Pinot Bianco

Pinot Bianco reveals its aristocratic side at the high altitude of Zuc di Volpe. The privileged single vineyard site near Togliano offers ideal conditions for this elegant grape variety: cool nights, calcareous soils and excellent aeration, which enables slow, balanced ripening. Maturation in stainless steel tanks with an extended maturation period on the fine lees preserves the clear fruit and at the same time lends depth and structure. The nose reveals aromas of white peach, pear and a hint of camomile, underpinned by a fine nutty note. Finely crafted and precise on the palate, with a creamy texture, firm minerality and a long, balanced finish.

At some point in the history of Nals Margreid, the Gambero Rosso even declared Sirmian to be the best white wine in Italy. We are not surprised. Above Nals, in the Sirmian district, the slopes lie between 500 and 700 metres above sea level. South-east facing, alpine climate: mild summers, cool autumns, a long growing season that ends in mid-October with the harvest. The soil is a geological archive: Permeable glacial moraine of limestone, gneiss, mica, slate and marble, deposited millions of years ago by glaciers in the Western Alps, resting on porphyry, the volcanic bedrock of the bedrock.

Eichhorn Vineyard – the name evokes South Tyrol, with its centuries-old vines rooted in sandy loam soils on weathered volcanic porphyry. As with the Sauvignon, this plot is also situated within the Tenuta Lieben Aich estate in Terlan, 300 metres above sea level, facing south-west towards the mild air currents. But whilst Tannenberg aims for maximum minerality, the Eichhorn seeks a balance between alpine clarity and Mediterranean richness. Here, Pinot Bianco – or "Weißburgunder", as the South Tyroleans call it – matures into a variety that oscillates between restraint and expression.

Since 2001, Pinot Blanc has been part of the Sanct Valentin range – born out of the realisation that this long-underestimated variety is capable of producing exceptional results in the higher elevations of Eppan-Berg. At altitudes of between 450 and 600 metres, where limestone gravel and loam form the subsoil, vines aged between ten and thirty-two years grow facing south-southeast. Extremely low yields from meticulously selected plots. Hand-harvested at the end of September, the grapes then follow two different paths: one half undergoes malolactic fermentation and yeast ageing in barriques and tonneaux, the other in large oak casks. Blending takes place after just under a year, once it becomes clear which components complement each other – followed by a further eight months' maturation in stainless-steel tanks to perfect the balance.

The "Vigna" classification guarantees and designates the origin of a single-vineyard wine in South Tyrol. The Pinot Bianco from the single vineyard San Michele from the Barthenau winery has a strong personality that fully unfolds after an additional year of ageing in the bottle. It has a rich bouquet of green apple and banana, a full-bodied flavour with plenty of fruit, a medium, finely balanced acidity and a long mineral finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Vorberg – the name gives away its location: on the steep southern slopes of the Tschöggelberg, at altitudes between 450 and 650 metres, a Pinot Blanc thrives that reveals the full potential of this famous South Tyrolean grape variety. The stony, sandy-loam soils, formed from weathered porphyry, with their high quartz content and slightly acidic pH levels, characterise a terroir of extremes: high water permeability, limited nutrient availability and naturally restricted yields. This microstress elicits unique, terroir-specific polyphenols from the vines. Hand-harvested, gently pressed as whole bunches, followed by natural sedimentation. Slow fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature in large oak barrels (70 and 30 hl), followed by partial malolactic fermentation and 12 months' ageing on the fine lees in traditional wooden barrels.

Phileo is the Greek word for love, for affection, for sincerity in a relationship. Franz Pratzner did not choose this name by chance. He derived it from Filomena – his mother, the woman who shaped, moulded and lived the Falkenstein estate for decades. A wine as homage – it could hardly be more personal. The Phileo vines are planted on the Falkenstein vineyard itself, at 650 metres, south-facing, on a soil of gneiss, granite and slate – one of the most mineral-rich soils in the entire Vinschgau Sonnenberg. 9,000 vines per hectare, Guyot training, one kilogramme per vine. Maximum density, minimum quantity. What the vines achieve in this barren landscape is brought to the glass through malolactic fermentation and the targeted, restrained use of wood – creamy, structured, with a long ageing potential.

Pinot Bianco was first introduced to South Tyrol as early as 1850 – and the Schulthaus vineyard, situated above Castel Moos in Appiano Monte, is probably the most historic Pinot Bianco site in the entire municipality. The Schulthauser has been bottled as a wine in its own right since 1982 – and since then it has become one of the best-known expressions of this grape variety in South Tyrol. The vineyards are situated at altitudes of 540 to 620 metres, facing south-east, on limestone gravel soils with a slight clay content – high enough for the evening downdrafts from the Mendel Mountains to exert their cooling effect every day. Hand-harvested at the end of September. In the cellar: 85% fermented in stainless steel, 15% in large wooden casks with malolactic fermentation. In February, the wines are blended to create a wine that combines creamy smoothness and pronounced acidity in a rare harmony.

