Alle wijnervaringen in het zuiden van Zuid-Tirol

There is a vineyard in the Passiria Valley. One single one. It belongs to the Unterwirt Winery of the Martinerhof in S. Martino, by which the Fontana and Schweigl families have expanded their universe that previously consisted of a beer experience hotel, pizzeria, and in-house brewery. At the same time, they brought back to life an inn in which Tyrolean freedom fighter Andreas Hofer came and went.

The Unterwirt Winery of the Martinerhof carries two names at once. That of the Martinerhof is used because it is a part of the gastronomy world around the farmhouse, but it is also right at home with Unterwirt. The inn was first mentioned in a document in 1694, and it was renovated in 2012. “Because the vineyard of the neighboring Hianhof is the first one in the valley and also the only one, we set up a winery in the Unterwirt, and also to breathe new life into the establishment,” says Florian Fontana.

A remarkable assortment of wines are produced in the winery today. They range from Schiava and Pinot Noir to Sylvaner and all the way to Kerner and Pinot Blanc. So even though there is only one estate winery in the Passeier Valley, its results can easily be seen. And speaking of being seen: at the Unterwirt Winery of the Martinerhof, experience tours are also offered.

Even if the significance of winegrowing in the Passiria Valley is easy to understand, the importance of the wine there is not. Andreas Hofer, the Tyrolean hero from this valley, was a wine dealer and wine connoisseur. Perhaps it is also for that reason that before his execution by Napoleon’s troops in 1810, he ordered, “For all good friends, there will be soup and meat at the Unterwirt, along with a half bottle of wine.”

Lorenz San Nicolò was actually successful as an entrepreneur in Milan. But because his passion from wine never left him, since 2012, along with his wife Sissi, he has been running the Corahof in San Paolo – “as a politically motivated criminal” as he himself says.

And yet, the San Nicolò family did not leave the urbane completely behind them. Thus the main room of their small winery is dominated by a sparkling Art Nouveau chandelier that originated from what was left behind from the venerable Hotel Bristol in Merano and is completely out of place with the rest of the furnishings, machinery, and tractors. “The chandelier is a symbol for our love of elegance, to what is festive and exhilarating in life,” San Nicolò explains. And it is also for that reason that the chandelier was chosen as the logo for the Corahof in San Paolo.

So it decorates the labels of the wines, that basis of which is half a hectare of grape growing areas. And their basis, in turn, is formed by very particular Ice Age sediments. “‘Battle soil’ is what we call it in our dialect,” says the winegrower. “Hard and difficult to work, but fertile. And with the southeastern exposure of our vineyard and the intense sunshine in the early morning hours, they form the ideal conditions for our wine.”

The wine from Corahof is made in their own winery, where the harvest of Merlot and Yellow Muscat is processed cleanly and gently thanks to the most modern technology. Moreover, the minimalist approach of the San Nicolòs is also applied to the vinification, since, “Only in that way can we bring the precious aromas of the grapes into the bottle in as unadulterated manner as possible.”

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

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

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

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

 On the sun-kissed slopes that range from the Renon all the way down to Bolzano, people have been growing grapes for centuries. So it comes as no surprise that the Messner family from Renon, too, hurled themselves into the adventure of wine growing. That is how the Spornberg Mountain Winery in Soprabolzano was established in 2016, a young estate winery in an old wine-growing region.

The first thing that catches the eye is that the vines of the Spornberg Mountain Winery are grown in an exposed and airy location. Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Grigio are grown here, and there are a few strict policies in place that apply to both the vineyard and the cellar: work is done with consideration and a lot of it by hand.
Moreover, the Messner family and their employees always bear the natural cycle of things in mind. In plain terms, this means that nature is given all the time and space it requires. Intervention only happens when there is no other way.
Such a considerate way of working is also made possible by the location: the vineyards of the Spornberg Mountain Winery are located at an altitude of 860 meters on a sunny southern slope where the air and the sandy, loamy soil warm up quickly and offer the perfect conditions for the vines and grapes to thrive. At the same time, the location is airy; thanks to the wind, the grapes do not remain moist and fungi do not stand a chance.
Nature has been good to the young Spornberg Mountain Winery in Soprabolzano, and so it is hardly surprising that everyone here is showing it the utmost respect.

