Alle Weinkellereien an der Südtiroler Weinstraße

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.

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.”

Anyone who has been passionately active in the wine sector for a long time wants to put their own stamp on wines at some point. That may be at their own risk, but in fact also with their own signature. That is precisely what the Martini family has done, and it was now more than forty years ago that the K. Martini & Sohn Winery in Cornaiano was brought to life.

The K in K. Martini & Sohn stands for the father Karl Martini, who founded the winery in 1979 with his son Gabriel, and specifically in the middle of their own vineyards in the winegrowing village of Cornaiano, which belongs to the community of Appiano. At that time, both father and son had already made their careers in the sector, so they brought along the necessary know-how and the experience regarding wine that was essential for their success.
In spite of that, the step to being on their own was not an easy one: “Building up the winery was a hard piece of work,” Gabriel Martini recounts today. “We filled, sealed, and labeled the first bottles by hand.”

Because they were well aware of their size (or lack thereof), they understood themselves at K. Martini & Sohn from the very beginning to be a small but fine operation that focuses not only on comprehensive and friendly service, but also above all else on quality. “That alone justifies the existence of a small family operation,” says Martini.
In addition, it is built upon a palette of wines that is astonishingly large for a small operation which today comprises four lines and ranges from Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, and Pinot Noir to Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Schiava, and Lagrein all the way to Yellow Muscat and Red Muscat.

The imposing church, which also decorates their logo, is a witness to the importance which the town had in the Late Middle Ages – not least because of the favorite wines from the area. At that time, San Paolo was the main village in Oltradige, and even today, historical winegrowing farmhouses line the picturesque lanes.

Top wines are now produced, such as Sanctissimus, made from Pinot Blanc vines that are more than one hundred years old, or the Praeclarus sparkling wine, which is aged to perfection in a bunker from the Second World War. A total of two hundred winegrowing families tend 185 hectares of vineyards at elevations ranging from 300 to 700 m above sea level. In 2019, they completely redid their product line. Allow yourself to be surprised!

In the colorful mosaic of Alto Adige winegrowing, there are larger and smaller tiles. The Kiemberger Estate Winery in Terlano, with an annual production of just around 8,000 bottles, is among the smaller. Nevertheless, something would be missing if this tile weren’t there.

The Kiemberger Estate Winery is located in the winegrowing village of Terlano in the Adige Valley, with its vineyards in the village itself and in neighboring Andriano. On a total of just 1.5 hectares of grape growing areas, Chardonnay, Müller Thurgau, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc are grown, which form the basis for the classic Terlano wine. “The first three grow on a sandy-loamy limestone soil in Andriano, while the Sauvignon Blanc, on the other hand, is planted in Terlano, where it finds a sandy porphyry soil,” explains Norbert Kofler, winegrower at the Kiemberger Estate Winery.

Kofler has been making his own wines since 2007 and also markets them independently. “Our wines must first and foremost meet our own demands,” Kofler says. To do so, the grapes are harvested in the second half of September, they are pressed gently, and then the mash is fermented in stainless steel tanks at a constant temperature of 19 degrees Celsius. “Our wines are matured on the fine yeast, primarily in small and medium-sized oak casks, for at least eight months with the Terlano Classico and up to 32 months with the Lagrein Riserva,” the winegrower says.

The wines that are created in this way are “originals strong in character,” says Kofler, in which the properties of the soil and the vintage can be tasted. “Our wine is anything but mainstream,” the head of the small but impressive Kiemberger Estate Winery says. He goes on to add, “And yet it is somehow classic.”

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.

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

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

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

The Tiefenbrunner Estate Winery in Niclara is among the oldest in Alto Adige. It has been in the family since 1675 and a winery since 1848 – today the Turmhof Castle Winery. It is not without reason that it carries its lordly name, since it is housed in the historical manor of the same name and is surrounded by a park that is worth seeing.

