Wines from South Tyrol and Trentino

Tannenberg – a parcel within the Lieben Aich vineyard that stands alone. While the Lieben Aich represents the entire Tenuta, this Sauvignon concentrates on a specific parcel: the one with the most pronounced mineral structure. South-western slope, 300 metres above sea level, warm and breezy microclimate. The soils of sandy loam over porphyry weathered rock are water-permeable and low in nutrients – conditions that require concentration. 2024 was a challenging vintage: a wet spring, then a hot and dry summer, followed by a golden autumn that allowed for perfect physiological ripeness. In mid-September, the grapes showed ripe fruit, cool character and moderate alcohol – ideal conditions for long-lasting wines with tension. The yield per hectare was 43 hectolitres. Vinification follows Manincor's biodynamic philosophy: the destemmed berries macerate on the press for twelve hours to extract flavour and structure from the skins. Spontaneous fermentation with the grapes' own yeasts takes place in wooden barrels, followed by nine months of ageing on the fine lees. The phases of the moon determine sowing, cultivation and harvesting: Rudolf Steiner's principles, consistently implemented. 11,900 bottles and 217 magnums were filled.

When the joy of experimentation meets biodynamic consistency, wines like this Bronner from Alois Lageder's Kometen series are born. Only 259 bottles were produced – from a single barrique. The Bronner grape variety, a fungus-resistant cross between Märzling and Saint Laurent, is considered a first-generation PIWI variety. While such grape varieties are increasingly being promoted in cultivation, they are still met with reluctance in sales. This wine is impressive proof of their potential.

"Curiosity about the future" – is the motto of this extraordinary comet, which is not just a wine, but a climate change experiment. For many years, Alois Lageder has been working on the question of which grape varieties are suitable for future higher average temperatures and more extreme weather conditions in South Tyrol. The answer: plant grape varieties from southern wine-growing regions of Europe and observe how they behave in cooler environments. The hypothesis was that these varieties would develop higher acidity and moderate sugar levels in South Tyrol. Today, VIO XIII is one of the most successful experiments in this series.

Pinot Grigio Unterebner is an exceptional wine: golden yellow in colour, with elegant aromas of blossom honey, lavender and tropical fruits. Delicate, buttery notes; very well-balanced and charismatic, with a long and full-bodied finish. SUPERIORE.DE

When the first snow powders the peaks and most winegrowers have long since closed their cellars, the real work begins on Mount Roen. At the end of November, sometimes not until the beginning of December, grapes are still hanging on the vines here – golden-brown, raisined, concentrated to the essence. Every year it is a new bet with the weather, a calculated risk that the Tramin winery has been taking for decades. Because what matures here on the eastern and south-eastern slopes above Söll at an altitude of 300 to 500 metres is no ordinary sweet wine. The 15 to 25-year-old vines are deeply rooted in calcareous gravel and loamy soil, interspersed with porphyry rock. The extreme climate – mediterranean-sunny days, followed by icy downdraughts from the Dolomites – forces the grapes to concentrate, squeezing everything they have to give. The yield? A meagre 25 hectolitres per hectare. Luxury in liquid form. harvest is followed by careful maceration, then gentle pressing at just 1.2 bar. The must matures in barriques for a whole year before being left to rest in the bottle for a further few months.

The vineyards for the 100% Pinot Noir Riserva are located in the Überetsch region between 350 and 450 metres above sea level and face south-west. The soil is a compact, dense moraine soil made up of sediments from the Ice Age, calcareous, loamy and rich in minerals. Bright ruby red in colour, with a bouquet of redcurrants, raspberries, strawberries and hints of sage. Taut and very polished on the palate, its spicy tannins flank its beautiful depth and very appealing length. SUPERIORE.DE

When Giulio Ferrari vinified his first bottles of spumante in Via Belentani in 1902, he dreamed of an Italian sparkling wine on a par with French wines. Today, over 120 years later, this dream has long since become a reality – and Ferrari Rosé is living proof of this. The Fratelli Lunelli have taken the founder's legacy to Alpine perfection. This elegant rosé is made from 60% Pinot Nero and 40% Chardonnay in the high altitudes of Trentino. The vineyards stretch across Val d'Adige, Val di Cembra and Valle dei Laghi, all with south-easterly to south-westerly exposures on the mountain slopes. Here, the grapes benefit from the perfect symbiosis between Alpine freshness and Mediterranean warmth. The Metodo Classico vinification strictly follows French models. After gentle pressing, the first fermentation takes place, followed by traditional bottle fermentation with the winery's own yeasts. The Spumante matures on the lees for at least 20 months – time, which gives the rosé its characteristic creaminess and complexity.

Lagrein and Gries belong together like Nebbiolo and Barolo. The Bolzano district of Gries is the ancestral home of this indigenous South Tyrolean grape variety – first mentioned in writing in 1379, since then hardly anywhere else as convincing as here. Rudi Kofler puts it in a nutshell: "The alluvial soils of Gries are ideal for Lagrein. Because the Gries terroir is unlike anything else in Terlan. No steep slopes, no porphyry rock – but flat, post-glacial alluvial soil in the sunny Bolzano valley basin, where the Adige, Eisack and Talfer rivers meet and summer temperatures of up to 40 degrees are not uncommon. Loamy-sandy soils, lime-free, brooding. A terroir that gives Lagrein warmth and ripeness without taking away its tension. Hand-picked, destemming, slow maceration in steel, malolactic fermentation – then 12 months of ageing: half in large wooden barrels and half in barriques, one third of which is new. Precision meets depth.