 

When the Berger family took over the Thurnhof in Bolzano in the middle of the nineteenth century, some 160 years ago, the surroundings were still characterized by classic agricultural activity. Today, the Thurnhof is in the lively district of Aslago, its vineyards lie on the southern slopes of Virgolo, which can confidently be called “the home hill of Bolzano”.

The Thurnhof is run by Hans and Andreas Berger, and in spite of the location right in the city, it can still be backbreaking work. It is necessary to work 3.5 hectares of steep vineyards – with great care and a lot of effort: “We put a lot of time into the leaf work, because in that way we ensure that every bunch of grapes grows on a strong, woody shoot,” Andreas Berger tells us.

This work and the location on a sun-drenched southern slope with high temperatures through autumn guarantee that even late-ripening red wine varieties can completely mature year after year. And then be made into wine at the Thurnhof with all of the Bergers’ know-how. “Our goal is to transfer the precious contents of the grapes as completely as possible into the wine,” says Berger, conveying his philosophy, “and in that way our wines receive fruit, structure, and the characteristics that are typical of the variety.”

In so doing, the “genuine city winegrowers” as the Bergers call themselves very much focus on diversity: Yellow Muscat and Sauvignon Blanc, Lagrein and Santa Maddalena, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. An extremely broad product line for a small-scale and manageable estate winery.

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.

“Wasserer” is not the German word for someone who waters, but rather the name of a farm in Novale di Fiè which has a view of the southernmost end of the Valle Isarco. The Wassererhof in Fiè allo Sciliar is run by the twin brothers Christoph and Andreas Mock. Christoph takes care of the agriculture (and thus of winegrowing), while Andreas handles the cooking at their Buschenschank farmhouse inn.

The Wassererhof in Fiè was once called “Hof zu Wasser”, meaning that it was close to a spring which promised sufficient water and thus fruitfulness. Built in 1366 by the lords of Lichtenstein, the historical farmhouse fell more and more into a state of disrepair until 1996 when, greatly in need of renovation, it was purchased by Franz Mock, the father of twin brothers.

Because the senior in Coste near Bolzano was running his own estate winery and Christoph had furthermore completed the Technical College of Agriculture, the decision was obvious to also turn the Wassererhof in Fiè into a winegrowing farmhouse. Since that time, Christoph has run it with determination, expert competence, energy, and a philosophy all his own. “Our goal is to create wines with aspirations, beauty, and grace,” he says, “and flowing into this goal is all of our knowledge that has grown over generations and our passion for the vineyard and the cellar.”

It is out of knowledge and passion that a product line has come into existence at the Wassererhof in Fiè that consists of Schiava, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet, and Pinot Blanc – wines, in fact, with aspirations, beauty, and grace.

The Eberlehof above Bolzano was mentioned in a document for the first time in 1312, and thus more than 700 years ago. It has been in family possession since 1668 and for just as long, the family’s coat of arms has been decorated by a pruning hook. And that is not surprising, as the Eberlehof lies right in the middle of the classic Santa Maddalena winegrowing zone.

And it is also not surprising that the 700 years of estate and family history have left their legacy behind and they are accompanied by an obligation to uphold tradition and family. The latter becomes clear when it is realized that at the Eberlehof, three generations of the Zisser family are involved at the same time in winegrowing. The elder Horst and his wife Lisi bring along their experience. His son Tomas and his wife Margit manage the vineyards and the winery along with their sons Christian and Lukas and also take care of three vacation apartments at the estate winery.

