managed according to organic guidelines since as early as 1991.

So at the Santerhof, they are not so inclined to follow well-trodden paths, but rather to blaze their own trails. That is shown by the organic cultivation, as well as by the concentration on fungus-resistant varieties. “We only grow the grape varieties Bronner and Regent, from which we make the best wines, and since 2008 exclusively in the estate’s own winery,” explains Wilhelm Gasser. The wines are sold almost completely right from the farmhouse.

The special climate, the soil with a high portion of silicate, and the elevation of just under 800 meters above sea level at which the vineyards are located lend the wines from the Santerhof very special flavor tones. Gasser describes his wines as having “sleek acidity, multilayered aromas, and mild tannins.”
Is that how the real Northern Lights taste?

The best grapes, creativity, a love of labor, and a lot of patience: those are the ingredients from which Leila Grasselli and Dominic Würth in Cermes produce wines – as newcomers from another field, with the greatest respect for nature, under the label GRAWÜ.

GRAWÜ is a made-up word composed of the first letters of the surnames of these new arrivals to Alto Adige. “We have Italian and German roots and have only been living in Alto Adige for a few years,” Würth explains. “That makes a lot of things more difficult in terms of founding a company, but there are great opportunities in making wines free of conventions.”

Individual wines require individual methods. Thus leased vineyards in the Val Venosta are tended strictly organically, with attention being paid to natural cultivation and selected fungus-resistant varieties. And in the GRAWÜ winery, they consistently follow their own path, doing without pure strains of yeast and other oenological products. “Our goal is to get the genuine, unadulterated taste of the grapes and the terroir into the glass: the liquid memory of a vintage in all of its facets,” Würth explains.

Thus what comes into existence are dynamic wines that are fermented with the skins: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, and Gewürztraminer which constantly change and bring forth their very own flavor. “Perhaps not everyone will like them, but they very nicely reflect us as a family and the mountains in which they grow,” the winegrower says.