The best riservas in South Tyrol

Oberkerschbaum – the upper cherry tree farm. The name is an expression of the everyday nature of mountain life: a farm named after the trees that lined its edge. However, what makes this plot stand out from the ordinary is its location. The vineyard is located in Pochi di Salorno, UGA Buchholz, on the southernmost border of South Tyrol – where the province crosses into Trentino. At 770 to 800 metres, exposed to the south-west, on pure volcanic porphyry without any limestone content. No other Vigna vineyard of the estate is so high, none has such a consistently eruptive geology. The Sauvignon Bianco thrives here under extreme but precise conditions: an exceptional amount of sunshine intensified by the altitude, cool nights that slow down ripening and preserve freshness, a soil that transfers the minerality of the volcano directly into the grapes. The Vigna classification, first introduced for Alto Adige by Paolo Foradori, stands here for a parcel that bears no comparison. The Riserva designation of the 2023 confirms the extended ageing process.

The new name suffix reveals what is important: Praun – which means "brown" in the local dialect – refers to the dark brown, phenolically fully ripe grape seeds and the brownish-woody structure of the stems. A sign of optimum physiological ripeness, a sign of exceptional grape quality. In the sun-drenched Siebeneich near Terlan, at an altitude of around 250 metres, Merlot finds ideal conditions. The warm, fertile alluvial soils of the Adige with their quartz porphyry content and the dry, hot microclimate produce concentrated, storable wines. After fermentation in wooden barrels, the wine matures for around a year in French barriques and large oak barrels – a combination that combines structure with elegance.

The "Griesfeld" vineyard in Neumarkt is one of the best and warmest Lagrein vineyards in South Tyrol. Deep purple-red colour. Spicy bouquet with hints of blackberry, plum and cherry juice. Firmly packed on the palate, full-bodied with good freshness and primary fruit, vinous and delicately spicy; the warm tannins flank the very harmonious and deep final. SUPERIORE.DE

It was Paolo Foradori who made Mazon what it is today. He married into the Hofstätter family in 1959 and dedicated his life to a single project: proving that the high plateau east of the Adige Valley is the most important Pinot Noir site in Italy. The experts have proved him right. Mazon, at 350 to 460 metres, exposed on the north side, on the cooler east side of the South Tyrolean Adige Valley – with limestone gravel and clay soils, which are mineralised by the rock formations of the Werfen Formation – gives the Pinot Nero a depth, concentration and complexity that cannot be found anywhere else in this form. The Riserva is the expression of the entire plateau: the wine that Foradori in Mazon always had in mind. 100% hand-picked, completely destemmed harvest, fermentation in concrete vats with remontage. Then maturation in barriques, then again in concrete – a sequence that treats structure and freshness equally – and finally two years of bottle ageing before sale.

Lagrein Urban, named after the Urbanhof farm, where the grapes grow in excellent vineyards. Bright, dark ruby in colour, with a bouquet of spicy notes, dark fruit and fine chocolate. Very juicy and dense, with balanced roasted flavours and fine tannins. SUPERIORE.DE

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

Pinot Noir is the most demanding grape variety in the world. It forgives nothing – no wrong soil, no climate that is too warm, no impatient hand in the cellar. It has found its place in Terlan: Since the middle of the 19th century, Pinot Noir has thrived in the medium-high sites of the Monticol zone, at 450–760 metres, on light, weathered porphyry soils, where downdraughts provide cooling even at the height of summer. Rudi Kofler has long since said the decisive sentence: "The older vineyards produce a well-structured and, above all, elegant Pinot Noir." Elegance is not a marketing term here – it is the logical consequence of the location, soil and ripening process.

Bordeaux grandeur meets South Tyrolean clarity: Mumelter Cabernet embodies this union in its purest form. Named after the south-facing Mumelterhof estate near Bolzano, where, at an altitude of 330 metres, weathered porphyry soils and a sub-Mediterranean microclimate allow the international varieties Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc to develop to their full potential. This cuvée of two Bordeaux classics combines the best of both worlds: the structure and power of Cabernet Sauvignon with the elegance and finesse of Cabernet Franc.

In the historic vineyards of Mazon and Glen, where two micro-terroirs between 400 and 600 metres above sea level merge to form a poetic name, one of the most subtle interpretations of Pinot Nero in the whole of South Tyrol thrives. The fine Pinot Noir grapes ripen in a climate of extreme contrasts on sandy clay soils that lean westwards towards the evening sun. The Mediterranean warmth of the day meets the icy mountain winds of the night – a dialogue between passion and restraint that gives the Pinot Nero complexity and elegance. Ruby to garnet red in colour in the glass, with aromas of sour cherries and wild berries, accompanied by delicate orange notes and spicy hints. Fine fruit unfolds on the palate with a salty freshness, delicate, elegant and with a length that lingers in the memory long after the last sip. A Pinot Nero that combines Burgundian soul with Alpine precision, destined for a decade of ageing and beyond. SUPERIORE.DE

Vigna Crivelli is one of the most renowned white wine vineyards in the South Tyrolean Unterland. Named after Count Crivelli, a leading member of an ancient noble family from Margreid, the Chardonnay thrives here on alluvial soils of fine sand with silt and clay deposits under ideal conditions. The unique microclimate of this single vineyard is characterised by strong downdrafts from the Fennberg and the daily southerly wind, the ‘Ora’, which ensures perfect aeration of the grapes. The marked day-night temperature fluctuations allow for a long ripening period with optimal aroma development. The vines are planted on low-growth rootstocks and trained using the Guyot system.