As far as upholding tradition is concerned, at the Eberlehof it is first and foremost indigenous grape varieties that are typical to the zone (Schiava, Lagrein, and Blatterle) which are grown on pergola trellises, added to which Merlot also finds a spot in the product line. “Just because of the steep location on the slopes, the use of larger machines is already impossible, which is why we tend our vines, some of which are very old, almost exclusively by hand,” explains Tomas Zisser. In addition, because maturation takes place in large oak barrels, the red wines from the Eberlehof are full-bodied and strong, and they express their origins. Precisely as tradition would desire.

In the middle of the nineteenth century, when Franz Morandell built a farmhouse, he at the same time also immortalized his wife. Her name was Elisabeth, which in its loving nickname becomes “Lisele”. Today, the Lieselehof Estate Winery in Caldaro is an imposing estate in which the winegrowing knowledge of three generations meets together and where Werner Morandell has the say. He is the great-grandson of “Lisele”.

The fact that with this story, the Morandells inherited their passion for wine right from the cradle may sound like a platitude. Except that it is true. Werner’s grandfather was a winegrower, while his father Gottlieb-Amadeus attended to the grafting of young grapevines and produced rootstock for surrounding vineyard nurseries.

Werner Morandell also thoroughly devoted himself to winegrowing. He even wrote a book about it and along with his vineyard, he is a contractual partner of the Freiburg in Breisgau State Viticultural Institute in Germany. Within that context, the main attention lies with fungus-resistant varieties, on the organic cultivation of traditional grape varieties (such as Schiava and Cabernet), and on wines that are made in an ecologically friendly manner. “That means that during the vinification, only a few natural treatment agents are permitted, and we completely do without synthetic materials,” Morandell says.

The particular pride of the Morandells is wines that are made from exclusively fungus-resistant grapes for which no chemical herbicides are used in the vineyard and for which strict conditions are met for grape yields per vine. A separate brand name has even been developed for them: Green Mountain Wine.

Only few wineries can look back on seven hundred years of tradition. But the Josef Brigl Winery in Appiano can. Founded in the early fourteenth century and with four farmhouses and 50 hectares of cultivation area, it is among the largest private wineries in Alto Adige. And among the leaders.

Year founded: 1309. Just that figure alone gives rise to a tremendous amount of respect for the operation. “The name Brigl is doubtlessly characterized by seven hundred years of winemaking culture,” says winemaker Alberto Fortarel. “But our credo continues to remain: investing in the future.” Translated into practice, that means that the grapes are grown traditionally, strictly inspected during the harvest, and then gently made into wine with the most modern of vinification techniques.

“Our goal is that the uniqueness of the grape is shown to its full advantage in the glass,” Fortarel describes. The gentle processing is one step in that direction, and the purposeful vinification – in either stainless steel tanks or old or new wooden barrels, depending on the wine – is a second. Because the extensive grape growing areas offer the ideal locations for a broad palette of grape varieties, the product line of the Josef Brigl Winery is also an extensive one. It comprises all of the usual Alto Adige varieties, but the main attention is on the three classics: Lago Caldaro, Schiava, and Santa Maddalena.

Seven hundred years of history do in fact provide for a deep rooting in tradition – both their own and that of Alto Adige winegrowing in general.

One special feature of the Merano Winery with its 360 members catches the eye immediately: two completely different cultivation zones. They are on one hand the mild, Mediterranean Merano valley basin and, on the other hand, the dry, windy, climatically extreme Val Venosta. No fewer than twenty grape varieties grow here upon which the offering from the Merano Winery is based.

The winery itself came into existence in July 2010, and specifically from the merger of the Burggräfler Winery that was founded in 1901 with the Meran Winery that was initiated in 1952. Its headquarters is in a striking building that combines the new with the old in Marlengo in which the threads of 360 members, 250 hectares of cultivated area, over twenty grape varieties, and two completely different cultivation zones are all woven together. “The offering of many different wines is a special feature and strength of the Merano Winery,” explains winemaker Stefan Kapfinger, “but it is also associated with a higher expenditure of labor.” That begins in the vineyards, on slopes a large portion of which are steep, in which nearly all of the work is done by hand, but in any case in a sustainable manner that protects resources.

