Wines from South Tyrol and Trentino

In 1991, Alois Lageder succeeded in acquiring Casòn Hirschprunn, a historic estate that was mentioned in documents as early as the 13th century and today forms the spiritual heart of Lageder's biodynamic philosophy. Here, in the Renaissance palazzo in the middle of Magreid, where over 30 hectares of vineyards between 230 and 360 metres adorn the gentle slopes of the Margreider Schuttkegel, a revolution began in 1995: the first biodynamic experiments on Italian soil, which made the winery one of the pioneers of this holistic form of cultivation. "Tasting the unpredictable" – is how Alois Lageder himself defines the nature of this extraordinary white wine, which epitomises the joy of experimentation and innovative strength of the estate like no other.

The Wolfstor – a name that commands respect. Andrian's flagship wine was one of South Tyrol's very first premium Lagrein wines. A true veteran of South Tyrolean quality winegrowing, one might say. Since its early days, the winery has been producing this Riserva from grapes grown in Gries near Bolzano, the traditional home of Lagrein. Gries is different. Here in the Bolzano region, the vines grow on warm, alluvial porphyry soils. The microclimate is warmer than elsewhere, the soils more well-drained, with more gravel and less clay. Perfect for Lagrein, which needs warmth and sunshine. The old vines yield concentrated grapes: low yields, maximum extraction. Vinification follows traditional methods. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel, followed by eighteen months in French barriques. Malolactic fermentation takes place entirely in the wood, which makes the tannins silky and rounded.

Following its acclaimed comeback in 2022, the next vintage confirms it: the Linticlarus Chardonnay is back – and is here to stay. The selective harvest from the finest Chardonnay plots in Entiklar, at an altitude of 300 to 340 metres in the immediate vicinity of the legendary Vigna AU, produces a wine of remarkable elegance. The glacial moraine soils, with their high limestone content and natural salts, shape the wine’s character. Twelve months’ ageing in barriques and tonneaux lend structure and finesse without overpowering the fruit.

One of the really great Chardonnays from South Tyrol: bright, intense light golden yellow in colour. In the powerful yet harmonious Chardonnay Baron Salvadori, the aromas of fine vanilla cream and ripe fruit change in quick succession. Fresh and round on the palate, the accentuated fruit is accompanied by balanced acidity, a fine salty vein and well-integrated wood spice. SUPERIORE.DE

First-class, ruby-red Pinot Noir with a garnet-red shimmer. Fine fruity bouquet of wild berries and cherries. An elegant red, well-proportioned and never overloaded, but with a clear identity and elegant character. SUPERIORE.DE

Anadûron – this is the Celtic name for Naturns. Translated, it means "settlement on the marsh". A strange name for a village that lies on dry primary rock, criss-crossed by porphyry, granite and slate, on steep south-facing slopes between 600 and 900 metres. Not a trace of the swamp. Instead, thousands of years of geology speak through every glass of this wine. Franz Pratzner has created Anadûron as a tribute to Naturns and the entire Adige Valley – a selection of the estate's best Riesling parcels, which differs from regular Riesling not only in the selection, but in every step of the vinification process. Grapes of hand-picked quality, spontaneous fermentation in French tonneaux – not in large acacia wood barrels – followed by twelve months of ageing in tonneaux, five months in steel and finally 31 months in the bottle. Around four years from harvestto glass. No other wine from the estate is given more time.

2022 was a vintage of concentration: dry winter, hot summer – small yields, but outstanding quality. The Tiefenbrunner family demonstrates this intensity in the Linticlarus cuvée in an impressive way. The classic Bordeaux assemblage of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in equal parts grows on the south-southeast-facing slopes of Entiklar, at an altitude of 260 to 300 metres. The broodingmoraine soil – loamy sand with a high lime content – stores the heat of the day and slowly releases it at night. The result: perfect phenolic ripeness with preserved freshness. Mash fermentation in concrete is followed by 12 months in barriques, 6 months in large wooden barrels and a further year of bottle ageing.

"For me, Pinot Noir is the finest and, at the same time, the most challenging grape variety," Franz Haas once said. His father had always grown it, so his path was already mapped out – until one day he had the good fortune to taste an exceptional Grands Échezeaux from Burgundy. From that moment on, his real challenge began: to create a wine that would follow in its footsteps. Countless experimental batches over decades, using a wide variety of clones, fermentation and ageing methods, all pursued a goal that had already been his father's: the perfect Pinot Nero. Franz Haas dedicated a specially designed artist's label to this wine, which embodies his entire passion for the most challenging of all grape varieties: Riccardo Schweizer designed it for the first vintage of 1987 – released in 1990 – and thus gave the wine its name. To this day, this wine is not produced every year: it is only released if it meets his own exacting standards.