In order to do justice to these surroundings, the Tiefenbrunner Estate Winery has consistently focused upon quality. That begins in the vineyards that are located around the estate winery in Niclara, but also in Cortaccia and Magré. “Some of the rare slopes with a southern exposure are a genuine stroke of luck, since they are virtually ideal for our Bordeaux varieties,” explains Christof Tiefenbrunner, who also obtains for his winery grapes from Aica di Fiè (Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir), Bolzano (Lagrein), and Montagna/Pinzano (Pinot Noir).

“Our vineyards cover the impressive range from 200 to 1,000 meters above sea level, the soils are correspondingly widely varied, and thus we find the suitable location for every variety,” the winegrower says. From their own grapes and those of contract growers, what comes into existence in the Turmhof Castle Winery are complex wines that are typical of their variety and capable of aging which receive the necessary maturation time in the cellar. And because a long history is always associated with great responsibility, that is taken especially seriously in the Tiefenbrunner Estate Winery.

Thus great value is placed upon sustainability and the protection of natural resources – and that didn’t just start today: the winery has been provided with electricity from its own hydroelectric plant since 1910.

Andreas Dichristin has a dream. He wants to consistently make wine from completely untreated grapes, and thus he even does without organic pesticides. He has reserved a section of his organic estate winery Tröpfltalhof in Caldaro for the trials. And planned for lots and lots of patience.

For someone who has dedicated his life to winegrowing and winemaking, Dichristin incidentally admits to having a really marginal role in all of it. “For thirty years, I have been accompanying the grapes on their path from the vineyard into the bottle,” he says, “and today I know that our work for the most part consists of observing.”

The secret of his work is to remain very close to nature with everything that he does and to recognize the right timing for everything. For that reason, since 2005, Andreas, his wife Rosmarie, and their children Verena and Jakob have been running the Tröpfltalhof in Caldaro biodynamically – and, it goes without saying, the vineyards, as well. In their own nearby vineyard at an elevation of 500 meters, Sauvignon Blanc vines grow, while in the Barleith vineyard above Lake Caldaro, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are planted.

The fact that the wines of the Tröpfltalhof are aged in amphorae emphasizes once again the very independent path that the Dichristins follow. Andreas describes it as “Remaining true to minimalism from the vines to the bottle”, and adds, “I believe that it is precisely that which gives my wines greatness and originality.”

If someone is looking for a suitable location for a winery specializing in sparkling wine, then a former monastery would be right at the top of the list. And the Braunbach Winery specializing in sparkling wine in Settequerce near Bolzano is housed precisely in one of them. And because there is an obligation to tradition, the sparkling wine here is produced strictly according to the classic méthode champenoise bottle fermentation.

The history of the monastery building in Settequerce goes back over 800 years. Presented as a gift from the bishop of Bressanone to the Teutonic Order, at some point it had to be abandoned. But in order for it not to fall into disrepair, the former monastery winery was renovated and the Braunbach Winery was set up in it. Its specialty, sparkling wine, is produced strictly according to the traditional process. And that means: aging on the yeast, manual riddling, and then the removal of the yeast from the bottles, known in the industry as “degorging”.

At Braunbach, they are especially proud of the classically fermented sparkling wine Braunbach Brut. “It matures for 36 months on the fine yeast and is captivating through its fine-grained perlage and its fresh, youthful, and stimulating character,” explains Hans Kleon, head of the Braunbach Winery specializing in sparkling wine.

in addition to sparkling wines, the Braunbach Winery also makes white and red wines: Merlot, Lagrein, Cabernet, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, and Gewürztraminer. And Kleon also knows their secret: “The geological and microclimatic conditions of our areas of cultivation provide the basis for juicy, quaffable, but also complex wines with a strong character of the zone,” he explains.

WeineWolf – the product of a passion for nature. “Making wine from what Mother Nature provides” – that is the philosophy that persuaded Wolfgang Ladurner to become a vintner. What was originally a dream developed over the years into a project and was finally fulfilled in the form of a winery of his own. As a boy, he spent many days in the vineyards and became familiar with the rhythm of the vines. In 1990 Wolfgang Ladurner founded W.Ladurner GmbH, a company that specialized in importing and selling recycling plants. But at the back of his mind he was always dreaming of making his own wine. In 2002 he moved a step closer to his goal by buying a first plot of land, which he started to cultivate in 2004.