“In the winery, it is necessary to preserve the quality of the grapes that come from our vineyards,” says Kapfinger. With his wines, the origin of each of them ought to be recognizable as clearly as possible in the aroma. For that reason, the winemaker understands himself as a “midwife”: “The wine ought to go its own way,” he says, “I just accompany it on its journey. With a great deal of patience and sometimes also strong nerves.”

The Winery Cantina Merano in Marlengo and Merano: From now on, the winery has two locations that are both the perfect place for getting together and having a great time: the Panoramic Enoteca in Marling and the new City.Vinothek in the center of Meran. Enjoy the exciting wine collection, a special selection of distillates and a brisk masterpiece among the Alto Adige DOC sparkling wines, treat yourself to some unforgettable new impressions and join a tour of the winery for a behind-the-scenes look into all the finer things in life that Meran has to offer.

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.

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!

That which is more and more gaining a foothold today was still being laughed at forty years ago. Rainer Loacker, the patriarch of the estate winery of the same name in Bolzano, didn’t care. He had already gotten started with biodynamic winegrowing back in the 1980s. Or, to put it better, he revved it up.

That term is a much better description of the development that the Loacker Estate Winery has gone through up to today. For instance, in addition to the historical pillar in Alto Adige, two more were added. In the form of two estate wineries in Tuscany: one in Montalcino and one in Maremma.

But it doesn’t matter where Loacker grapes grow: they are tended strictly biodynamically. “Because we have been doing that for so long, we have soils filled with life and we are also among the very few who use homeopathy in the vineyard,” Loacker explains. Added to that is a very particular form of green manure. In plain language, that means that in the winter, greenery is sown in the vineyards which makes artificial fertilizers superfluous. “We are open-minded thinkers and rebels, we challenge the status quo and the mainstream society,” the Loacker family announces.

And it goes without saying that the open-minded thinking also continues in the winery. Thus all wines, including the bold Tasnim Sauvignon Blanc and the outstanding Gran Lareyn Lagrein are fermented only with their own natural yeast from that vintage. “Our natural wines are simply different,” the Loackers explain. “They have their own character, and they have a soul.”

Four-star ratings are rare for vineyards. But the Calvenschlössl Winegrowing Estate in Laudes in the community of Malles began with a vineyard at 1,000 meters and even went a step further in 2013. Or, to put it better, higher. In the monastery meadow of the Benedictine Abbey of Marienberg, Europe’s highest vineyard was planted. The German word for vineyard is Weinberg, meaning wine mountain, and that can completely be taken literally here.

In 2004, Hilde Van den dries acquired the Calvenschlössl castle. “Immediately afterward, the desire came upon us to make top-quality organic wine,” Van den dries says. But that is easier said than done, since the slopes around the house are not only steep, they also are situated at elevations between 970 and 1,005 meters above sea level.

In any case, the extreme locations have also turned out to be a stroke of luck. The southern exposure bestows upon the grapes ample sunshine, the elevation provides coolness, from which grapes with high sugar levels and prominent acidities result. In addition, in both vineyards the focus is not only on resistant grape varieties such as Solaris, Souvignier Gris, Zweigelt, and Cabernet Cortis, but also on careful dealings with nature and thus on a holistic method of agriculture.

And that also holds true in the winery. “The energy from the spontaneous fermentation from the natural yeast strains of the grapes lend our wines their unmistakable finesse and their unique character,” Van den dries is convinced. The elevation is therefore not the only special ingredient in the wine from the Calvenschlössl Wine Estate in Laudes.

The Fliederhof ["Lilac Estate"] in Bolzano/Santa Maddalena really ought to be called “Tulpenhof” ["Tulip Estate"]. “Twenty years ago, we planted some tulip bulbs, and now in the springtime, the vineyard below the farmhouse turns into a whole sea of tulips,” recounts Stefan Ramoser. But it doesn’t matter whether it is lilacs or tulips: the Fliederhof in Bolzano/Santa Maddalena does not have any flowers in their product line, but rather produces genuine, natural wines.