Lagrein is South Tyrol's great indigenous red wine variety – and in the Linticlarus version it shows its full potential. The name honours the Roman Castrum Linticlar, the ancient fortress above the winery, whose history dates back to the Stone Age. The Linticlarus selection is only produced in outstanding vintages. The grapes come from the Breitbach, Gruben and Milla vineyards near Entiklar, at an altitude of 230 to 300 metres. The calcareous, sandy alluvial soils give the wine mineral depth and structure. Mash fermentation in stainless steel is followed by 12 months in barrique – more than a third of which is new – then 6 months in large wooden barrels and a further year of ageing in the bottle.

The Sanct Valentin line is the centrepiece of the St. Michael-Eppan winery and the Cabernet-Merlot is its only red cuvée. It has been part of this prestigious line since 2013, and the decision was a conscious one: not an experiment, but a red wine with the same claim to minerality, complexity and longevity that the white Sanct Valentin wines have embodied for decades. The vineyards are located in the warmest areas of the municipalities of Appiano, Caldaro and Cortaccia – at 250 to 400 metres, exposed to the south-west, on gravel moraine soils that drain exceptionally well and demand the concentration from both Cabernet and Merlot that makes extreme yield reduction possible in the first place. Merlot from the beginning of October, Cabernet in mid-October – hand-picked, individual selection, separate vinification. 20 days of maceration, 12 months in barriques and tonneaux. After blending, a further 10 months in steel to round off.

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.

The grapes for the Cortazo grow in the hot Brenntal vineyard in Kurtatsch, which favours the necessary ripeness of the Cabernet Sauvignon. Rich ruby red colour. Harmonious bouquet of violets and wild berries. Powerful and complex on the palate with a beautiful fruit centre and subtle extract sweetness, velvety tannins and a long finish. Very good Storage potential. SUPERIORE.DE

At the Wangger farm in Leitach, where moraine debris and sandy alluvial soil characterise the south-eastern slopes between 260 and 300 metres, Lagrein grows on the kind of soil that turns strength into stability. Here, in the classic growing area near Bolzano, where the indigenous variety has found its deepest expression for generations, Hans Terzer hand-selects the grapes that have the potential to age for more than a decade. Twelve months in barriques, then the assemblage – only when the true architecture of the wine is revealed. A further six months in large oak barrels to complete the harmony.

Doran is no accident. This wine demonstrates what happens when French Chardonnay clones meet South Tyrolean limestone soils. The Andrian Winery takes exactly the time this Riserva needs: twelve months in tonneaux, 30 per cent of which are new French oak barrels. This is the Burgundian school in its purest form. The grapes come from the highest vineyards around Andrian, at altitudes of between 350 and 450 metres. There, the calcareous loam soil is interspersed with white dolomite rock. The microclimate makes all the difference: cooler temperatures than elsewhere, a longer ripening period, and higher acidity. Perfect for a Chardonnay with ambition. Cellar master Rudi Kofler opts for full fermentation in wood. Regular bâtonnage ensures that the oak integrates elegantly, without ever becoming overpowering. Following malolactic fermentation, the wine matures for a further three months in stainless steel – to achieve the final balance between opulence and freshness.

The Sauvignon Blanc vines for this complex Riserva in small quantities (approx. 3,000 bottles) grow on grey porphyry and sandy-limestone rock flour in the "Kathreinerfelder" vineyard in Fiè allo Sciliar. Lemon yellow in colour with warm reflections. Complex bouquet of flint, preserved lemon, passion fruit, ripe apricot and melon. On the palate, this top Sauvignon presents itself with depth, precision, minerality and a long, ripe finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Pinot Nero has always been a challenge for every winemaker. It is a grape variety that places the highest demands on soil, climate and winemaking expertise. The Burgundian noble grape has been cultivated in South Tyrol since 1850, where it has become the region's most important red wine under the name Blauburgunder. Only the best and oldest vineyards in Eppan and the surrounding area are selected for the Sanct Valentin Pinot Nero, which has been part of the winery's prestige line since 1995 – sites between 400 and 550 metres on moraine debris and calcareous gravel. Minimal yields and meticulous care in the vineyard form the basis for a wine of exceptional finesse. The grapes are harvested by hand from the end of September to the beginning of October. After three days of cold maceration, fermentation begins in stainless steel tanks, followed by gentle pressing. Malolactic fermentation and subsequent maturation take place in barriques and tonneaux. After around twelve months, the wine is blended before maturing for a further six months in large wooden barrels – a combination that combines structure with Burgundian class.

At an altitude of 1,030 metres, where apple trees still stood thirty years ago, one of Italy’s most remarkable Pinot Noirs is now grown. Peter Zemmer took the plunge a good decade ago: he planted Burgundy vines on the south-facing slopes at the Koflhof in Aldein – —an experiment at an altitude that is exceptional even by South Tyrolean standards. The first vintages remained unofficial; in 2016, hail struck. But since 2017, Vigna Kofl has demonstrated what is possible when porphyry soils meet dolomite carbonate and the daily ‘Ora’ breeze from the south provides that cool tension that Pinot Noir loves so much. The vinification follows the rhythm of the vineyard: seven days’ fermentation at a controlled temperature, gentle extraction through pumping over, then two careful rackings without a centrifuge – — a time-consuming process reserved for fine wines. Twelve months in French barriques, a further six in stainless steel, and finally half a year of bottle ageing.

Tor di Lupo, the Wolf's Gate – a name that inspires respect. The flagship of Andriano was one of the very first premium Lagrein in South Tyrol. You could say that it is a primeval rock of South Tyrolean quality winegrowing. Since the early days, the winery has produced this Riserva from grapes from Gries near Bolzano, the classic home of Lagrein.