How he was going to do it was clear from the start: His vineyard was to be terraced and laid out for dense planting to obtain optimum results from the site. Step by step, he hunted out other sites in Caldaro that had the location, climate and soil to offer ideal conditions for wine-growing. With the foundation of the WeineWolf company in 2013, Wolfgang Ladurner’s childhood dream of making wine out of a passion for nature finally came true. His next goal is to build his own cellar, a project that will bring the Ladurner family and lovers of wines from WeineWolf still closer together.

We - Ingrid and Arthur Rainer - have gone the indirect way, looked around and permanently learned. As a consequence, we want to go an open, modern and future-oriented way. In 2013 a new milestone was set. For the first time all the grapes of the family-owned vineyards were vinified in our cellars.

From egg to caterpillar to cocoon to butterfly. Or, rather, from shoot to blossom to grape to wine. Armin Morandell of the estate winery of the same name in Caldaro recognized the similarities of two impressive processes of metamorphosis in nature. So it is no wonder that all of the Morandell wines are named after butterflies.

The Morandell Estate Winery is located above Lake Caldaro, and his vineyards extend across different locations and elevations from 200 to 500 meters. All of them may well be pampered by the son, but otherwise they have different microclimates and soils, the palette of which ranges from lime gravel to red loam. “This variety makes it possible for us to purposefully grow top-quality varieties that thrive especially well at each respective location and bring forth wines with strong character,” Morandell explains.

He concentrates on Pinot Grigio, Schiava, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, “On a handful of wines,” as he himself puts it, “that we produce according to all the rules of the art.” And market. And so the butterfly was made the trademark and the wines from the Morandell Estate Winery are named after species of butterflies with the labels related to their wings. “Wines and butterflies: both of them are the unbelievable result of a completed transformation,” explains Morandell, providing the idea behind it.

And because in addition, the butterfly is a sensitive creature, it also matches quite well with the philosophy of the Morandell Estate Winery, which is: “We work according to a holistic approach, devote ourselves with dedication to the care of our grapevines, and focus on sustainable management.”

Three generations of vintners – With a passion for wine-making

We are down to earth, but also innovative. We have great respect for Nature, and cultivate grapes only at the appropriate locations. That describes, in a nutshell, the philosophy of the Niklas winery. We view our family heritage as a responsibility to shape and maintain a South Tyrolean wine-growing estate like no other. It embodies the know-how and motivation of three generations of vintners, and is a place where outstanding South Tyrolean red wines typical for their location are created. In the meantime, Dieter Sölva guides the estate’s continued development. Dieter learned the business from his father, Josef, the founder of the Niklas winery, whom he succeeded. Dieter’s son Michael is already adding his unique handwriting to the family business – whose wines are now being marketed throughout the world.

It was only in 2019 that Stephan Rohregger took over the Prälatenhof Estate Winery in Caldaro from his parents. But to believe that the young winegrower was lacking in experience would be totally wrong. After all, not only did Rohregger have an education as an oenologist behind him, he also had a huge amount of experience as winemaker at a large, renowned private winery in Alto Adige.

Rohregger describes himself as “determined and quality-oriented.” In concrete terms, that means: the goal is quality and the winegrower and winemaker in one consistently heads for it. “All wines are made by us in a characteristic and authentic manner in ceramic or wood and are matured for at least a year,” Rohregger says. That which is created are not only wines of high quality, but also those with a high degree of recognition value. They are also not mainstream, but rather wines which reflect well the vineyards of the Prälatenhof Estate Winery in Pianizza di Sotto in the community of Caldaro.