In the possession of the Ramoser family since 1930, grape growing areas of three hectares are currently managed, whereby it is nature who sets the tone. “The method of operation and the planning of all production steps both in the vineyard and the winery should not influence the course of things to the greatest degree possible,” says Ramoser.

The vineyards of the Fliederhof in Santa Maddalena have a slope of up to 40 percent, so as a result of the steepness, they can only be tended with a great amount of work by hand. Ramoser is therefore convinced that precise work in the vineyard contributes to success as much as the natural conditions do – soil, rain, wind, and sun, and his own concept of sustainability. Added to that is greenery management that is adapted to the location for the building up of humus, but also the application of compost from their own production.

All of this ought to be tasted in the result: “Wines from the Fliederhof ought to enjoy special drinking pleasure,” says the winegrower Ramoser. “Sincere, natural, and with character, without any special styling that could mask these properties.” And in view of the location, the fact that these wines also include Schiava – Santa Maddalena is a given. Or, as Ramoser puts it, “We view ourselves as a genuine champion of this indigenous grape variety.”

It may well sound like a cliché, but: when one door closes, another one opens. When transferred to the Kandlerhof in Santa Maddalena/Bolzano: when in the late 1960s, grape buyers were putting the financial screws on, the Spornberger family decided to make their own wine. And that’s how success stories begin.

But the roots of this success story of the Kandlerhof in Santa Maddalena/Bolzano reach far deeper. As early as 1278, the estate already existed which, in the eighteenth century, was renamed “Kandler” because this is where a tinsmith (in German, “Kandler”) carried out his handcraft. The Spornberger family took over the estate from him in 1793, and since that time it has remained in the possession of the family.

Gregor Spornberger made the switch from pure grape production to winemaking and to being one of the forerunners of the increased use of machines in Alto Adige winegrowing. He hands over the Kandlerhof in Santa Maddalena/Bolzano to his son Martin, who learned the work by hand in winegrowing and oenology from the very bottom up, all the way to his university degree.

In 2023, the generational story continues. Martin has passed the farm on to his son Hannes. The trained winemaker is full of thirst for action. You can already taste his more modern interpretation of the wines.

In addition the two hectares of grape growing areas in Santa Maddalena, which are planted with the indigenous red wine varieties of Schiava and Lagrein, with Merlot, and with the white variety Sauvignon Blanc, the current project covers 2.5 hectares and is located in the municipality of Fiè allo Sciliar. A new farm site, acquired in 2020, is being completely converted from livestock farming (pastures) to viticulture. The farm is located at an altitude of over 700 m above sea level. It is a south-facing site with very calcareous soils. Chardonnay is the main variety there. The first wines will be on the market in a few years.

“Good wine requires one thing above all else: character.” This conviction leads Peter Wachtler with his work at the Taschlerhof in Bressanone. Since the early 1990s, this has consisted of making four white wines whose longevity, fruity bouquet, and a trace of the exotic have been attested to.

Wachtler himself asserts that the Taschlerhof at the southern part of Bressanone works “with the right portion of passion and a tiny bit of boldness.” In plain language, that means that he is pleased to exchange information with his winegrowing colleagues throughout all of Europe, but he still follows his own path in the vineyard and the winery.
That all begins in the Taschlerhof’s vineyards at an elevation of over 500 meters, where the not very fertile slate soils, southeastern exposure, and intense rays of the sun are ideal for white wines. Wachtler places great value here upon purposefully reducing the yields and only harvesting the grapes “at their absolute physiological maturity,” since, “Only in that way are the quality and the typical characteristics of the extreme growing locations maintained.”

At the Taschlerhof in Bressanone, the concentration is on four varieties: Sylvaner, Riesling, Kerner, and Gewürztraminer. Around 60 percent are matured in large acacia barrels, and around 40 percent in stainless steel tanks. “My young wines mature through late spring with constant contact with the fine yeast,” Wachtler says, “and for that reason they are only ready to drink by late summer.” Individual wines, as we learn, need time.