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 1986, the Gewürztraminer has been one of the founding wines of the legendary Sanct Valentin range – the premium collection with which cellar master Hans Terzer once set a new benchmark for South Tyrolean premium wines. From carefully selected vineyards in the municipality of Eppan, where the grape variety finds ideal conditions on calcareous gravel at altitudes of between 450 and 600 metres, the winery selects only the very best grapes for this wine. What sets it apart, alongside its aromatic intensity, is its remarkable longevity – a quality that distinguishes it from many other Gewürztraminers and promises a magnificent drinking experience even after years of bottle ageing. The grapes are hand-harvested with rigorous selection. A short maceration is followed by gentle pressing, before temperature-controlled fermentation begins. The wine is aged exclusively in stainless steel tanks.

In 1986, Hans Terzer took the bold step of vinifying a Chardonnay in the Burgundian style, a wine that was to set international standards. The grapes for this wine, which has since become the flagship of the Sanct Valentin range, come from the finest single vineyards in the municipality of Eppan, situated between 450 and 550 metres above sea level on calcareous gravel soils. Warm September days, cool nights – the microclimate of the South Tyrolean mountain vineyards lends the Chardonnay that aromatic depth and structure which allow it to mature year after year. Each plot is vinified separately. Fermentation begins in barriques, where malolactic fermentation also takes place, followed by eleven months on the fine lees – only then is the blend assembled, followed by a further eight months' ageing in stainless-steel tanks to perfect the balance between fruit, oak and minerality.

1989 marked the debut of the St. Michael-Eppan Winery's most famous wine. Cellar master Hans Terzer created the Sauvignon Sanct Valentin as the flagship wine of the top-tier range of the same name: selected plots on the slopes of the Mendel Mountains, strict quality guidelines, low yields and intensive manual labour. Since then, it has been regarded as one of Italy's most award-winning white wines – a title it earns anew year after year. Today, the responsibility lies with Jakob Gasser, who carries on this legacy with the same care. The vineyards on the foothills of the Mendel Mountains benefit daily from the fallwind – the cooling evening breezes that preserve freshness and aromatics and lend the Sauvignon its characteristic minerality. Hand-harvested, cold maceration of the skins, fermentation in stainless steel, ageing on the fine lees. Precision at every stage, with no intervention that masks the expression of the terroir.

Although Merlot is an international grape variety in South Tyrol, it finds its own distinctive character here on weathered porphyry. The vines are situated at altitudes of 250 to 300 metres, on weathered porphyry and sandy loess-clay soils, facing south to south-west. The yield is deliberately limited to 40 hectolitres per hectare – production amounts to just 8,000 bottles. Fermentation takes place in open stainless-steel tanks, with the must being punched down daily. The young wine is then transferred to barriques for malolactic fermentation, where it matures for eighteen months until bottling. This is followed by a further year of bottle ageing.

In 1898, Christian Schrott, parish priest of Termeno and a member of the Austrian Parliament, founded a cooperative intended to bring together the winegrowers of his village. What began back then as a community based on farmers’ solidarity is now one of South Tyrol’s most renowned wine-growers’ cooperatives: 160 member families, 250 hectares of vineyards, and a commitment to quality that is unrivalled in the region. The name ‘Stoan’ is the brainchild of cellar master Willi Stürz – and is self-explanatory: ‘Stoan’ is the dialect word for ‘stone’, and the stony, limestone-rich subsoil at altitudes of up to 600 metres is what gives this wine its identity.

Maso Michei is located high up in a secluded mountain world in southern Trentino. There, the vines thrive at an altitude of 790 to 850 metres on a sun-drenched south-facing slope in unspoilt nature. In this remarkable location for viticulture, the vines grow slowly and the grapes ripen late. With the acquisition of the 13-hectare Maso Michei vineyard in the Valle dei Ronchi above Ala, Martin Foradori Hofstätter has returned to the roots of his ancestors in Trentino.

Pinot Blanc has been part of the Sanct Valentin line since 2001 – born out of the realisation that this long underestimated variety is capable of achieving extraordinary things at the high altitudes of Eppan-Berg. Between 450 and 600 metres, where limestone gravel and clay form the foundation, ten to thirty-two year old vines grow facing south-southeast. Extremely low yields from meticulously selected plots. Hand-picked at the end of September, then two different methods: one half fermented with malolactic fermentation and yeast storage in barriques and tonneaux, the other in large oak barrels. After just under a year, the wine is blended when it is clear what belongs together – then a further eight months of maturation in steel tanks to finalise the balance.

The Moscato Giallo is dry and matured for 5 months on the fine lees and has a golden yellow colour. It is an aromatic wine, with notes of citrus fruits, white peaches, lemon balm and elderberry, combined with a hint of nutmeg and sweet spices. The lively acidity and discreet mineral structure give this wine an excellent freshness and pleasant style. SUPERIORE.DE

When Giulio Ferrari dreamt up his vision of an Italian sparkling wine to rival the French Grands Crus in 1902, he probably had just such a rosé in mind: 70% Pinot Nero and 30% Chardonnay, with the elegance that has become the hallmark of Casa Ferrari. Maximum Rosé has embodied this philosophy for over a century – a sparkling wine between tradition and alpine modernity. The vineyards stretch across the valleys of Trentino, where the Dolomites meet Mediterranean influences. Here, Pinot Nero and Chardonnay develop the finesse that only cool mountain slopes can give. The vinification follows the company's own philosophy: the traditional bottle fermentation process matures the spumante on the fine yeasts for over 30 months – a considerable ageing period that gives the rosé its characteristic creaminess and complexity.

Marzadro's "bivitigno" grappa series, as the name suggests, always consists of two grape varieties that correspond in taste. Distillation is carried out slowly using the hot water bath method in a discontinuous steam still. This preserves all the aromatic substances of the vines and guarantees optimal results in terms of aromas and fragrances.