Wines from South Tyrol and Trentino

In the gentle hills above Trento, where the Dolomites majestically watch over the Adige Valley, lies a vineyard called Fontanasanta, the "Holy Spring". Here, at an altitude of 400 metres and on calcareous clay soils, Elisabetta Foradori preserves one of Trentino's most precious treasures: the Nosiola, an ancient indigenous grape variety that was once at the heart of the region's wine culture but is now threatened with extinction. Only three hectares are dedicated to this rare variety. Nosiola, whose name is derived from the dialect word "nosela" for hazelnut, requires patience and sensitivity. In wet Alpine years, it can be capricious, but under Elisabetta's biodynamic guidance, it unfolds its full aromatic complexity. The vinification process follows the revolutionary Foradori philosophy: after hand-picking, the de-stemmed berries are placed in Spanish tinajas, where they ferment on the skins for eight months – a process that gives the Nosiola its characteristic golden yellow colour and structural depth. A short maturation in used acacia barrels rounds off the profile.

A sunny high plateau at an altitude of 400 to 450 metres, gently sloping towards the south and constantly bathed in fresh air – this is the site from which Manincor's Pinot Nero originates. This airy position ensures healthy grapes and a consistent ripening period – ideal conditions for a grape variety that forgives no negligence. The vines are deeply rooted in stony moraine gravel, interlaced with dolomite, porphyry, gneiss and granite. The barren, mineral-rich soil lends the wines tension, precision and unmistakable depth. Manincor relies on small-berried, compact French clones, with deliberately low yields – yet every grape seed is packed with concentration.

The grapes for this exquisite cuvée of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, as well as smaller portions of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, grow on sandy soils facing south and southwest in locations between 250 and 500 metres above sea level in a microclimatically very warm area.

Innovation often means leaving the beaten track and exploring entirely new paths. Fuoripista – meaning "off-piste" – is Elisabetta Foradori's most radical response to conventional notions of Pinot Grigio. What began in 2016 as an experiment with the biodynamic winemaker Marco Devigili has evolved into a redefinition of what a white wine can be. Just two hectares on the Campo Rotaliano provide the grapes for this extraordinary project. Pergola-trained Pinot Grigio vines thrive on the typical alluvial soils of gravel and sand, and their fruit takes an unusual path. After being hand-harvested, the destemmed berries are transferred directly into Spanish tinajas – those egg-shaped clay amphorae that Elisabetta favours for her revolutionary winemaking process. Here, the impossible happens: for eight months, the grapes remain in contact with their skins, a process that gives the wine its amber-gold colour and structural complexity.

Gewürztraminer is named after Tramin. This is not a marketing story – this is etymology. The name of the world's most famous aromatic grape variety bears the village itself, where Hofstätter has been based since 1907. And the Kolbenhof plot is located above Tramin, in the hamlet of Söll, on an eastern slope between 360 and 420 metres above sea level – one of the most historic estates in the entire village. This is where the Bolzano quartz porphyry slab meets the limestone of the Mendelzug. A geological interface that does not exist in this form anywhere else in the South Tyrolean wine-growing region. The soils with a high clay content absorb the warmth of the morning sun – the Kolbenhof is exposed to the east, protected from the midday heat – and slowly release it again. Cool, structured, elegant. This is the opposite of a sweetish mass-produced spiced Traminer: dryness with character.

Less than 1,000 bottles of this Gewürztraminer Riserva are produced each year. The grapes are harvested at the end of December - just when they are finely coated with the noble fungus Botrytis cinerea. Golden, almost amber-coloured sheen, quince, dried fruit and rose petals on the nose. Concentrated on the palate, delicate honey flavour, sweet and long. SUPERIORE.DE

2023 proved a real challenge for South Tyrol's winegrowers. The year began with extremely dry conditions, followed by a cool, rainy spring. The summer remained damp, punctuated by three heatwaves – the persistent dampness significantly increased the risk of fungal disease and demanded meticulous work in the vineyard. Andreas Kofler, President of the South Tyrol Wine Consortium, described it as a "year of extreme weather". But then came autumn: golden, dry, with warm days and cool nights – exactly the conditions that brought late-ripening red grape varieties such as Lagrein to full maturity. The vines are situated at altitudes of 230 to 300 metres, facing west to south-west, on gravelly soils composed of limestone and porphyry with sand and clay components, ranging in age from 20 to over 100 years. After harvest, the wine matures for twelve months in barriques, then spends a further six months in concrete vats, and rests in the bottle for at least another six months after bottling before leaving the winery.

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.

Pas Dosé – here, the dosage that is normally added is omitted; this dosage, applied after disgorging, determines not only the sugar content but also the style of the sparkling wine that has fermented in the bottle. Instead, the volume naturally lost during the years of bottle ageing is replaced by other wines from the estate, which do not, however, further affect the sugar content. The result is an extremely dry sparkling wine that is by no means lacking in body, character or finely nuanced flavours.