Eichhorn Vineyard – the name evokes South Tyrol, with its centuries-old vines rooted in sandy loam soils on weathered volcanic porphyry rock. As with the Sauvignon, this plot is also situated within the Tenuta Lieben Aich in Terlan, 300 metres above sea level, facing south-west towards the mild air currents. But whilst Tannenberg aims for maximum minerality, Eichhorn seeks a balance between alpine clarity and Mediterranean richness. Here, Pinot Bianco – known as "Weißburgunder" to South Tyroleans – matures into a variety that oscillates between restraint and expression. Following a damp spring and a hot summer, 2024 brought that golden autumn which allowed the grapes to reach perfect physiological ripeness. The grapes were hand-harvested at the end of September, striking an ideal balance between ripeness, freshness and moderate alcohol content – a vintage that combines a cool character with ripe fruit. The yield was 50 hectolitres per hectare. The destemmed berries remain in the press for eight hours for maceration – a shorter time than for Sauvignons, as Pinot Blanc handles structure more subtly. Spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts in wooden barrels, followed by nine months' ageing on the fine lees.

Vorberg – the name gives away its location: on the steep southern slopes of the Tschöggelberg, at altitudes between 450 and 650 metres, a Pinot Blanc thrives that reveals the full potential of this famous South Tyrolean grape variety. The stony, sandy-loam soils, formed from weathered porphyry, with their high quartz content and slightly acidic pH levels, characterise a terroir of extremes: high water permeability, limited nutrient availability and naturally restricted yields. This microstress elicits unique, terroir-specific polyphenols from the vines. Hand-harvested, gently pressed as whole bunches, followed by natural sedimentation. Slow fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature in large oak casks (70 and 30 hl), followed by partial malolactic fermentation and 12 months' ageing on the fine lees in traditional wooden casks.

The rarity wine symbolises Terlan's longevity: "A speciality of the Cantina Terlan are the rarities, special bottlings of mature white wines that have been stored for at least ten years on the fine lees in steel pressure tanks. The youthful freshness that characterises this Pinot Blanc despite its mature age is particularly impressive, making it perfect for longer ageing in the bottle. Terlan has the terroir to produce great white wines and skilfully demonstrates this with these rarities." Rudi Kofler, Kellermeister

The rarity wine symbolises Terlan's longevity: "A speciality of the Cantina Terlan are the rarities, special bottlings of mature white wines that have been stored for at least ten years on the fine lees in steel pressure tanks. The youthful freshness that characterises this Pinot Blanc despite its mature age is particularly impressive, making it perfect for longer ageing in the bottle. Terlan has the terroir to produce great white wines and skilfully demonstrates this with these rarities." Rudi Kofler, Kellermeister

There is one date worth remembering: 1967. In that year, former cellar master Sebastian Stocker placed the first white wines in pressure tanks that were actually intended for sparkling wine. There was no market for South Tyrolean sparkling wine, but there was an idea: what happens if a white wine rests on its fine lees not for months, but for years – even decades? Stocker wanted to find out. His successors have refined the answer. Rudi Kofler, cellar master since 2002, has elevated it to a philosophy. The Rarity is the result of this patience. Outstanding vintages are first aged for twelve to fifteen months in large wooden barrels – then they are transferred to smallLiters,Liters, where they rest undisturbed on their fine lees: ten years, fifteen years, sometimes longer. Until Kofler decides that the time is right.

The "Vigna" classification guarantees and designates the origin of a single-vineyard wine in South Tyrol. The Pinot Bianco from the single vineyard San Michele from the Barthenau winery has a strong personality that fully unfolds after an additional year of ageing in the bottle. It has a rich bouquet of green apple and banana, a full-bodied flavour with plenty of fruit, a medium, finely balanced acidity and a long mineral finish. SUPERIORE.DE

The rarity wine symbolises Terlan's longevity: "A speciality of the Cantina Terlan are the rarities, special bottlings of mature white wines that have been stored for at least ten years on the fine lees in steel pressure tanks. The youthful freshness that characterises this Pinot Blanc despite its mature age is particularly impressive, making it perfect for longer ageing in the bottle. Terlan has the terroir to produce great white wines and skilfully demonstrates this with these rarities." Rudi Kofler, Kellermeister