Around 280 million years ago, the Bolzano quartz porphyry was formed by volcanic heat. Subsequent geological movements mixed it with the dolomite and limestone of the Mendel Ridge, and near Andrian, this has formed a conical hill of reddish, limestone-rich loam containing angular, white dolomite boulders. The soil is loose, well-aerated and neutral in pH; it maintains a balance of water, and the vines have deep roots. Pinot Noir is grown there at an altitude of 470 metres. Its grapes come from late-harvested vines and are harvested by hand, yielding 40 hectolitres per hectare, before being taken to the cellar. Fermentation takes place on the must in stainless steel tanks, under controlled conditions with gentle stirring of the must. Barriques are used for malolactic fermentation and ageing, as the estate deliberately ages its selection wines with more oak than its classic wines.

Anrar is the answer to a simple question: what happens when South Tyrol's second most important red grape variety is aged in wood? Whilst the classic Pinot Nero retains its freshness in stainless steel, Anrar takes a different approach. Around 12 months in French barriques for malolactic fermentation and further ageing. No overpowering oak, but rather elegant integration. That's what makes the difference. But that's not all: the grapes come from the finest Pinot Nero vineyards around Andrian. Altitudes between 350 and 450 metres, where the calcareous loam soils are interspersed with dolomite rock. The cooler microclimate ensures slow ripening, higher acidity and finer tannins. Perfect for a Pinot Nero with Burgundian aspirations.

Mazon is known as Italy's Grand Cru of Pinot Nero – warm, brooding, concentrated. What few people realise: The plateau has a downside. At the northernmost tip, where the terrain rises to 430 to 460 metres and the downdraughts become cooler, lies the Vigna Herbsthöfl – the highest and coolest parcel of the entire Barthenau estate. Here, vines from a special selection of the neighbouring Vigna Roccolo grow on calcareous, slightly sandy glacial deposits – a soil that gives the wine a minerality and lightness that the classic Mazon profile does not recognise. The Herbsthöfl was vinified separately for the first time in 2022 – the latest "Vigna" wine in the Hofstätter portfolio. It is no coincidence that Martin Foradori-Hofstätter immediately declared it a Riserva: the parcel has the format, and the vintage provided the quality. Harvested entirely by hand, completely destemmed, fermentation in concrete vats with remontage, followed by barrique, concrete, bottle – the same care as its big brother S. Urbano, but with a different response: fresher, more transparent, finer in texture.

1919 is undisputedly the top product among Kettmeir's sparkling wines. Here, the entire expertise of the South Tyrolean company, which produces according to traditional bottle fermentation, unfolds. The Chardonnay base wine matures in wood, the Pinot Nero in stainless steel tanks. Both base wines are then blended and mature for at least 60 months in the bottle on the fine lees. The result is a concert for the senses: complex, multi-layered bouquet of citrus fruits, dried fruit and spices. Bread, smoke and minerals round off the exciting picture. On the palate, we are thrilled by this freshness and depth, which never give the impression that there is too much of everything here, but that everything is precisely dimensioned in its place. Tautness on the palate, a lively personality, fragrance, spice and sensuality are paired with a seriousness and room-filling presence that rightly places the 1919 among Italy's great Spumanti. SUPERIORE.DE

Here the name becomes the programme: Michael Graf Goëss-Enzenberg gave this wine its title because it tastes like Manincor itself. The essence of the hills that surround the estate, the view over Lake Kaltern, the strength and warmth of the warmest vineyards in South Tyrol – all come together in this glass. Grapes from Manincor and Panholzerhof, both at 250 metres, south-eastern slopes with sandy clay soils full of limestone gravel and glacial deposits. Lagrein, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon – three grape varieties, one home. Each batch is vinified separately, partly spontaneously with wild yeasts in wooden, concrete and stainless steel vats. Ten days of gentle maceration, only dipped once a day for fine-grained tannins. Matured for twelve months in used wooden barrels of various sizes.