These vineyards are described by the winegrower at the Prälatenhof in Caldaro with the term “very interesting”. On one hand, the vineyards are located in Caldaro at an elevation of 440 meters. Schiava is grown there on vines that are up to 90 years old, as is Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc. On the other hand, the Prälatenhof had vineyards in the community of Cortaccia, and specifically in Corona, at 800 meters above sea level, where Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Blanc grapes are grown. Two vineyards, two completely different locations, five grape varieties, and yet just one challenge for the three generations of Rohreggers at the tenuta Rohregger: to produce top-quality wines.

The A. von Elzenbaum Estate Winery in Termeno was mentioned in a document for the first time in 1530, and its wines officially won their first awards in 1886. So it is not surprising, then, that as a result of this, there is still a focus on tradition, on typical cultivation, and respect for nature, in view of their history that dates back nearly 500 years.

A tradition of that length could represent a burden to many, but for winegrower Josef von Elzenbaum, it is more of an obligation. He safeguards it in a tried and true, long-established manner, but at the same time he keeps his eyes open for new, innovative, interesting, and promising paths and techniques.

In spite of that, or maybe specifically because of that, the wines of the A. von Elzenbaum Estate Winery are rooted in their terroir. “For me, it first and foremost has to do with preserving the character of my wines that is typical of the location and carefully coordinating the selection of the variety to the location,” the winegrower says. Elevation, soil composition, microclimate: all of that has to be involved in the evaluation of a location in order to find the optimal grapevine.

This care with the matching has led over the years to a broad palette of wines which the A. von Elzenbaum Estate Winery has in its product line: Lagrein and Cabernet, Pinot Noir and Lago di Caldaro superiore, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, and Red Muscat. But it doesn’t matter which wine you sample: you will taste Termeno, you will taste A. von Elzenbaum.

“Anyone who has specialized in the production of natural wines has to accompany the wine along its entire path.” Thomas Niedermayr of the estate winery of the same name in Appiano views himself as just such a companion, as someone who wishes to guarantee purity and wants to support nature in its own production. “In the end,” his credo goes, “nature is the highest form of quality.”

The fact that top-quality wines can only come from grapes that are grown in a healthy environment is obvious for Niedermayr. For that reason, he manages his Gandberg estate ecologically. Growing and thriving between the grapevines, the visitor is greeted by chickens and runner ducks, the vines themselves are fungus-resistant, and the use of chemicals and other artificial aids is avoided. “We leave room for nature,” Niedermayr says.

In the case of the Gandberg Hof, nature starts right around the farmhouse. The vineyards are located at an elevation between 500 and 530 meters. Their microclimate is influenced on one hand by the ice holes and on the other hand by the Gandberg mountain itself, which rises up behind the farmhouse.

The special natural features and the sustainable management can be tasted in the wines from the Thomas Niedermayr Eppan Winery in Appiano. And that should also be tasted, says Niedermayr. “My entire commitment is targeted toward my wines radiating that which accompanies and guides their creation process” the winegrower says: “tranquility and relaxation, depth and the force of nature, lightheartedness and the pleasure of enjoyment.”

The wines from Baron Di Pauli were already drunk at the court of the emperor in Vienna and that of the tsar in St. Petersburg. And in 1999, a new chapter was added to the long history of the Baron Di Pauli Estate Winery in Caldaro. That was when the foundation was laid for the cooperation with the Cantina Kaltern, which drove forward a prestige project with upper echelon wines.

The Baron Di Pauli Estate Winery consists of two farms: the 10.5 hectare Arzenhof, that is located on a hill at Lake Caldaro and, at 4.5 hectares, the substantially smaller Höfl unterm Stein in Sella above Termeno. Because the locations of the vineyards are so different, the two locations also deliver very different grapes. Thus the Arzenhof grapes are made into the Bordeaux blend Arzio, the Carano Lagrein, and the Kalkofen Lago di Caldaro, while the grapes from Sella turn into the Exilissi and Enosi Gewürztraminers and a cuvée of Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Blanc.