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.

There are words that tell more than entire stories. Sgarzon: In the ancient dialect of Campo Rotaliano, it means "young shoot", "sapling" and embodies the essence of youthful vitality and the impetuous vigour of new beginnings. This name is the programme for a Teroldego that revolutionises conventional ideas of this powerful grape variety. Just one kilometre from the famous Morei vineyard as the crow flies, but completely different in character, is the 2.5-hectare Sgarzon vineyard. Here, the Noce River has deposited sandy sediments over thousands of years, creating a cooler, more open microzone. While other Teroldego vineyards are already harvesting their grapes, the Sgarzon berries ripen a week longer – a decisive difference that gives this wine its exceptional finesse.

Between light and shade, between strength and elegance, sometimes only a few hundred metres decide the character of a wine. Less than ten minutes' walk from Sgarzon, but geologically in a different world, lies Morei, "the dark one" in the old Trentino dialect. Here, on the warmer, rockier terrain of Campo Rotaliano, Elisabetta Foradori has been writing another exciting chapter in the Teroldego story since 1984. The name says it all: where Sgarzon embodies youthful freshness, Morei reveals the deep, mineral soul of this extraordinary grape variety. The 2.5-hectare plot rests on the ancient riverbed of the Noce, where thousands of years of erosion have left behind a mosaic of pebbles, sand and dolomite rock. This stony matrix stores the heat of the dolomite sun and releases it to the vines at night – a natural heat reservoir that gives Teroldego its characteristic depth and concentration.

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.

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 low 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 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.

The name alone reveals the poetry of this vintage sparkling wine. For decades, Perlé has been considered the essence of Ferrari's art, born from a meticulous selection of the best Chardonnay grapes from the Trentino mountains. The grapes for this Millesimato come from altitudes between 300 and 600 metres. Here, where the vines are bathed in mountain sunshine throughout the day but rest at night in the cool mountain air, the Chardonnay develops the mineral depth and aromatic complexity that makes Perlé so unmistakable. The Lunelli family only selects the very best batches – the grapes that most purely reflect the terroir. Perlé matures for almost five years on the fine yeasts – an exceptionally patient maturation period that gives the sparkling wine its characteristic creaminess and delicate yeast notes that harmonise perfectly with the fruity elegance of the Chardonnay.

In the hallowed halls of Casòn Hirschprunn, where history and innovation meet in the vaults of the 13th century, a red wine is created that epitomises the future of South Tyrolean viticulture. Here, in the middle of the 30 hectares of biodynamic vineyards between 230 and 360 metres above sea level, Alois Lageder ventured a visionary experiment in the 1980s: the cultivation of Tannat, an exotic grape variety from south-west France that proved to be exceptionally suitable for the Alpine future in the face of climate change. "Negli ultimi anni, ci siamo appassionati sempre di più al Tannat" – the Lageder family confesses their growing passion for this exceptional variety, which is immediately recognisable in the vineyard thanks to its characteristic red leaf stalks. What began as an experimental curiosity developed into a philosophy: not to celebrate the typicality of individual grape varieties, but to let the unique terroir of a vineyard speak for itself – a guiding principle based on the great châteaux of the Bordelais.

The grapes for the Cortazo are grown in the hot Brenntal vineyard in Kurtatsch, which is ideal for ensuring the Cabernet Sauvignon reaches the required level of ripeness. A deep ruby red colour. A harmonious bouquet of violets and wild berries. On the palate, it is full-bodied and complex, with a lovely core of fruit and subtle extract sweetness, velvety tannins and a long finish. Excellent Storage potential. SUPERIORE.DE

Countess Sophie Goëss-Enzenberg, who runs the estate together with her husband Michael, gave this Chardonnay her name. A wine that combines elegance with determination, finesse with power. Half the grapes come from one of two contrasting worlds: Terlan Lieben Aich at 300 metres, facing west, where loamy sandy soil on volcanic porphyry nourishes Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. And Kaltern Mazzon – Manincor's steepest vineyard, the 'Leiten' with gradients of up to 100 per cent. Here, Chardonnay and Viognier are rooted at altitudes of between 350 and 400 metres in calcareous loess-loam, facing south-west towards the light. Two soils, two microclimates, one vision. The destemmed berries macerate for four hours in the press – longer than for the Eichhorn, shorter than for the Sauvignons. Finesse is the guiding principle; the pressing process is slow and meticulous. Spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts takes place in wooden barrels of various sizes, followed by nine months' ageing on the fine lees. Here, the aroma and structure develop into the density that characterises Sophie.