Matan Pinot Nero Riserva is one of the two red flagships of the family winery, the grapes come from the most valuable Pinot Noir vineyards in Montan. Deep ruby red in colour. The multi-layered and complex bouquet has aromas of dried cherries, lavender, orange zest, porcini mushrooms, cedar wood and cloves. Medium to full-bodied on the palate with supple, grainy tannins and fresh acidity. Concentrated, flavoursome and deliciously spiced, with a beguiling juiciness and plenty of potential. One of the great Pinot Noirs of South Tyrol! SUPERIORE.DE

In Campo Rotaliano, this geological treasure trove nestled amongst the peaks of the Dolomites, Elisabetta Foradori has been rewriting the history of Teroldego for four decades. What began in 1960 as a family wine is now the epitome of indigenous excellence. The grapes come from twelve hand-selected plots spanning nine hectares, their roots reaching deep into alluvial sand and dolomite limestone. Fifteen different Teroldego biotypes, developed through years of mass selection, reflect the diversity of this unique terroir. Biodynamic Demeter cultivation, practised since 2002, allows the indigenous grape variety to unfold its original identity. Spontaneous fermentation in concrete tanks, partly using whole bunches, preserves the lively fruitiness. Twelve months' ageing in a combination of concrete and oak vats lends the wine structure without being overpowering.

1919 is the undisputed top product among Kettmeir's sparkling wines. This is where all the expertise of the South Tyrolean company, which produces using the traditional bottle fermentation method, comes to the fore. The Chardonnay base wine matures in wood, the Pinot Nero in stainless steel tanks. Both base wines are then blended and matured for at least 60 months in the bottle on the fine lees.The result is a concert for the senses: a complex, multi-layered bouquet of citrus fruit, dried fruit and spices. Bread, smoke and minerals round off the exciting picture. On the palate, we are delighted by the freshness and depth, which never give the impression that there is too much of anything here, but that everything is precisely in its place. Tight tension on the palate, a lively and vibrant personality, flavour, spice and sensuality are combined with a seriousness and room-filling presence that rightly places the 1919 among Italy's great Spumanti. SUPERIORE.DE

The roots of this story run deeper than any memory: the vines, which have borne silent witness for generations in the warm alluvial soils of Gries, are over 80 years old. Here, where in 1908 thirty visionary winegrowers laid the foundations for a legend, that masterpiece is created year after year – a wine that has long since become the undisputed icon of South Tyrolean winemaking: Taber Lagrein Riserva. It is a wine that embodies time. Time in the old vines, which, at an altitude of just 250 metres, transform the extreme temperature fluctuations between hot days and cool nights into pure concentration. Time in the patient, painstaking work that selects only the finest grapes for this exceptional Riserva. And time for ageing, where, following traditional fermentation in wooden casks, perfection awaits after a full year in French barriques.

Renaissance – the name says it all. Whether Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli or Michelangelo were wine lovers is a question Markus Prackwieser leaves to the historians. Yet their universal genius inspires him: only in the very best years, when all the factors come together perfectly, does he create these artful wines – masterpieces that shine with versatility and finesse. The Sauvignon Blanc Riserva Renaissance embodies this philosophy in its purest form. The grapes grow on calcareous moraine soils over quartz porphyry at an altitude of 400 to 550 metres, where Mediterranean warmth prevails during the day and cool Dolomite winds ensure crystalline freshness at night. After a brief maceration and gentle pressing, the wine ferments entirely in tonneaux. Then comes the crucial step: twelve months' ageing in large oak casks on the first lees, followed by a further ten months in steel tanks on the fine lees. This patient ageing process lends the wine that extra smoothness and finesse which sets it apart from all others.

Giare - exclusive grappa aged for 36 months in small oak barrels. Marzadro dedicates this noble distillate to the memory of the women condemned to death for witchcraft in the village of Giare in the municipality of Nogaredo in 1646.

It could easily be mistaken for a very high-quality St.-Emilion from a cooler vintage: a compact and finesse-rich Merlot-Cabernet from old vineyards and vinified according to traditional methods. Deep dark red in colour, with complex, berry aromas on the nose. On the palate, the Cuvée Anticus impresses with pleasantly ripe fruit, velvety tannins and a wonderful texture. Lush and almost endless finish! SUPERIORE.DE

At the southern foot of the Margreider Schuttkegel is a vineyard with the dialect name "Punggl", which has been known and coveted for viticulture since time immemorial. In the mid-1950s, the former owners of the Hirschprunn estate planted a vineyard there with Merlot, as it had already produced very good results in previous decades. In 1995, the grapes from this vineyard were of such first-class quality that they inspired Luis von Dellemann, the Oenologistresponsible at the time, to vinify these grapes as a single variety - since then, and only in the best years, this strictly selected grape material has formed the basis for the MCM.

A castle ruin towers above the entrance to the village of Terlan. First mentioned in a document in 1206. Much has changed since then – the languages, the borders, the owners. What has remained are the porphyry rock, the northern foehn wind and the determination to produce wine here that does the village justice. Nova Domus – New House. Founded in 1893 by 24 winegrowers, with the simple aim of being better together than apart.