Wines from South Tyrol and Trentino

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.

Since 1986, Gewürztraminer has been one of the founding wines of the legendary Sanct Valentin line – the top collection with which cellar master Hans Terzer once raised the bar for South Tyrolean premium wines. The winery selects only the best grapes for this wine from carefully chosen vineyards in the municipality of Eppan, where the grape variety finds ideal conditions on calcareous gravel between 450 and 600 metres above sea level. What characterises it, apart from its aromatic intensity, is its remarkable longevity – a characteristic that sets it apart from many other Gewürztraminer wines and promises a great drinking experience even after years of ageing in the bottle. The grapes are harvested by hand with rigorous selection. A short maceration is followed by gentle pressing before temperature-controlled fermentation begins. The wine is matured exclusively in stainless steel tanks.

1989 is the birth year of the most famous wine from the St. Michael-Eppan winery. Cellar master Hans Terzer created the Sauvignon Sanct Valentin as the flagship wine of the top line of the same name: selected parcels on the slopes of the Mendel Mountains, strict quality guidelines, low yields, intensive manual labour. Since then, it has been considered one of the most awarded white wines in Italy – a title it has earned year after year. Today, the responsibility lies with Jakob Gasser, who carries the legacy with the same care. The vineyards at the foothills of the Mendel Mountains benefit daily from the fall winds – the cooling evening breezes, which preserve freshness and flavour and give the Sauvignon its characteristic minerality. Hand-picked, cold maceration of the skins, fermentation in steel, maturation on the fine lees. Precision in every step, no intervention that obscures the expression of the place.

In 1986, Hans Terzer dared to take the step of vinifying a Chardonnay modelled on Burgundy, which was to set international standards. The grapes for this wine, which has been the flagship of the Sanct Valentin line ever since, come from the best 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 gives the Chardonnay the aromatic depth and structure that allow it to mature from year to year. Each parcel is vinified separately. Fermentation begins in barriques, where malolactic fermentation also takes place, followed by eleven months on the fine lees – followed by a further eight months of ageing in steel tanks to perfect the balance between fruit, wood and minerality.

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

The grapes for Franz Haas' Petit Manseng remain on the vines for an extra week to ripen. After fermentation, the wine is matured for 10 months in used barriques. Strong straw yellow colour. Highly aromatic, intense bouquet of dried fruit, traces of honey and a subtle minerality. Complex on the palate, very well structured, with a creamy texture and wonderfully mild acidity and subtle freshness. Very long finish and good ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

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.

Above Bolzano, where old gravel paths lead through sun-drenched vineyards, lies the legendary Huck am Bach farm, which gives its name to one of the most authentic red wines in South Tyrol. Between 250 and 500 metres above sea level, the Vernatsch and Lagrein vines that have been at the heart of the St. Magdalener tradition for generations thrive here on mineral-rich gravel soils. The harvest harvest produces grapes that mature in large oak barrels into a wine of enchanting elegance.

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.

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.

Tramin gave Gewürztraminer its name – and the world has since associated it with lush rose flavours, lychee and a body that likes to be heavy. Martin Foradori-Hofstätter thinks differently. With Vigna Castel Rechtenthal, he shows what this variety can do when the location is right and the winemaker does not stand in its way. The vineyard plot is located on a gravelly hill above Rechtenthal Castle, at the foot of Monte Roen – the highest peak in Tramin at 2,116 metres. The soil is an alluvial cone of dolomite gravel: permeable, cool and mineralised. The Höllentalbach stream intensifies the already fresh downdraughts that blow down from the mountain and significantly lower the temperatures at night. No other Gewürztraminer Tramin grows under such conditions.

From old vines in the best Lagrein vineyards in Gries near Bolzano comes this Riserva, which is strictly limited every year and has a seductively chocolaty, fruity bouquet. Rich, dark purple in colour with a slightly lighter rim. On the palate, it is velvety and elegant with a soft fullness and lively freshness, with further fruity accents on the finish. SUPERIORE.DE

The world-famous Gewürztraminer Nussbaumer has been a real benchmark for years and is also a convincing wine in terms of longevity. Bright yellow in colour with greenish reflections. Typically perfect, complex and deep, but also agile and fresh with beautiful nuances. A broad bouquet of rose petals, smoke and oriental spices. On the palate it flows silky smooth, velvety and spicy, lingers for a long time, great! SUPERIORE.DE

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.