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

 

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.

Winegrowing in Appiano has no fewer than two thousand years of tradition. Two thousand years in which winegrowers of all eras have made use of the ideal location, the mild climate, and the fertile soils on the ridge near the Passo Mendola for growing grapes and making wine from them.

It is not surprising that such a lengthy tradition is anchored in the winegrowing operations and winegrower families. And at the Weinberghof, the Romen family does not constitute an exception. It is in the district of Appiano-Monte in which history and tradition become especially tangible, as there is a density here of manors, castles, and fortresses that knows no equal.

The Weinberghof in its typical Oltradige style joins in this tradition. The view from the terrace looks out on the surrounding countryside and the numerous vineyards – including those of the Romen family. “We make use of the ideal location here with numerous hours of sunshine that is especially beneficial to the maturing of the grapes,” explains Alois Romen. “And during the night, katabatic winds provide cooler temperatures. These substantial temperature differentials between day and night are responsible for the prominent aroma of our wines.”
But wine enthusiasts can convince themselves of this, and specifically right at the Weinberghof. Their own wines can be tasted here properly – in the winery which, with its old stone arches, is reminiscent of olden days. As one learns, tradition extends into the details.

The Weingut in der Eben in Cardano was one of the first estate wineries to have been operated organically. As a pioneer at that time, Johannes Plattner moved forward, and his son Urban not only follows his father’s path today, but pushes ahead himself: with biodynamic management and “living wines”.

The Weingut in der Eben estate winery on the plain in Cardano has been in the possession of the Plattner family since 1982, and the grapes from three hectares of vineyards have been cultivated since 1996. It is Johannes Plattner who is to be thanked for these steps, although his son Urban has been at the controls since 2011. He converted the growing operation to biodynamic cultivation. Through the sowing of grasses and herbs, he promotes the diversity of species in the vineyard and thus also the beneficial insects which, in conjunction with prudent leaf care and selective harvesting, provides for healthy grapes.

Not only has Urban Plattner continued developing the method of management, he has also fundamentally changed the style of the wines of the Weingut in der Eben. Thus from Schiava, Pinot Noir, Malvasia, Merlot, Lagrein, and Sauvignon Blanc, wines of a completely particular type come into existence, “living wines” as Plattner calls them. He goes on to explain, “I allow my wines to ferment spontaneously and age them for a very long time in large wooden barrels because only with time, patience, hardly any sulfur, and the correct sensitivity do they take on the depth that I wish them to have.”

In the end, another part of the particular drinking experience is that all of the wines from the estate winery on the plain in Cardano come to the market unfiltered. In fact, as living wines.

The Moser winegrowing estate in Pianizza di Sotto (Caldaro) was inaugurated in 2018. That makes it one of the youngest in Alto Adige, but it is also among the largest and, without a doubt, the most ambitious. The vines, for example, are grown on two different locations on 10 hectares of land. The red varieties thrive on the heat and the Mediterranean climate of Lago Caldaro whereas the whites find optimum conditions on the glacial moraine in Monticolo. They all are then matured in different wooden barrels.

Everyone at the Moser winegrowing estate is striving for perfection, and it shows—for example, in the new, fully equipped cellar and the identity of the cellarer: none other than Gerhard Sarin is in charge here, the man who already achieved international renown as the cellarer of ERSTE + NEUE.

Approximately 55,000 bottles a year are produced at the Moser winegrowing estate under his aegis. The varieties on offer range from the fungus-resistant (PIWI) Souvignier Gris and the classics Ruländer, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon to Lagrein Rosé, Kalterersee, and Lagrein Riserva as well as the Toscarosso and Merlot Cabernet cuvées.

Those who have always wanted to be a fly on the wall in the cellar can take one of the weekly tours (tasting included). And those who love not only wine but beer, too, will be delighted to learn that the Moser wine estate is home to the only brewery-in-a-winery in Europe.

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

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

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