But it doesn’t matter which grape variety or which wine – one guiding principle holds true for all of them: no compromise! “The yields in the vineyard are reduced to a minimum so that the vines can concentrate all of their energy on a few grapes which are then harvested by hand,” explains estate manager Baron Carl Philipp von Hohenbühel. The ideal composition of the soils, the Mediterranean climate, and the considerable temperature differentials between day and night make their contribution to top wines being created at the Baron Di Pauli Estate Winery.

Wines that would also be drunk at imperial courts. If there still were any left.

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.

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.

“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.

Stroblhof is a farm (‘maso’) with a long viticultur tradition: as early as 1600 documents mention winegrowing at this estate. It seems that from these early times, grapes were grown here at the base of the steep cliffs of the Mendelpass and benefitted from the optimal soils and unique diurnal temperatures variation.

We continue to work hard at this farm – both in the vineyards and the cellars – with the single minded scope of producing top quality wine. The low and select production allows us to guarantee the high quality of the wines. In fact, from 5.5 hectares, we only produce a maximum of 40,000 bottles, half of which is white, the other red. The altitude of 500 meters above sea level is an additional advantage to producing wines of unique character, good acidity, and with a good aging potential.

Stroblhof ranks with the top estates of South Tyrol and is the founding member of the small growers association, “Vignaioli dell’Alto Adige.”

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.

In 1820, the Josef Weger Eppan Winery was founded in Cornaiano-Appiano. The founder’s name was, as may be expected, Josef Weger. Let’s call him Josef Weger I, because after him, three more gentlemen with the same name have stood at the head of the estate winery. Today, the Josef Weger Estate Winery in Cornaiano is run by the great-grandson of the founder. Can you guess what his name is? Wrong! His name is Johannes.

Josef Weger I was one of the pioneers of a professional winemaking and wine dealing operation in Alto Adige, and his descendants have successfully followed in the footsteps of the old gentleman. Even before the turn of the twentieth century, wine was delivered to Switzerland and all of the crownlands of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and before the First World War, a branch was even founded in East Tyrol. After the two wars, the growth of the estate winery continued, and vacation apartments were set up in the twelfth century manor house.

Johannes Weger has been active in the estate winery since the 1990s and has run it since 2015. Under his leadership, the winery was renovated and new grape varieties were planted, above all else Burgundy varieties. They are ideal for the vineyards of the Josef Weger Estate Winery. They are located at elevations from 435 to 600 meters in and around Cornaiano and provide grapes for white and red wines which Weger makes as single varietals that emphasize terroir: with gentle pressing operations, temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, and cold maceration.

“In our wines, the interplay between landscape and climate should be reflected, as should the soul of the winegrower.” Weger says. And it is not surprising when he adds, “Our wines are the expression of years of experience that are transferred from generation to generation.” And from Josef Weger to Josef Weger. And to Johannes.

Steep locations require a lot of work, sweat, and devotion, but they certainly also have their advantages. Thus 190 hectares of cultivation area are divided among the same number of members of the Cantina Kurtatsch at elevations from 220 to 900 meters – and all of that in just one community.

That is unique in all of Europe. And this winery also holds another record: Andreas Kofler is responsible for the young and dynamic team, and he took the helm in Cortaccia at the age of just 32 as the youngest president in the history of Alto Adige cooperative wineries. “In our vineyards, every grape variety finds its optimal location, its ideal terroir,” Kofler says.

The lower locations are among the warmest in Alto Adige and are ideal for Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. “The soil composition between Cortaccia and Termeno is completely similar to that of Pomerol in France,” the president explains. But up to 900 meters, on the other hand, grow varieties that prefer to have things cooler and airier and thrive best on calcareous dolomite soils – following the strictest guidelines for sustainability.

With a firm commitment and great respect for nature and resources, that is how unmistakable terroir wines that are strong in character are created at the Cantina Kurtatsch. “They each reflect their location without embellishment,” Kofler says, as he also tips his hand on the simple recipe as to why that is so: “In the winery, we just let the wine reveal itself.”